Photographing a flat with a phone – how to do it properly?

Smartphones have now replaced cameras, even those of newer generations. This is not surprising, though - the lenses in these small devices can do a great deal. Will they cope with photos of a flat to let or for sale? It all depends on the camera itself and the user's skills.

Learn the rules of photographing flats

Most people decide to photograph a flat to let with their own camera. No wonder - we have got used to it being equipment that does not let us down in terms of image quality. All the same, we can now say with a clear conscience that smartphones do not lag far behind SLR cameras. The most modern mobile devices work very well for photographing flats. However, you should pay attention to a few things that will make the photos better and more pleasing to the eye, which is hugely important.

Making flats look bigger

Showing the depth of a flat can significantly improve how it is perceived by prospective tenants or buyers. To take a photo that makes the unit look larger, you should not shoot parallel to the wall of the room. Instead, set the camera at an angle, which will show the interior along its diagonal. That is not all, because such a photo will show the depth of the flat, which brings out the very shape of the furniture. If the photo were taken parallel to the wall of the room, the furniture would look flat. It is also worth using the whole space of the interior when photographing - if you stand far from the corner of the room, the interior can look much shorter, which will of course have a negative effect on how prospective tenants perceive it.

Exposure matters

Depth is not everything - exposure also counts, namely choosing the right time of day for the shoot. Of course, the smartphone will automatically choose the optimal settings to brighten the interior, but nothing beats natural light. What is more, when taking photos it is worth focusing on the brightest points in the flat - there will certainly be plenty of them if the photos are taken during the day. Simply tap the brightest spot on the smartphone screen so that unsightly bright patches do not appear in the photograph. Finally, we would like to add: watch the horizon during the shoot - the smartphone should be held level, which will help you avoid the effect of crooked walls.

Photographing a flat with a phone – the camera at the right height

Another matter is the height of the camera relative to the room. It is best to hold the smartphone at the eye level of a seated person. This effectively avoids unnatural angles and distortions, which look unattractive in photos and do not fully convey what can be seen with the "naked eye".