How to prepare a rental home for a photo shoot
Set the home exactly the way a guest will find it on arrival day. That one rule covers most of this list.
A photographer can fix the light and the color. A photographer cannot make a bed, hide a trash can or fill an empty pool. The hour you spend before the shoot shows in every frame, and it is the cheapest way to make the photos better.
Use this list the day before. If a cleaner prepares the home, send them this page.
The whole home
- Clean as for a guest arrival, floors and windows included. Wide lenses show the floor.
- Turn on every light and replace dead bulbs. Use the same color of bulb in one room where you can.
- Open all blinds and curtains. Clean the glass of sliding doors.
- Turn off ceiling fans and TVs.
- Hide cords, chargers, remotes, routers, trash cans, cleaning supplies and door mats.
- Take personal things out: family photos, mail, medicine, clothes on hooks.
- Set the air conditioning so that windows do not fog up.
Room by room
Bedrooms
Make every bed with the linens guests actually get, pulled tight and without wrinkles. Two pillows per sleeper. Clear the nightstands except for a lamp. Open the closet only if it is empty and tidy. Set up the crib or the sofa bed if you advertise it.
Kitchen
Clear the counters. Leave only what you would show: the coffee machine, a kettle, a bowl of fruit. Put away dish soap, sponges, towels and magnets on the fridge. Empty the sink and the drying rack.
Bathrooms
Hang fresh matching towels. Close the toilet lid. Take out toothbrushes, razors, half-used bottles and the plunger. Open the shower curtain or clean the glass door.
Living room
Straighten cushions and throws. Put out the things guests use: board games, books, the fireplace set. Hide the remote controls and the game console cables.
Workspace
If you advertise a desk, show it ready to use: a chair, a lamp, a clear surface, a visible outlet. Remote workers look for this photo.
Dining area
Clear the table or set it simply. Push every chair in to the same distance. Take away high chairs unless you offer one.
Outside, pool and lanai
- Move cars out of the driveway and from the street in front of the home.
- Put bins, hoses, pool tools and toys out of sight.
- Mow the lawn and blow leaves off the driveway, the paths and the pool deck a day or two before.
- Open the umbrellas, set the cushions, uncover the grill and the hot tub.
- Clean the pool, take out the vacuum and the floating dispenser, turn on the water features and the pool light.
- Put out what guests get: beach chairs, a wagon, bikes, kayaks, paddle boards.
- For aerial photos: tidy the roof line, the side yards and the dock too. The drone sees all of it.
What a home set for guests looks like
Small things that sell the stay
These take minutes and often become the photos guests remember.
- A welcome setup on the counter: local coffee, a guide book, a hand-written card.
- The beach bag by the door with towels, an umbrella and a cooler.
- The coffee corner with cups and pods laid out.
- The view: a balcony chair turned toward the water, a door left open to the lanai.
- For families: the crib, the high chair, a shelf of games and pool toys.
What not to do
- Do not stage the home with things guests will not find. Photos have to match the stay, or the reviews will say so.
- Do not leave the cleaner working during the shoot. Cleaning carts end up in mirrors.
- Do not schedule the shoot on a turnover day with a same-day check-in. Leave a free day if you can.
- Do not cancel for a grey sky without asking. Interiors can be shot on a cloudy day, and the outside can wait for a clear one.
How a shoot goes
You send the address
Tell us the size of the home and what you need. We reply with a price and the first open dates.
You get the home guest-ready
Beds made, lights working, counters clear. We send a short checklist so nothing is missed.
We photograph it
Most homes take one to two hours on site. Aerials and video add time. You do not have to stay in the room with us.
You get the files
Edited photos in 24 to 48 hours, video in 3 to 5 days, sized for Airbnb and Vrbo and ready to upload.
Questions about getting ready
How long does it take to prepare a home for photos?
About an hour for a home that is already cleaned for guests. The work is mostly clearing counters, making beds tight, turning on lights and setting the outdoor furniture.
Do I need to be at the shoot?
No. Many hosts give us a door code. The home just has to be clean and set for guests when we arrive.
Should I buy new decor before the shoot?
Only what guests will keep finding after it: good linens, matching towels, a few plants. Do not rent props for the day.
What time of day is best?
It depends on which way the home faces. We look at the address and choose the hour when the main rooms and the outdoor space have the best light.
What if it rains?
Interiors can be shot on a grey day. For the exterior, the pool and aerials we move to a clear day.
How many photos does an Airbnb listing need?
Enough to answer a guest's questions: every room, every bed, the kitchen, each bathroom, the outdoor space and the details. For most homes that is 35 to 70 photos.
Guides for hosts and managers
Short, practical pages for people who rent a home out.
Where we work
St. Petersburg and Tampa are our main area. Fort Myers and Naples we visit for larger projects.
- St. PetersburgDowntown condos, bungalows, waterfront homes
- St. Pete Beach and the Gulf beachesPass-a-Grille, Treasure Island, Madeira Beach
- TampaSeminole Heights, Ybor City, Channelside, Hyde Park
- Fort MyersSeries of units and full-package shoots
- NaplesLarge homes, estates and series of units
- Hotels and multi-unit propertiesEvery room type in one visit
- Estates Lens homeOur work, video examples and packages
Send us the address
Tell us the size of the home and what you need. We reply with a clear price and a date.
Check out our services
We work in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Fort Myers and Naples.
Service area: St. Petersburg, Tampa, Fort Myers and Naples. Not available in the Sarasota, Bradenton, Venice and Punta Gorda area.