How to Prepare for an Apartment Photography Shoot

So, you’ve booked a shoot with an architectural photographer. Great! High-quality photos are an absolute must when marketing your property to potential tenants. You’ll need exterior and interior apartment photography to showcase the building and its amenities – the pool, the common areas, the individual units.
However, to showcase your apartment complex in its best light, there are a few things you need to do to get ready. Even with the best lighting and photo editing skills, the images won’t turn out well if there are leaves floating in the pool or landscapers working in the background.
Without further ado, here’s how to prepare for Houston apartment photography.

1. Schedule cleaning and maintenance ahead of time
Ensure that all cleaning and maintenance is done shortly before the photoshoot. The lawn should be mowed, the landscaping tidied up, and any maintenance or remodeling projects completed before the day of the shoot.
2. Ensure your landscaping crew is not scheduled on the same day as the shoot
Please ensure that landscapers are not onsite during the scheduled time for the photoshoot. All equipment should be put away. Otherwise, I’ll be unable to take exterior images.
3. Clear the front parking spaces of the leasing office at my arrival time
Using cones if necessary, please keep people from parking in front of the leasing office so that it is clear for exterior photos. I’ll shoot this as I’m unloading so you can start using the parking spaces again.
4. Close the pool at my arrival time
I recommend having the pool cleaned before 10am on the day I arrive. I will shoot the pool right away, so ensure that it is closed to tenants at my arrival time. You can reopen it as soon as I have my images – it shouldn’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Ask tenants to leave the gym and other common areas
In addition to the pool, I’ll also need the gym, conference room, lobby, and other common areas empty for photos. I ask for your help in requesting that tenants leave these areas for a few minutes while I photograph them. I will do my best to disrupt tenants as little as possible while I work.
6. Check the weather
In the days leading up to the shoot, check the weather. Cloudy weather is fine. In fact, photos look great when it’s overcast – there are fewer shadows to deal with! However, if it ends up raining on the day of the shoot, it’s likely that I will need to reschedule.

Thank you for your cooperation! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. I look forward to photographing your apartment complex!