how to take amazing rental photos with your phone

how to take amazing rental photos with your phone

Property Manager · South Florida · Member since 2023 · 22 posts · 16 votes

Besides price, this is the most important conversion factor when advertising your rentals. put together this quick guide

- Take your photos 60 minutes after sunrise or 60 minutes before sunset. You'll get the warmest natural light. Otherwise, do it on an overcast day to avoid ugly shadows and harsh reflections

- Hold your phone horizontally - makes the space look bigger and shows better on screens

- Shooting from lower chest height, holding the phone with both hands and rest your elbows onto your lower ribs. This stabilizes and makes the photos crisper

- Use the volume button instead of the shutter button on the screen for even more stability

- Never use digital zoom. It’s not really zoom, it just crops the picture and magnifies it - leading to blurry photos. Just get closer

- Get to the corners. For spacious room shots, put yourself in corners or doorways, backing up until the door edges are visible in the lens, then scoot forward slightly to remove them. You’ll capture the widest view of the room and create “depth” as the walls guide the prospect’s eye to the opposite corner

- Floor is better than ceiling. You want to show as much living space as possible - that’s what they’re paying for. While holding the phone stable at your chest, tilt it down just a little to capture more floor than ceiling

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    Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
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    Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
    2y
    Quote from @Alexander Stringfellow:

    Balance the light between outdoors and indoors so you don't get harsh contrast.

    Watch for reflections.

    Don't use filters or hide things. If you make the property look nicer than it really is, renters will be disappointed when they see it in person.

    Sometimes less is more. Show what they need to see to get a general idea of the property to encourage them to tour the property in person. Don't show them so much that they think the pictures are all they need to see.

    The DIY Landlord Book4.7247 Reviews
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    • Real Estate Agent · Kansas City · Member since 2018 · 4k+ posts · 3k+ votes
      2y

      Also don't take mirror shots with your whole body in it or don't take a pic of just the toilet 

    • Nathan GesnerBusiness Member
      Moderator
      Real Estate Broker · Cody, WY · Member since 2010 · 28k+ posts · 41k+ votes
      2y
      Quote from @Alexander Stringfellow:

      Balance the light between outdoors and indoors so you don't get harsh contrast.

      Watch for reflections.

      Don't use filters or hide things. If you make the property look nicer than it really is, renters will be disappointed when they see it in person.

      Sometimes less is more. Show what they need to see to get a general idea of the property to encourage them to tour the property in person. Don't show them so much that they think the pictures are all they need to see.

      The DIY Landlord Book4.7247 Reviews
    • Real Estate Agent · Marion, IN · Member since 2019 · 134 posts · 67 votes
      2y
      Quote from @Alexander Stringfellow:

      Well said. And you might as well close the toilet lid before taking photos.

      I like to grab a quick walkthrough video while I'm there and create an unlisted YouTube video for prospects. If you're doing in-person showings, you may notice the show rate of prospective tenants is alarmingly low. This helps make sure they have a remote interest in the layout of the unit before spending time at the property.

    • Member since 2025 · 1 post · 0 votes
      1y

      Good lighting makes all the difference! I try to shoot during the day when plenty of natural light is coming in. Also, keeping the space clutter-free and focusing on clean lines helps make rooms look larger. Another fun trick—I use Nixplay to display staged interior photos on a digital frame during showings. It gives potential tenants a better idea of how the space can look fully furnished.

    • David PeschioBusiness Member
      Richmond, VA · Member since 2019 · 358 posts · 181 votes
      1y

      We've started incorporating videos into our property listings. This new approach allows prospective tenants to experience the flow of each home virtually.
      The results have been fantastic. We've noticed a significant decrease in the number of initial inquiries and calls, and fewer potential tenants are surprised during in-person viewings. This process has proven to be an effective tool for setting expectations and streamlining our operations.

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