How to Prepare Your Listing for a Real Estate Photography Shoot

Great real estate photography starts before the photographer ever takes the first photo.

Preparing a home ahead of time not only helps the property look its best, but it also allows the photographer to spend more time creating great images and less time waiting for last-minute adjustments.

At Minion Works, we photograph homes throughout Reno, Sparks, Lake Tahoe, and the surrounding areas, and we've learned that a little preparation can make a huge difference.

Here are some simple ways to get your listing ready for professional real estate photography.

1. Have All Vehicles Out of the Driveway

One of the easiest ways to help us get started quickly is to have all vehicles removed from the driveway before the scheduled appointment.

Our photographers often arrive early. If the exterior is ready, we may be able to begin with drone photography or exterior photos while we're waiting for the scheduled appointment time.

Cars in the driveway can also block important parts of the home's exterior and make it harder to create a clean, inviting first impression.

If possible, move vehicles down the street rather than directly in front of the property.

2. Open the Blinds — All the Way

This is a small detail that makes a big difference.

Whenever possible, blinds shouldn't simply be tilted open. Raise them completely.

Opening the blinds allows us to showcase the home's windows, bring in natural light, and highlight exterior views. This is especially important for properties with mountain, golf course, city, or Lake Tahoe views.

Curtains and drapes should also be opened and arranged neatly before the shoot.

3. Turn On Every Light

Before your photographer arrives, turn on all interior lights.

That includes:

• Ceiling lights

• Lamps

• Under-cabinet lighting

• Bathroom lights

• Accent lighting

• Fireplace lighting when appropriate

Also check for burned-out bulbs ahead of time. Consistent lighting helps the home photograph better and prevents valuable shoot time from being spent searching for switches or replacing bulbs.

4. Clear the Kitchen Counters

Kitchens are often one of the biggest selling points of a home, so keeping countertops clean and uncluttered is important.

Remove unnecessary appliances, dish racks, cleaning supplies, paper towels, food, mail, and other everyday items.

A few intentional decorative pieces are perfectly fine, but the goal is to showcase the kitchen itself, not everything that normally lives on the counter.

5. Hide Personal and Everyday Items

Before the shoot, walk through the home and look for items you probably don't want appearing in your listing photos.

Think about toiletries on bathroom counters, medications, family photos, pet supplies, trash cans, laundry, charging cables, paperwork, children's toys, and other personal belongings.

Remember: our cameras can see a lot.

The cleaner and less cluttered the home appears, the easier it is for potential buyers to focus on the property.

Why We Ask the Agent to Make the Final Call

When we arrive, one of the first things we do is walk through the property and make sure everything is ready to photograph.

However, there is an important distinction between checking the property and deciding how the property should be presented.

We don't tell homeowners what they need to clean, remove, or rearrange.

We've learned that those decisions are best left to the listing agent.

It's your listing, your client, and ultimately your brand being presented to potential buyers. You know how you want the property represented and what conversations you've already had with your seller.

We depend on the agent to make sure the property is photo-ready before we begin.

Our job is to take that preparation and make it look as good as possible.

What Happens When Minion Works Arrives?

We follow a consistent process designed to keep the shoot efficient while capturing everything needed to market the property.

First, we walk the home.

We make a quick walkthrough to understand the layout and confirm that the property is ready to photograph.

Next, we complete the floor plan scan.

Doing the scan early allows us to map the property before moving into the photography portion of the shoot.

Then, whenever possible, we photograph the interior first.

There's actually a practical reason for this.

Real estate photography requires us to move a tripod throughout the property. If we photograph the exterior first and the yard happens to be wet or muddy, we don't want to spend the rest of the shoot dragging dirt through your client's home.

Once the interior is complete, we can move outside for exterior photography, drone coverage, and any additional media included with the listing.

A Little Preparation Saves Everyone Time

A well-prepared property means less time making adjustments and more time creating the photos and media that will actually market the home.

Before your next real estate photography appointment, remember the basics:

Cars out. Blinds up. Lights on. Counters clear. Personal items away.

We'll take it from there.

Minion Works provides real estate photography, drone photography and video, floor plans, 3D tours, listing videos, virtual staging, and other real estate media services throughout Reno, Sparks, Lake Tahoe, and surrounding Northern Nevada and Northern California communities.