Shoot Day Checklist
theomidia.com/help/prepare-your-home
The Day Before
Shoot Morning
Quick Reminders
Prepared by Omidia | Professional Real Estate Media | theomidia.com
Prepare Your Home for a Shoot
The complete guide to getting your property camera-ready. Follow this and your listing photos will look incredible.
Preparation Timeline
What to do and when to do it
The Day Before
Deep clean the entire home
Pay extra attention to kitchens and bathrooms. Streaky mirrors and water spots show up in photos.
Mow the lawn and tidy up landscaping
Trim hedges, pull weeds, and blow leaves off walkways.
Remove personal photos and religious items from walls
Buyers need to picture themselves in the space. Leave decorative art.
Declutter all countertops, shelves, and surfaces
Less is more. Keep 1-3 decorative items per surface max.
Clean all windows inside and out
Natural light is everything. Dirty glass kills the glow.
Put away small kitchen appliances
Toasters, knife blocks, paper towel holders. The counters should feel huge.
Remove fridge magnets, kids’ art, and sticky notes
The fridge should look like a showroom appliance.
Hide all trash cans and recycling bins
Inside and outside. This is the #1 thing people forget.
Clean or replace worn doormats
Front door is the first photo. Make it count.
Move extra vehicles off the driveway and street
Ideally the driveway is completely empty for exterior shots.
Wash the front door and entry area
Wipe down the door, handles, and house numbers.
Check that all light bulbs are working
Replace any burnt-out or flickering bulbs. Match the color temperature (all warm or all cool).
Put away pet beds, bowls, toys, and litter boxes
Stash them in the car or a closet that won't be photographed.
Remove bathroom products from counters and shower
Toothbrushes, shampoo bottles, razors. All of it.
Arrange fresh towels in bathrooms
White or neutral towels, neatly folded or hung.
Fluff all pillows and straighten bedding
Make beds like a hotel. Smooth, symmetrical, inviting.
Morning of the Shoot
Turn on ALL interior lights
Every lamp, every overhead, every under-cabinet light. Even in daytime.
Open all blinds and curtains
Pull them all the way to the sides. Let as much natural light in as possible.
Turn on the fireplace (if gas/electric)
A lit fireplace photographs beautifully. Skip wood-burning ones (smoke can trigger alarms).
Turn off ceiling fans
Fan blades appear blurry in photos. Always off.
Close all toilet lids
Yes, really. Open toilet = bad photo. Every single one.
Hide laundry baskets and hampers
Put away dishes, sponges, and dish soap
Clear the kitchen sink completely
No dishes, no sponge, no drying rack.
Remove cars from driveway and garage (if being shot)
The photographer may need the garage empty for interior shots.
Take pets off the property
Even well-behaved pets can photobomb, bark during video, or confuse the Matterport scanner.
Tuck away phone chargers and visible cords
Cable clutter is one of the easiest things to miss.
Put away shoes and coat racks near the entrance
Do a final walk-through of every room
Look at each room from the doorway. That's the photographer's first angle.
Check exterior: garbage bins hidden, hose coiled, patio tidy
Move garbage/recycling bins to the side of the house or inside the garage.
Set thermostat to a comfortable temperature
If the photographer is working for 1-2 hours, they need to be comfortable. Foggy lenses from temperature changes are a real problem.
Room-by-Room Breakdown
Tap any room to see the full checklist
Lighting Cheat Sheet
Quick reference for every switch and blinds in the home
All interior lights
Every lamp, overhead, under-cabinet, and vanity light. Even in well-lit rooms.
Exterior / landscape lights
Especially for twilight shoots. Path lights, uplights, porch lights.
Blinds and curtains
Pull curtains to the sides. Raise all blinds fully.
Ceiling fans
Blurry blades in every shot. Always turn them off.
TV screens
Bright screens cause color blobs and reflections.
Fireplace (gas/electric)
A lit fireplace adds warmth and is a great visual focal point.
Oven/stove hood light
Creates a warm glow in kitchen photos.
Closet lights
Unless the closet is being featured (walk-ins), keep closets closed and dark.
Tips by Service Type
Different services need different prep. Here's what matters for each.
Common Mistakes
The stuff people always get wrong. Don't be that listing.
Leaving toilet lids up
Close every single one. It's the most common mistake and the most distracting in photos.
Removing ALL decor and staging items
Don't strip the house bare. A few intentional items (plants, books, throw pillows) make spaces feel warm. Empty rooms look cold and small.
Forgetting about the ceiling fan
Turn off all ceiling fans before the shoot. Moving blades create a weird blur in photos.
Leaving garbage bins visible outside
Move them to the side of the house or into the garage. They show up in exterior and drone shots.
Only cleaning the rooms "that matter"
The photographer will shoot every room. That includes the laundry room, guest bathroom, and garage.
Having mismatched light bulb colors
One warm bulb and one cool bulb in the same room looks terrible in photos. Pick one temperature and match them all.
Leaving cars in the driveway
Move all vehicles off the property. Even a nice car distracts from the home. The driveway should be empty.
Not prepping the backyard
Outdoor spaces sell. Arrange patio furniture, clean the BBQ, and mow the lawn. Don't forget about what's visible from inside through windows.
Assuming the photographer will move things
Photographers are on a tight schedule. They won't rearrange your furniture or hide your laundry. The home needs to be shoot-ready on arrival.
Leaving window screens in place
Window screens create a haze in photos, especially when shooting toward natural light. Remove them if you can, at least from featured windows.
Keeping pets at home during the shoot
Even calm pets can wander into shots, bark during video, or appear as blur in Matterport scans. Arrange for them to be off-site.
Closing blinds to "control light"
Leave the lighting to us. Open all blinds. Our HDR process handles bright windows perfectly.
What NOT to Remove
Some people over-declutter and strip the home bare. These items actually help your photos look better:
A few throw pillows on the couch
They add color and make the space feel lived-in (in a good way).
One neatly draped throw blanket
Adds texture and warmth, especially in living rooms and bedrooms.
Fresh flowers or a green plant
Nothing makes a room look more alive. A small bouquet or potted plant works great.
A bowl of fruit in the kitchen
Lemons, limes, or green apples. Simple and fresh.
Clean, matching towels in bathrooms
Rolled or folded white towels look hotel-like.
Decorative books or a cookbook on the island
Adds personality without personalization.
Outdoor patio furniture
Staged outdoor living spaces sell the lifestyle. Don't strip the deck bare.
A doormat at the front door
Makes the entry feel welcoming. Just make sure it's clean.
Accent art on the walls
Abstract or landscape art is fine. Just remove personal or family photos.
Table settings (optional)
A simple place setting on a dining table can elevate the shot. Not required, but a nice touch.
Vancouver Weather Tips
We shoot in Vancouver year-round. Here's how to work with our weather, not against it.
Fall & Winter (Oct - Mar)
- Overcast days are actually great for interior photography. The soft, even light means fewer harsh shadows and better window views.
- Turn on ALL lights to compensate for shorter daylight hours. This is non-negotiable in winter.
- Schedule shoots between 10am and 2pm to maximize the little daylight we get.
- Wipe down the front door and entry. Rain splatter accumulates fast.
- If the lawn is soggy, that's okay. We can work around it. But pick up any debris or fallen leaves.
- Turn on the fireplace for extra warmth in photos. Buyers love cozy fall/winter shots.
Spring & Summer (Apr - Sep)
- Mow the lawn the day before. In peak growing season, one day makes a difference.
- Water flower beds and planters the evening before for vibrant color.
- If you have a deck or patio, stage it with cushions and maybe a drink tray. Outdoor living sells in summer.
- Open windows slightly before the shoot for fresh air, but close them before shooting starts (billowing curtains blur in photos).
- Bright sun can create harsh shadows on exteriors. Morning or late afternoon shoots often look best.
- Clean the BBQ and pool area if visible. These are hero shots in summer.
Printable Checklist
Print this page or screenshot it to send to your seller
Shoot Day Checklist
Print this out or text it to your seller
The Day Before
Shoot Morning
Quick Reminders
Ready to book your shoot?
Book a Capture