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by | Oct 10, 2019 | News, Posts

Preparing for a property shoot can make a huge difference to the final results. At Insight Media, our goal is simple — to showcase your space in the best possible way while keeping the process efficient and stress-free.

Here’s everything you need to know before we arrive 👇

🏡 Preparation is Key

A staged, ready-to-go property is one of the biggest factors in achieving great results.

We always recommend taking some time beforehand to tidy, declutter, and present the space as if it were ready for a viewing. The more prepared the property is, the smoother and faster the shoot will be — and the better the final content will look.

Trust us — it’s worth it.

⏱ How Long Does a Shoot Take?

A typical shoot can take anywhere from:

  • 1 hour for smaller properties or basic photography
  • 2–3 hours for larger homes or when capturing multiple services (3D tours, floor plans, video, drone, etc.)

Timing depends on the size of the property and what we are capturing on the day.

🚁 Starting Outside (Weather Permitting)

Where possible, we like to start with external shots.

To prepare for this:

  • Remove cars from the driveway and front of the house
  • Tidy gardens, lawns, and entrances
  • Move bins, toys, or anything you don’t want visible

A clean exterior creates a strong first impression.

Floor plans with insight media

📏 Access to All Rooms (Especially for Floor Plans)

For accurate floor plans, we need access to every room in the property.

We use a laser scanner to capture precise measurements, so being able to enter each space is important. While we can estimate very small areas, full access ensures the best accuracy.

🌍 3D Virtual Tours – What to Know

Our 360° camera captures everything in the room — literally.

A few key things to keep in mind:

  • If you can see something from any angle, it will likely be captured
  • Avoid hiding items behind doors, beds, or furniture
  • Try to remove clutter entirely rather than shifting it around

👉 Good to know:
If there’s a room you’d prefer not to include in the final tour, we can simply exclude it digitally, so users won’t be able to access it.

44 Castle Oaks Cresent, Nenagh - Insight Media | 3D Virtual Tours
Floor plans with insight media

📦 Decluttering – Less is More

Clutter is one of the biggest things that can impact a shoot.

We recommend:

  • Storing excess items in a closet, attic, shed, or car
  • Avoiding moving items from room to room during the shoot
  • Keeping spaces clean, open, and easy to navigate

This helps speed up the process and ensures a cleaner final result.

🌿 Staging Tips to Elevate Your Space

A few small touches can make a big difference:

  • Add plants or subtle colour to brighten neutral spaces
  • Keep furniture in rooms to help show scale and layout
  • Avoid overly empty spaces — balance is key

Kitchen & Dining Areas

  • Clear countertops as much as possible
  • No items in the sink (including cloths or towels)
  • Keep tables minimal — a simple setup like flowers or glasses works well

Living Spaces

  • Keep tidy but lived-in
  • Avoid too many personal or bulky items
44 Castle Oaks Cresent, Nenagh - Insight Media | 3D Virtual Tours

🖼 Personal Items & Photos

  • Personal photos can stay if removing them leaves visible marks
  • Otherwise, you may choose to take them down
  • We will blur faces where possible during editing

💡 Lighting Matters

We will turn on all main lights to brighten spaces, so please ensure:

  • All bulbs are working
  • Rooms are well-lit where possible

Lamps (bedside or standing) are only used if needed in darker areas.

🚪 Smaller Spaces

We typically don’t capture small closets or hot presses

If it’s a walk-in and presentable, we may include it

Floor plans with insight media

🌿 Outdoor Areas

Gardens and outdoor spaces should be:

  • Tidy and well-presented
  • Free of distractions like bins, toys, or tools
  • Organised neatly if items need to remain

Final Thoughts

The more time you spend preparing your property before the shoot, the better the results will be.

A well-presented space not only looks better in photos and 3D tours — it also helps attract more interest and creates a stronger first impression online.

If you have any questions before your shoot or want advice on preparing your space, we’re always happy to help.

Written by Ross Tormey

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