Listing guides
How to take property listing photos with your phone that get more calls
Simple phone photography tips for Kenyan landlords and agents: light, angles, order and what to avoid, so your rental or sale listing stands out.
By the UrbanEstate Kenya team 4 min read
People decide in seconds whether to open a listing, and the cover photo does most of the work. You don't need a professional camera — a recent phone and these habits are enough.
Before you shoot
- Clean and clear. Make beds, clear counters, remove buckets, shoes and laundry. Open curtains.
- Shoot in daylight. Mid-morning or mid-afternoon light is softest. Turn on all the lights too.
- Wipe your lens. A greasy lens is the number one cause of hazy photos.
How to shoot
- Hold the phone horizontally (landscape) and at chest height.
- Stand in a corner of the room and point towards the opposite corner — this shows the most space.
- Keep vertical lines straight: walls and door frames should not lean.
- Use the normal 1× lens. Ultra-wide can help in small rooms, but don't distort the space — tenants who feel misled won't take the unit.
- Don't use heavy filters. Accurate beats pretty.
Which photos, in which order
- Cover: the best room or the outside of the building/compound.
- Living room, then kitchen.
- Each bedroom, then bathrooms (toilet seat down).
- Balcony, view, parking, gate and compound.
- For land: the plot from each corner, the beacons, the access road and any nearby landmark.
What to avoid
- Photos of a different unit or show house without saying so.
- People, number plates or anything personal in the frame.
- Screenshots or images copied from other websites.
Ready? List your property free — photos upload straight from your phone.