Planning for the unexpected

Courtney Dunn
March 16, 2023

So you’re all booked in for your property shoot, the house is ready to go, and you think you’ve planned for everything—but on the day the unexpected happens! What do you do, and how do you plan for it in the future? We’ve taken plenty of property photos, which means we’ve dealt with our fair share of unexpected situations. We also believe in making shoots stress-free for our clients, so we’re here to tell you about common unexpected situations and the best way to deal with them.

Missing objects

Sometimes things just don’t turn up on time. This isn’t usually a problem, but when the listing needs to go live asap and there’s a gaping hole where the fridge or TV should be, well it’s a bit of a nightmare. Whatever you do, don’t go running to the shops to buy the item you’re missing—that’s inconvenient and expensive. Instead, ask about adding the furniture, appliance, or decor to the image digitally. No one will be able to tell the difference, and you won’t end up with two fridges!

The bombsite

Maybe it was a freak storm, a burglary, or a prank gone wrong. Whatever the cause, your perfectly styled home has turned into a Jackson Pollock painting on photograph day. This doesn’t mean you need to reschedule the shoot and lose precious time. Get the property digitally decluttered and virtually staged instead! Your listing will be transformed back into its perfect self, and you’ll be able to take your time with the onsite clean up.

Buyer’s remorse

You’ve got the keys to the house, the photographer’s there, and the sun is bright—but you realise everything would look so much better at twilight. It’s ok! Everyone’s allowed to change their mind, and we can help without rescheduling. Add a day-to-dusk package to your shoot, and you’ll get the best of both worlds.

Of course, there are plenty more unexpected situations that we can’t plan for—that’s what makes them unexpected! Fortunately for you, our RPP photographers are prepared to deal with any surprising problems on the day. Don’t worry, we’re used to it!