5 Things to Do Before Your Photographer Arrives

We have shot over 500 properties in Sydney. The difference between a listing that sells in two weeks and one that sits for two months often comes down to one thing: preparation.

Not our preparation. Yours.

Here is what we wish every agent did before we arrived.

1. Turn Every Light On

Even in bright daylight. Even when it feels unnecessary.

Lights add warmth and depth that natural light alone cannot provide. When buyers scroll through listings at 10pm (and they do), rooms with all lights on look inviting. Rooms in partial darkness look abandoned.

Flip every switch. Replace any blown bulbs. It takes five minutes and changes everything.

2. Hide the Evidence of Living

Toothbrushes. Tea towels. Fridge magnets. Family photos.

Buyers need to picture themselves in the space. That is hard when they are looking at your seller's dental floss collection on the bathroom counter.

We can Photoshop small items, but we would rather not. Clean surfaces photograph better, edit faster, and cost you less in post-processing time.

3. Open Every Window Covering

Sheer curtains? Open them. Roller blinds? Roll them up completely.

Natural light sells properties. We have seen identical apartments shot on the same day - the one with all blinds open got 40% more inquiries. The data is not complicated. Bright spaces look bigger.

One exception: if the view is a brick wall or construction site, keep the sheers closed. Use your judgment.

4. Move the Cars

Street parking matters more than most agents think.

A shot of the exterior with two utes and a trailer parked out front tells buyers this is not a desirable location. Move vehicles at least three houses down. Get the full facade in frame.

Same goes for bins. Wheelie bins in driveway shots are instant value killers.

5. Clear the Clutter - All of It

We mean all of it. The pile of shoes by the door. The dog bed in the corner. The magazines on the coffee table.

Minimal surfaces photograph best. One decorative item per surface is plenty. Zero is fine too.

We once shot a $3.2 million home where the owner refused to clear their kitchen counters. Every photo had a Nespresso machine, three cereal boxes, and a knife block in frame. The property sat for 47 days. Coincidence? Maybe. But buyers notice.

What Happens If You Skip This

We will still shoot the property. We will do our best work. But the photos will not do what photos are meant to do - get buyers through the door.

Agents who prep their listings get faster sales and higher prices. It is that simple.

We have included this checklist in our pre-shoot emails for years. The agents who use it get better results every time.

The Bottom Line

Professional photography cannot fix a messy room. It cannot add light you did not provide. It cannot hide clutter you left in frame.

What it can do: capture a well-prepared space in its best possible light.

Do these five things before we arrive. Your photos - and your sellers - will thank you.

<script type="application/ld+json">

{

"@context": "https://schema.org",

"@type": "BlogPosting",

"headline": "5 Things to Do Before Your Photographer Arrives",

"description": "Preparing your Sydney property for photography? Here are 5 things agents must do before the photographer arrives. Get better listing photos.",

"image": "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1600210492486-724fe5c67fb0?w=1200&h=630&fit=crop",

"author": {

"@type": "Person",

"name": "Harrison Macourt"

},

"publisher": {

"@type": "Organization",

"name": "Macourt Media",

"logo": {

"@type": "ImageObject",

"url": "https://macourtmedia.com/logo.png"

}

},

"datePublished": "2026-03-24",

"dateModified": "2026-03-24",

"mainEntityOfPage": {

"@type": "WebPage",

"@id": "https://macourtmedia.com/blog/5-things-before-photographer-arrives"

}

}

</script>