By Joe Giannotti · Tampa, Florida
Great listing photos are half photography, half preparation. Here's the checklist I send owners before every shoot — an hour of prep shows up in every single photo.
Clear the counters. Kitchen and bathrooms especially. Paper towels, dish soap, knife blocks, toiletries — off. A cutting board and a bowl of fruit can stay; the toaster can't.
Hide the operational stuff. Trash cans, cleaning supplies, baby gates, pet bowls, cords, remotes, and the pile of pool noodles. Guests know they exist; they don't need them in the hero shot.
Beds and linens hotel-tight. Fresh, pressed if possible, pillows chopped. The bed is the photo in every bedroom — there's no angle that saves a rumpled duvet.
Turn every light on, every fan off. Lamps included. Warm interior light is what makes twilight shots glow, and a spinning fan is a blurry propeller in the photo.
Outside counts double. Pool skimmed, cushions out and straightened, grill closed, hoses coiled, cars out of the driveway and off the street in front.
Then leave it alone. Do the walkthrough the day before, not while I'm shooting. I'll handle the final styling room by room as we go — that's part of the job.
Quick answers
How should I prepare my vacation rental for photography?
Clear all counters, hide operational items (trash cans, cords, cleaning supplies), make beds hotel-tight with fresh linens, turn on every light including lamps, turn ceiling fans off, and stage exteriors — pool skimmed, cushions straightened, cars moved.
Should the lights be on or off for real estate photos?
On — every light in the house, including lamps. Warm interior light adds depth to daytime interiors and is what makes twilight exterior shots glow.
Do I need to be present during the photo shoot?
Someone needs to provide access, but owners do not need to hover. Prep the property the day before and let the photographer style and work room by room.