Whether you're working with an agent or selling your property privately, professional photos are the single biggest factor in how many people click on your listing. Here's exactly how to get your home photo-ready — room by room — and what to do if you're organising the photography yourself.
Declutter and Depersonalise
Buyers need to picture themselves in the home, not you.
Remove personal items. Pack away family photos, fridge magnets, kids' artwork, toothbrushes, and bathroom bottles.
Hide the daily chaos. Clear every benchtop in the kitchen and bathroom. Stow toys, shoes, chargers, and pet beds out of sight.
Clear the exteriors. Move all vehicles off the driveway, hide bins, hoses, and pool equipment, and mow and edge the lawn the day before.
South East Queensland note: check driveway and window tracks for mould or salt build-up before shoot day — it shows up clearly in wide-angle photos and is easy to miss walking past it every day.
Maximise Light and Space
Let the sunshine in. Open every blind, shutter, and curtain.
Turn on every light. Switch on all interior lighting, but turn off ceiling fans and TVs — moving blades and glowing screens both cause issues in photos.
Straighten sightlines. Door frames, cabinet edges, and floorboards should read as straight, vertical lines — a professional photographer corrects for lens distortion here, which is one of the harder things to fix on a phone.
Focus on Key Selling Areas
The facade. Ensure the lawn is mowed, gardens are weeded, and the front porch is swept.
The kitchen. Clear off all countertops completely.
The bedrooms. Make all beds perfectly with neutral, crisp linens.
The bathrooms. Ensure shower curtains are neatly drawn and display fresh, matching towels.
Hiring a Photographer for a Private Sale
If you're selling without an agent, you don't get an agent's photographer bundled in — but that doesn't mean you should shoot it yourself. Here's what to know.
What a private sale photography package should include:
Interior and exterior stills, shot and edited to the same standard buyers expect from agent-listed homes
A floor plan — private listings on realestate.com.au and Domain perform noticeably better with one, and most sellers forget it
Files sized and formatted correctly for both major listing portals, not just a folder of raw images
Optional drone/aerial shots for larger blocks or acreage, and twilight photos for street-appeal listings
What it typically costs: expect a standalone private-sale photography package to run from roughly $250–$450 for a standard 3–4 bedroom home in SEQ, scaling up with property size, drone add-ons, or twilight shoots. This is usually less than the photography component built into an agent's commission, because you're paying for the shoot only — not the campaign management around it.
Digital 1's packages for private sellers: For a private sale, the Sales Starter ($300) covers interior and exterior photography with high-quality editing. If you want to add a floor plan, the Sales Plus ($550) includes everything in Starter plus a professional floor plan and is built for agent-level listing presentation. Both come with edited, web-ready images for realestate.com.au and Domain.
| Phone / DIY | Professional | |
|---|---|---|
| Wide-angle distortion | Common, hard to fix | Corrected with proper lenses |
| Lighting | Inconsistent, harsh shadows | Balanced, edited |
| Floor plan | Not included | Available in Sales Plus ($550) |
| Buyer perception | Reads as "unrepresented" | Matches agent-level listings |
| Cost | Free | Sales Starter $300, Sales Plus $550 |
The risk with DIY photos on a private sale isn't just image quality — it's that buyers scrolling listings subconsciously read amateur photos as a sign the seller hasn't invested in the sale properly, which can slow enquiries regardless of how good the home actually is.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a floor plan if I'm selling privately? Yes — listings with a floor plan consistently get more enquiries, and it's one of the easiest ways to match the standard of agent-listed competitors nearby.
Can I use my phone instead of hiring a photographer? You can, but wide-angle distortion and inconsistent lighting are hard to correct without proper equipment and editing, and buyers tend to associate amateur photos with an under-prepared sale.
How long does a private sale photography shoot take? A standard home typically takes 45–60 minutes to shoot, with edited images delivered within 24–48 hours.
What's the best time of day to shoot? Mid-morning to early afternoon for interiors (even, diffused light), and late afternoon/golden hour if you're including exterior or twilight shots.
Ready to Book Your Shoot?
Whether you're working with an agent or selling privately, Digital 1 covers photography, floor plans, drone, and video across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Logan, Redland Bay, and Scenic Rim. Get a fixed quote in minutes and lock in a shoot date.