Drone Photography for

Residential Properties

Photography of logistics real estate is different from other types of buildings. With this guideline, we want to give you all the tools you need to create outstanding images. We will show you all the essential aspects, motifs and rules of real estate photography for creating interior and exterior shots. Guideline as of May 2024

© 2024 FairFleet

What is different with residential properties?

Residential properties can include single-family homes, multi-family houses, detached buildings, townhouses, residential complexes, or entire neighborhoods. However, the central aspects and key motives are always the same. In residential property photography, the focus is on showcasing the attractive living location, which distinguishes it from other properties. To help with this, we have divided the most important perspectives into three heights, providing example photos and videos for each.

1- High-angle shots

To get a good overview of the property, we always need shots from a high altitude that show the entire property, including all buildings and access roads. It's important that the property is not cut off in the photos! If possible, create a top shot of the property!

The surrounding area around the property is also an important feature. These photos are used to highlight the attractive location of the property and its connection to public transportation. Features such as the view toward the city center, public transportation options, views of parks, and green spaces are key elements that must be visible in the high-angle shots.

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To properly photograph the property, you can capture the land from every side and corner. It's important to include views toward the city center and public transportation, as well as nearby parks and green spaces, as these demonstrate the quality of the living environment. Nearby schools, supermarkets, kindergartens, and recreational facilities can also be of interest. 

Video (3-4 Clips)

The video footage should also provide the viewer with a comprehensive overview of the property. Important subjects here include views toward the city center and public transportation, as well as nearby parks and green spaces, as they highlight the quality of the living environment.

2- Low-angle shots

We have already covered the overall view of the property and its general connectivity through the high-angle shots. The low-angle shots should now focus on the building and its specific features. The ideal height for these shots is often the middle building height!

Similar to the property shots, we need images that show the entire building from all sides and corners to provide a detailed overview of the structure. After that, the most important feature is the layout of the property, such as the garden, entrance areas, courtyards, parking spaces, or playgrounds on the premises.

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To properly photograph the building, you can capture it from a medium building height from every side and corner. The building should, if possible, not be cut off in the shots!

Additionally, it’s important to adequately capture the garden areas or courtyards. These are another key feature, as they provide insights into the condition of the property.

Video (5-6 Clips)

The video footage should also fully capture the building. Important subjects here include the gardens, driveways, and courtyards.

TIP: The medium building height with a gimbal properly aligned is your best friend ;) This will keep the façade in focus, providing a compelling experience for the viewer when watching the video. 

3- Detail- and Situational Shots

Through the high and low-angle shots, we have covered the property, the building, and its key features. To give the photos and video footage a more personalized touch in the overall view, we now need detail shots.

Important subjects for these include the details of the property, such as the design of the garden, driveway, or any unique features of the building itself. If the building has a PV system on the roof, you can take shots or perform a flyover at a 90° angle. For the detail photos, feel free to crop the subjects or the building.

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Video (2-3 Clips)

The Rules for Real Estate Photography

Central Perspective

The central perspective is the most important viewpoint for real estate photography and can be used not only for ground-level shots! It’s essential to position yourself centrally and directly in front of the building or subject. From this position, the building's lines appear parallel and converge at a single point on the horizon. This emphasizes architectural details and creates a harmonious image.

To illustrate this, we’ve highlighted these lines in a few example images. The red circle in the center marks the vanishing point. The blue lines represent the horizontal axis, and the red lines indicate the visible parallels in the image that converge toward the vanishing point.

The Mid-Building Height

Why do we emphasize the mid-building height so much? The mid-building height is the perfect height for creating real estate photos, which is almost NEVER achievable from the ground. At this height, buildings can be captured without distortion. Vertical lines remain straight, and the building doesn’t appear tilted.

On the left, we've illustrated this. In the first image, the photo was taken at mid-building height, and all the lines run straight or converge toward the vanishing point in the center of the image. The camera is aimed directly forward and is not tilted. The second image was taken at the height of the upper edge of the building. The building is no longer centered in the image and is cropped. The horizon is not visible, the lines appear distorted, and the building looks crooked. The image is generally unappealing. The same applies to the subsequent photos.

On-Site Notes

Here we summarize the key rules for creating the shots and on-site instructions:

Instructions for the shots:


General on-site instructions:

© 2024 FairFleet