Photography is one of the key element guests fall in love with, and a great way to tell the story of your home. Because of this, every home needs to meet our photography standards before it can go live – even if your home has already been approved.
This article explains what we're looking for, how to check whether your current photos meet the bar, and what to do if they don't.
1. Do your current photos meet our standards?
Run through this checklist. If you can tick every box, your photos may already be good enough – if not, you'll need a professional shoot (see Section 3).
Lighting
Bright, warm and natural-looking (no flash, no harsh artificial light)
No blown-out, overexposed windows
No dark, underexposed rooms or heavy shadows
Angles
Shot straight-on (not tilted, not from a high corner, not from directly above)
Camera positioned at a consistent, natural height (roughly waist height) — not a "real estate" wide-angle that distorts the room to look bigger than it is
Styling
Bed made, towels removed from beds, no creases in linen
No clutter, wires, cables, or bins in view
No fingerprints, dust, or smudges on visible surfaces
Curtains/blinds open, TV switched off
No reflections of a person or camera in mirrors or glass
Coverage
Do you have photos of every space that matters to a guest's stay?
At minimum:
Living space, kitchen, dining space
Bedroom and bathrooms
Hallways/staircases (connecting spaces)
Garden or outdoor space (if applicable)
Exterior of the property (without the house/apartment number visible)
If your photos are missing any of the above, are dim, cluttered, tilted, or taken on a phone in a rush, it's time to arrange a professional shoot.
2. What "Plum Guide style" photography looks like
Our photographers are briefed to capture homes so they look like they belong in a design or interiors magazine – not an estate agency listing. In practice, that means:
Bright and natural (daylight, not flash)
Straight-on, not distorted (angles that show the room's true proportions and give a sense of space, without wide-angle distortion)
"Just left the room" styling (lived-in and inviting, not staged or sterile. A little personality – fresh flowers, a book, breakfast on the table – goes a long way, but it shouldn't feel cluttered or fake)
Consistent and level (no crooked lines, wonky lampshades, or tilted horizons)
3. What a professional shoot involves
A Plum-standard shoot isn't just "a nice photo of every room." Photographers are briefed to capture three types of shots for each space:
Shot type | What it's for | How many |
Hero | Overview shots that show the room's essence and layout | 2–3 per room (1–2 for smaller rooms) |
Detail | Close-ups that tell a story about the style of the home (e.g. a bookcase, a fireplace) | 2–3 per room (1–2 for smaller rooms) |
Highlight | The home's standout selling points, big or small | 6–8 per home |
4. How to arrange your photoshoot
Book a professional interiors/real estate photographer. If you don't already have one, we recommend browsing this photographers directory to find a professional near you: https://www.houzz.co.uk/professionals/photographers
Prep your home before the shoot, as if for a guest arrival:
Clean and declutter every room
Make all beds, remove towels from beds
Open curtains and blinds, turn off the TV
Tuck away cables, bins, and personal items
Straighten artwork, lamp shades, and anything else that could look crooked in a photo
Share our photography guidelines with your photographer. This is the full technical brief, covering equipment, shot lists, lighting, and editing standards.
Submit the final images to Plum Guide. Once we've reviewed and approved the images, your listing will go live.
FAQs
Can I take the photos myself?
Only if you have a DSLR camera with a full-frame sensor, a tripod, and can meet the standards above. In our experience, guest-ready, magazine-style photos are hard to achieve without a professional – most self-shot photos don't meet the bar.
How long does a shoot take?
This depends on the size of your home, but budget for a few hours to allow the photographer to work with natural light and capture every required space.
Who pays for the shoot?
The photoshoot is arranged and paid for by you, the host. Once the shoot is complete, the images are yours – you're free to use them however you'd like, including on other listing platforms or for your own marketing, in addition to your Plum Guide listing.
What happens after the shoot?
We'll review the submitted images against our standards. Once we've reviewed and approved the images, your listing will go live.