Property photos on your phone: 10 tips that make listings look professional

Buyers decide in seconds whether to open a listing, and the cover photo makes that decision. The good news: the phone in your pocket is good enough. What matters is light, angle and a little preparation.

Before you start

1. Shoot between 10 am and 4 pm, when rooms get the most daylight.
2. Open every curtain and switch on every light, even in daytime.
3. Ask the owner or tenant to clear counters, beds and the floor. Remove footwear, buckets and clothes on hooks.
4. Wipe the phone lens with a clean cloth. Smudged lenses are the most common reason for hazy photos.

While shooting

1. Hold the phone horizontally for rooms. It shows more of the space.
2. Stand in a corner and shoot towards the opposite corner. Rooms look bigger and more natural.
3. Keep the phone at chest height and straight. Tilting up or down makes walls look like they are falling.
4. Avoid the wide 0.5x lens in small rooms. It stretches furniture and looks fake. Use 1x and step back.
5. Tap on the brightest part of the screen, then slide the exposure down a little so windows do not turn white.
6. Take one clean photo of the view from the balcony, the building entrance and society amenities like the garden or pool.

Choosing the photos

Pick eight to twelve. Put the best room first, then follow the order of a site visit: living room, kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, balcony, building and amenities. Delete near-duplicates. Two similar photos of the same bedroom make the listing feel padded.

Videos

A 40 to 60 second walkthrough, shot slowly from the main door through each room, helps out-of-town buyers and NRIs a great deal. Walk slowly, keep the phone steady with both hands, and do not talk over it. You can explain on the call.