Photography and Video: Make Buyers Stop and Look.
A practical guide to using photography and video so listings attract attention, represent the property accurately, and support the rest of the marketing campaign.
Buyers often see the photos before they read anything else.
The photography creates the first impression.
Good images can encourage a buyer to:
- Open the listing
- Keep scrolling
- Read the description
- Save the property
- Book an inspection
Poor images can lose attention before the buyer has considered the property properly.
Start with the purpose.
Photography is not about making a property look like something it is not.
It should present the property clearly and at its best.
The aim is to show:
- Space
- Layout
- Light
- Condition
- Key features
- Outdoor areas
- Location benefits where relevant
The images should help a buyer decide whether the property deserves a closer look.
Professional photography.
For most properties, professional photography should be considered a core part of the campaign.
A professional photographer can manage:
- Lighting
- Angles
- Room proportions
- Image balance
- Exterior shots
- Editing
- Consistency across the campaign
Phone photos may be useful for quick updates or off-market communication.
For a full public campaign, professional photography usually gives the property a stronger presentation.
Prepare the property before the photographer arrives.
Photography cannot fix poor preparation.
Before the shoot, check:
- Benches are clear
- Beds are made properly
- Personal items are reduced
- Bins are removed
- Cars are moved
- Lawns are cut
- Gardens are tidy
- Curtains and blinds are positioned
- Lights are working
- Outdoor furniture is arranged
- Pools and outdoor areas are clean
Small details can make a big difference in the final images.
Choose the right number of photos.
More photos are not always better.
Every image should add something.
Avoid filling the listing with:
- Repeated room angles
- Unimportant details
- Empty walls
- Similar exterior shots
- Images that add no new information
A buyer should be able to understand the property without becoming tired of scrolling.
Choose the main image carefully.
The first image is one of the most important decisions in the online campaign.
It is often the image buyers see in search results.
The best main image may be:
- The front exterior
- A strong kitchen
- A living area
- A view
- A pool
- An outdoor entertaining area
Do not automatically use the front of the property.
Use the image most likely to create interest from the target buyer.
Put the photos in a useful order.
Think about the photo order as a short tour.
A simple sequence may be:
- Strong hero image
- Main living area
- Kitchen
- Outdoor area
- Main bedroom
- Other bedrooms
- Bathrooms
- Secondary living areas
- Additional features
- Exterior
- Local lifestyle images if relevant
The order should help the buyer understand the home.
When video adds value.
Video can help when the property has features that are difficult to show through still images.
This may include:
- Large open-plan spaces
- Indoor-outdoor flow
- Views
- Extensive gardens
- Multiple living areas
- Renovated homes
- Prestige properties
- Lifestyle locations
- Unusual layouts
Video can also help the agent explain the property in their own words.
Video does not need to be complicated.
A useful property video should be easy to watch.
It may include:
- Property footage
- Short agent introduction
- Main features
- Lifestyle footage
- Location highlights
- Simple text overlays
Keep it focused on the property.
Long introductions and unnecessary talking can lose the viewer quickly.
Short-form video.
Not every video needs to be a full property production.
Short videos can be used for:
- Reels
- Stories
- Email campaigns
- Database marketing
Examples include:
- A 20-second property preview
- Three features buyers should see
- A quick walk-through
- A backyard or view reveal
- A short agent introduction
These can support the main campaign without replacing professional property photography.
Drone photography and video.
Drone footage can be useful when the location or land is part of the property's appeal.
It may help show:
- Large blocks
- Acreage
- Coastal locations
- Nearby parks
- Schools
- Shopping areas
- Beach access
- Development sites
- Surrounding neighbourhood
Drone footage should have a reason.
Aerial images of an ordinary suburban roof rarely add much to the campaign.
Twilight photography.
Twilight photography can work well for properties with:
- Pools
- Outdoor entertaining
- Architectural lighting
- Landscaped gardens
- Strong evening views
- Prestige presentation
It can create a different feel from standard daytime photography.
It is not necessary for every property.
Virtual furniture and image editing.
Digital editing can help buyers understand an empty room.
Virtual furniture can be useful where a vacant property looks cold or difficult to interpret.
But editing should not misrepresent the property.
Avoid changing features that materially alter what the buyer will find when they inspect.
Examples include:
- Removing permanent structures
- Changing views
- Making rooms appear much larger
- Adding features that do not exist
If virtual furniture is used, it should be clear where appropriate.
Match the photography to the buyer.
Think about what the likely buyer will care about most.
Family buyer
Show:
- Living areas
- Kitchen
- Bedrooms
- Backyard
- Outdoor entertaining
- Nearby family amenities where relevant
Downsizer
Show:
- Layout
- Main living spaces
- Low-maintenance areas
- Accessibility
- Storage
- Outdoor areas
Investor
Show:
- Condition
- Layout
- Kitchen and bathroom
- Bedrooms
- Parking
- Low-maintenance features
Prestige buyer
Presentation may need to go further.
Consider:
- Architectural photography
- Video
- Drone
- Twilight images
- Detailed lifestyle footage
Do not let the photography oversell the property.
There is little benefit in creating images that set expectations the property cannot meet.
If buyers arrive and feel the home looks very different from the advertising, the campaign can lose credibility.
Good photography should attract interest while still representing the property accurately.
Explain the cost to the vendor.
Do not simply add photography and video to the marketing schedule.
Explain why they are being recommended.
For example:
'Photography will be used across the portals, social media, email and other advertising, so it forms the base of the campaign.'
For video:
'The indoor-outdoor area is one of the strongest features of the home. Video will help us show how those spaces connect.'
The vendor can then understand what they are paying for.
Agent Action Plan.
Before booking photography or video:
- Identify the strongest features — write down the three to five things buyers are most likely to notice.
- Decide what needs to be photographed — create a simple shot list with the photographer.
- Prepare the vendor — send a property preparation checklist several days before the shoot.
- Choose any extras — decide whether the property genuinely needs video, drone, twilight photography, virtual furniture or lifestyle images.
- Check the finished images — before publishing, review image quality, photo order, main image, accuracy, and missing rooms or features.
- Use the content across the campaign — do not limit the photography and video to the property portals. Use them across email, social media, database marketing and the agency website.
Good photography gives the rest of the marketing campaign stronger material to work with.