The 3-Shot Approach to Better Listing Photos

Not sure what to focus on when taking listing photos? Even if you have a solid grasp of lighting and composition fundamentals, it can be easy to overthink how to best capture the essence of a home.

Enter this three-step method for telling the "story" of a home. Inspired by photojournalism, this technique lets you convey the essence of every room in a house with three easy shots. You'll never be stuck deciding what to photograph again!

Wide Shot

The wide shot conveys a sense of place. It acts as an overview that establishes where we, the viewers, are. The "primary exterior shot" required by most MLSs is generally a wide shot--it showcases the outside of the home and as many property features as possible.

When shooting interiors, use the wide shot to establish where we are (kitchen? master bedroom?) and show as many attractive features of that room as possible.

Medium Shot

Once you've established a sense of place, use the medium shot to invite viewers to further explore the room. Once your wide shot establishes where you are--the living room, for example--your medium shot should come in and focus on an attractive feature of that area, like a fireplace.

Approach this photograph as if you were taking a portrait, only here your portrait will be of a specific property selling point (stay away from temporary items, like furniture, that will be gone once your seller vacates the property). Think of it this way--if you were photographing a party, your wide shot would be of the attendees, whereas your medium shot would focus on an individual.

Detail Shot

The detail shot is the most intimate shot. While most of your listing photos will be wide and medium shots, you can use the detail shot to highlight a specific feature of a room or exterior area.

You want your viewers to be able to feel the texture of the environment with this photograph. Let them get a feel for the marbling on the kitchen countertops or the grain on the wood trim.

Walk Away with a Story in Pictures

This method forces you to look at a property in three different ways. For added depth, try shooting multiples of each shot from every possible angle. Walk all the way around that kitchen island or in-ground pool, snapping pictures the whole way.

In the editing process, one set of photographs (one wide, one medium, one detail) will jump out as the trio of shots that perfectly communicates the story of that room, backyard, or other area. When you combine the photographic stories of all parts of a property, you get something even better--a cohesive visual story of a home that buyers can't resist.