Mastering Real Estate Photography: A Comprehensive Shot Guide

Whether you're new to the industry or refining your skills, this real estate photography shot guide will provide you with a room-by-room strategy to get the best photos every time—while impressing agents and homeowners alike.

Use these blueprints and tips to sharpen your workflow and always stay one step ahead of what your client wants.

Exterior Ground Shots

Exterior Ground Shots: Exteriors are your most important shots. Take exterior photos from head height (~5.5'). With wide-angle lenses, avoid tilting up or down.

Exterior Photos: Don’t Mess These Up

Exterior shots are the most important photos of your entire shoot. Seriously—don’t screw these up or you might find yourself making a second trip (and no one wants that).

Shoot from slightly higher than your interiors—about head height (~5.5 ft) using a tripod. Keep your wide-angle lens level—no tilting up or down, especially with a wide-angle lens.

Stay within 50–60 feet of the home for the best perspective. If you shoot from too far away with a wide lens, the house will appear too small.

If the house sits on a slope or the angle just isn’t working, elevate your tripod or switch to a telephoto lens. This lens doesn't distort the image, allowing you to angle upwards a bit if needed.

Still struggling? Cue the drone. Aerial shots can save the day—especially for elevated homes or unique rooflines. But you want to use your primary camera, not a drone, if possible.

Aim for 10–20 exterior ground shots. Overshooting gives you options, and options help you find the one—the “money shot” that makes the MLS pop and gets buyers clicking.

Take a bunch. Compare them side by side. Pick the winner. Then ask yourself: Will my customer be PROUD to use this image as the first photo buyers see when they see the listing online?

Primary Bedroom

Primary Bedroom, Bathroom & Closet: Capture all corners with a wide lens to show symmetry, flow, and views.

The primary bedroom is a key selling point for your agent—so it's better to overshoot than to undershoot. Remember, the buyer is going to sleep in this room, so you really need to impress!

• Use a wide-angle lens (16–24mm) to shoot all four corners. Maintain level framing to preserve symmetry and floor plan clarity.

• For detail shots, switch to a telephoto lens (70–200mm) at f/2.8–f/4. This will give you magazine-quality shots of key features like beds, decor, or fixtures with shallow depth of field.

• Capture straight-on shots, not angled, for a modern look.

  
  

Choose to edit only the strongest compositions based on your package and pricing. Keep the rest unedited and store them as backups.

Kitchen & Living Room

Kitchen and Living Room: If you see a great shot, take it! Even if it’s not delivered, it’s good to have.

Kitchens and living rooms are two areas that completely define how buyers imagine living in the home. Make sure you really give these areas everything you've got as a creative professional. Give your customer a competitive edge and deliver more than what they need to sell in today's competitive market.

• Use wide angles to show layout and flow between the kitchen, dining, and living areas.

• Switch to a telephoto lens for detail shots of important features: stove, sink, island, fireplace, TV, and furniture.

• Be intentional with every shot.

• Powder rooms connected to main areas only need one solid shot, but it’s smart to capture a second as backup.

  
  

If you see a great composition, shoot it—even if you’re not sure it’ll be delivered.

Pro tip: Break free from your tripod and capture single exposure shots by hand! Find freedom to crouch, tilt, and capture angles you didn't even know were possible. Push yourself to try something new.

Looking for brownie points from your customer? Stage the dining room table with plates, bowls, cutlery, and glasses. Refer to a table setting guide for instructions on where to place each item.

Views, Decks, and Patios

Capture the Views: Always capture the view. Use both wide-angle and telephoto lenses—mountain and city views often look small with wide lenses, so zoom in to do them justice.

Outdoor spaces sell lifestyle, especially in scenic areas. Using the right lens will make or break capturing views.

• Shoot at least four angles of patios or decks with a wide-angle lens.

• Experiment with both wide-angle and telephoto lenses to tell the full story.

• Wide shots show layout and space; telephoto shots are essential to make distant mountain or city views pop.

• Lower your aperture (f/2.8–f/4) when zooming in to create a soft background and lead the viewer’s eye toward the view.

  
  

Detail shots of outdoor furniture or decor can also enhance the set.

Bedrooms, Bathrooms, Laundry & Spare Rooms

Bedrooms, Bathrooms, and Spare Rooms: Take two shots for bedrooms—one from doorway and one showing closet (always shoot inside walk-ins).

After finishing the main areas, you can move more quickly through secondary spaces. Basic bedrooms and spare rooms usually appear near the end of online listings, so fewer shots are needed. Most sellers focus on showcasing the main living areas, kitchen, and primary suite at the top of their listing.

• For standard bedrooms, shoot one wide shot from the doorway and another showing the closet. Only shoot inside the closet if it’s a walk-in.

• Game rooms, playrooms, or bonus spaces should be photographed from all four corners. If you see a great composition, try capturing it with a telephoto lens!

• Bathrooms usually only need 1–2 shots depending on size and layout.

• For walk-in closets, get 1–2 clean angles.

• Laundry rooms should also have 1–2 wide shots, and don’t forget a detail shot if there are new or high-end appliances.

  
  

As always, capture any unique features like custom tile, built-ins, or cool lighting fixtures.

Bonus Tips: Be an Artist, Not Just a Technician

Your gear doesn’t make the magic—you do.

Use telephoto lenses around corners, behind furniture, or through greenery to create foreground depth and softness.

Use a low aperture (f/2.8–f/4) to make background elements blur and add focus.

Be creative. If something catches your eye, shoot it. Give clients a few unexpected photos—they’ll remember the effort.

Recommended Camera Settings

• 5-stop HDR bracketing (0, -2, +2)

• Auto white balance & auto exposure

• And overdeliver by 5–10 photos

  
  

Save your unedited shots. If a client wants different angles or upgrades their package, you’ll be ready.

Remember, real estate photography isn’t just about checking boxes—it’s about selling the home like the agent would, but through your lens.

With this real estate photo checklist and visual guide in your back pocket, you’ll be able to walk into any property and shoot with confidence, speed, and artistic precision.

Ready to Book or Join the Team?

Jay Hanna, Co-Founder, Jeeves Drones

Whether you’re an agent looking for jaw-dropping listing photos or a photographer who wants to work with a fast-growing, top-tier team—Jeeves Drones has you covered.

📸 Book your next shoot with us and showcase your listing at its best.

🤝 Interested in joining the crew? We're always looking for talented photographers who want to grow with us.

👉 Visit jeevesdrones.com to book or apply today!