Picture perfect: How to take professional photos of your home

While most estate agents will provide a photography service in order to market your property effectively, being able to take great quality pictures yourself can be a great string to have to your bow.

However, taking the standard of picture required takes effort and patience. Here are CJ Hole's seven top tips for taking professional pictures of your home...

PREPARATION IS KEY

You could be the most talented amateur photographer on the block, but if your home is not prepped properly before clicking the shutter, you are wasting your time.

Buyers know what they like and when scrolling through a smartphone results page containing dozens of properties, yours needs to stand out from the crowd.

De-clutter your property and ensure everything is neat and tidy. You could snap one amazing photograph of your living room, with the perfect light. But when you review it, if you've caught the mass of messy wiring behind your TV, that 'perfect' image is no longer so perfect.

LIGHT IS CRUCIAL

Light can make or break a picture: It really is as simple as that.

And depending on the time of day, the changes in light can vary from minute to minute so picking a good time to shoot your home is vital.

Take time to think about how you want your home to feel through the images you take. If you are aiming for a soft, warm feeling, taking your shots late in the afternoon can be the best way to achieve this.

Taking your photos at midday when the sun is at its brightest can help create a light and airy feel. But don't forget to turn on all your interior lights as well, regardless of the time of day you are shooting. Your electric lighting will help remove any dark corners and can boost that feeling of warmth in a photograph.

PHOTOGRAPHING THE EXTERIOR

This is where it can pay to consider the time of day you take your pictures. Avoid taking a picture of the front of your house when the sun is behind it - this can create shadows and an intense glare.

While nobody particularly relishes getting out of bed at the crack of dawn, this can be a great time to photograph the outside of your property. The sun is low and there are very few people around. That feeling of peace and tranquility can come through in your pictures.

USE GOOD EQUIPMENT

Smartphone cameras have come on leaps and bounds in the past decade and some amazing photographs can be taken with an iPhone in particular.

But homemade shots without the correct lighting or equipment just won't cut it here.

CJ Hole is not condoning you spend a small fortune on professional photography equipment - we'd like to make that clear!

But there are many digital SLR cameras available on the market for a reasonable price and these can help you get that perfect shot you're after as well as doubling up as a nice piece of kit to have with you the next time you go on holiday!

TAKE YOUR TIME - AND TAKE PLENTY OF SHOTS

Taking professional standard photographs of your home is an investment in time. Spend a while taking shots from different angles in each room, shooting upwards with a dropped knee or at different tripod heights.

Move furniture around temporarily to improve the framing of your shot and try different levels of artificial lighting.

Most of all, take plenty of pictures and use up all that memory card space. You then need to spend time selecting your favourites.

If you're still unsure, ask friends and family for their thoughts on your efforts - they'll be honest with you if nothing else. And if you don't think you've hit the mark, try, try again!

If you would like any help with taking professional photos of your home, your local CJ Hole branch will be happy to help.