Photographing a property for a rental listing
How to photograph a rental property for the listing. Techniques, equipment, room preparation and mistakes to avoid for attractive photos.
Preparing the property for photos
Preparation accounts for 80% of the result. A clean and decluttered property photographs well even with a basic smartphone.
| Action | Impact | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Declutter each room | Very strong | 1 - 2 hours |
| Full cleaning (floors, windows, fixtures) | Strong | 2 - 3 hours |
| Turn on all lights | Strong | 5 minutes |
| Open curtains and blinds | Strong | 5 minutes |
| Tidy cables and personal items | Moderate | 30 minutes |
| Add a few decorative elements (plant, cushion) | Moderate | 15 minutes |
Photograph preferably on a sunny day, between 10am and 3pm to maximise natural light. Avoid rainy days or late afternoons (light too warm or insufficient).
Quality photos considerably speed up the search for a tenant.
Essential photo techniques
| Technique | Description |
|---|---|
| Wide angle | Use the smartphone wide-angle mode (0.5x) to show the space |
| Landscape | All photos in landscape (horizontal) mode, never portrait |
| Chest height | Hold the device at chest height (1.2 m), not at eye level |
| Room corners | Photograph from a corner to capture 2 walls and maximum space |
| HDR active | Enable HDR mode to balance bright and dark areas |
| Stability | Rest the device against the door frame to avoid blur |
If you use a smartphone, recent models (iPhone 13+, Samsung S21+, Pixel 6+) produce sufficient quality photos. The wide-angle lens is essential for small rooms.
For a professional photographer (EUR 150 - 300), they will bring an ultra-wide-angle lens, a tripod and post-processing that makes a difference on the platforms.
Room-by-room guide
| Room | Number of photos | Recommended angle |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | 2 - 3 | From the entrance + from the window |
| Kitchen | 2 | Overview + worktop |
| Bedroom(s) | 1 - 2 per bedroom | From the door |
| Bathroom | 1 - 2 | From the door (wide angle essential) |
| Hall / corridor | 1 | View towards the interior |
| Terrace / balcony | 1 - 2 | View from inside + exterior view |
| Exterior / facade | 1 | Front view, sunny day |
| View from the property | 1 | From the main window |
| Parking / cellar | 1 | If available |
Start with the most attractive rooms in the listing. The living room first, followed by the kitchen and the main bedroom. The first photo in the listing is the most viewed — choose the best one.
Mistakes to avoid
| Mistake | Consequence | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Photos in portrait (vertical) mode | Poorly framed on platforms | Always in landscape |
| Reflection in the mirror | Landlord visible | Move aside, use an angle |
| Visible clutter | Negative impression | Tidy and declutter |
| Photos too dark | Property looks gloomy | Natural light + HDR |
| Toilet close-up | Unaesthetic | Overview from the door |
| Too few photos (< 5) | Candidates suspicious | Minimum 10, ideally 15+ |
| Distorted photos (excessive fisheye) | Rooms look unrealistic | Moderate the wide angle |
A good set of photos is the best investment for a rental listing. Combined with a well-written listing, it maximises the number of enquiries and speeds up the letting.
Publish on multiple platforms to maximise the visibility of your photos.
Frequently asked questions
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A minimum of 10 photos: every main room, the kitchen, the bathroom, the view from the property, the building (exterior) and optionally the parking or garden. Listings with 15+ photos generate more enquiries.
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A property photographer costs EUR 150 to 300 and halves the letting time on average. It is a worthwhile investment, especially for properties above EUR 900/month. For more modest properties, a recent smartphone with the right techniques is sufficient.
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Legally, you can use photos taken in the property if no identifiable person appears. In practice, fresh photos of the empty property (or furnished by the landlord) are much more effective.