The photos represent the first impression of your home and it will either be positive, enticing the buyer to continue reading, or negative, possibly turning them away. Once you've attracted their attention, the photos need to do the talking for you. Here are some tips that will help create flattering shots of your home.



Use the daylight. When shooting exterior shots, do so in the middle of a sunny day, and if you have a blue sky, that's even better.

For interior shots, open the curtains, turn on the lights and use the flash to minimize shadows and make the room look brighter.

Don't skimp on the number of photos. Provide as many photos, interior and exterior, that you can. It's just too easy to lose interest in a home ad that leaves too much to the imagination by not providing enough photos. Give the potential buyers a really good look at the living room, kitchen, dining room, family room, master bedroom/bathroom and the backyard. Take extra shots of any scenic view as well. Make sure to emphasize your home's best features, such as a garden or other landscaping feature.

If you're selling a condo, apartment or vacation home, include pictures of the gym, pool area or scenic areas such as a beach that may be close by.

If the site you're advertising on limits the number of photos, provide links to exterior free photo sites such as Shutterfly, Snapfish or Picasa.

Get a clear picture. Prospective buyers don't need to see tables covered in clutter, family pictures, fridge magnets, appliances, dirty dishes or other distractions. Make the counters and tables clean and sleek, giving the rooms a fresh, unlived in look. It amazes me when viewing real estate shots at the number of pictures that include household clutter. Some don't even bother to close the lid on the toilet seat!

For exterior shots, remove the car from the driveway, and hide the trash cans, toys or other objects. Try not to get telephone poles, hydro lines or nearby homes in the shot.

Screen the shots. If your agent is taking the shots, make certain you screen them before they're published. Find out if they'll be using a professional photographer, it may be worth the extra money.

Take quality pictures. Place your camera on a steady surface or tripod to minimize movement and obtain the clearest shot. Set your camera on the highest resolution and you'll be able to use the shots for print or web. You may have to decrease the size for online photos, but never use less than 72 dots per inch.

Edit. Improve the final shots with photo-editing software by removing any unnecessary obstructions or adjusting the brightness and contrast.