Pre-shoot checklist.

Most of this takes a few minutes a room. Work through it the day before, and the morning of the shoot comes down to lights and blinds.

Selling, and starting further out? The seller's guide to getting a home ready for listing photos covers repairs, decluttering, curb appeal and the season, for Boise and Denver.

Light and windows

• Turn on every light, including lamps and closet lights.
• Open the blinds and shades, and set them the same way from room to room. If one is broken and has to stay down, put them all down so the rooms match.
• Replace dead bulbs before the day of the shoot.
• Wipe down windows and mirrors.

Throughout the house

• Put away anything you do not want photographed. Every room is shot from every angle, so moving something to a corner still leaves it in frame.
• The garage is the best place to put it. We do not photograph garages unless you ask us to.
• Take down family photos. Art can stay.
• Clear the countertops.
• Fluff the pillows and fold the blankets.
• Put remotes and chargers in a drawer.
• Straighten the rugs, and take up the doormats.
• Put pet bowls and litter boxes away.
• Move the cars out of the driveway.
• Put the trash cans out of sight.

Bathrooms

• Put away toilet paper, plungers, shampoo, razors and toothbrushes.
• Take the towels off the hooks and put them away.
• Put the toilet seats down.
• Clear the counters.

Outside

• Mow the lawn.
• Spray down the driveway and walkways.
• Coil the hoses.
• Put toys and tools away.

Basements and storage

• Push clutter to the edges of the room rather than the middle, so the floor reads as open space.
• Pricing is by total square footage, and the square footage sets how long we block out on site. If a basement or an unfinished space needs covering, let us know before the shoot.

A professional clean

Of everything on this page, a professional clean makes the single biggest difference, especially in kitchens and bathrooms.

For the agent

• If you plan to help get the house ready, arrive 30 minutes before the shoot.
• If you cannot be there, confirm with your seller that the house is ready before the photographer arrives.

Shoots are booked back to back, so when a house is not ready on arrival, the shoot starts late and so does every shoot after it that day.

What editing can and cannot change

We can virtually stage rooms and remove small items in photos. The 3D tour and video show the house exactly as it is on the day.