Frequently Asked Questions
How do I go about booking a shoot?
Just get in touch using the details at the top of your screen! We’ll ask the purpose of the shoot e.g. to list the property for sale, to show off your work and attract new clients. We’ll check which of our services you want to book and ask if you have a price cap/number of shots in mind – please note that we are very happy to advise at any stage of the process! You are of course welcome to share information about any areas of the property/project you’d like us to pay specific attention to, or suggested angles you’d like us to capture.
What happens on a shoot?
Upon arrival on shoot day, our photographer will take a look around the property/project and decide which shots would best show it off. If you are present on the shoot, we’ll give you the opportunity to discuss the planned shots with the photographer. If you aren’t present and would like to talk things through, we’ll happily give you a call! Otherwise we’ll use our best judgement and crack on. We don’t take more photographs than we intend to deliver, as each shot takes time to set up and light perfectly. Therefore if we plan and shoot 20 photos, we will edit and deliver 20 photos. This is in contrast to e.g. portrait photoshoots where many photographs are often taken for you to then choose which ones you buy. Once we’re done, we’ll pack up and leave your client’s home as we found it! We’ll then get started on the editing process before delivering the imagery to you in due course.
How long does a shoot take?
We take our time preparing and lighting each shot perfectly. This means we don't move fast, but we'll always aim to work as quickly as possible while maintaining our high standards! The number of services booked and areas to be shot impacts how long things take, and we can give you an estimated duration once we’ve got the full details of the shoot.
Do I need to do anything?
Homeowners (except interior design shoots): We'd really appreciate your help in preparing your property for a shoot. You can read our guidelines on the links below. Clients: Please let us know if there are any features, concepts or areas you'd like us to highlight on the shoot. And if you have a preference for image orientation or need an extra speedy turnaround, just let us know ahead of the day!
Property prep guidelines for homeowners »
Property prep guidelines for homeowners when our Lifestyle Staging service has been booked »
Do I need to be present?
Homeowners: No – all we need is access to the property, so as long as someone can let us in then by all means please go and do something more fun! Clients: You are welcome to join us so we can work collaboratively to deliver your design vision – otherwise we are happy to discuss the brief ahead of the shoot and go it alone, if that suits you better. For estate agent/private vendor clients, you can leave us to crack on knowing we'll capture the best of the house to entice buyers through the door.
What's your timeframe?
Our lead time for booking a shoot varies throughout the year – as you can imagine, some seasons are more favourable for shooting in and are more in demand, so it's always a good idea to book a shoot in advance where possible. But with 2 full-time photographers on the go, we can usually fit you in within 2-3 weeks. Once the shoot has taken place, we'll edit the images and/or video for you. Our premium editing service is included in our rates, and we take a lot of care and attention making your imagery as great as possible. Our standard turn-around time is to have the agreed number of photos ready within around 3 working days (after the shoot) for estate agent and homeowner vendor clients, and around 1 week for other clients. Turn-around time for videos is 1 week. If you need your imagery in a shorter timeframe, please let us know prior to booking so we can discuss options.
What if the weather's bad?
Most of the time it's not a problem – an overcast day is actually better than a sunny one in many instances. Grey skies have never stopped us as we can edit in a blue sky and simulated sunshine! Heavy rain and strong winds, however, do on occasion mean we have to postpone a shoot. We'll keep an eye on the weather forecast and be in touch if we're concerned.
What happens to the food after a styled photoshoot?
Some of our items are evergreen, but fresh items bought for the shoot always go to a good home. The food will often get eaten later on by the team (or our friends/neighbours if they're lucky!)... Otherwise we use apps like Olio where you can give away items for free in your community. So nothing goes to waste!
Vendors: Won't people be disappointed if the house isn't as well presented/styled in the flesh?
No. We never make a house look bigger or smaller than it actually is, and we'll capture the feel of the house to best represent it. Our job is to entice viewers through the door – and if our Lifestyle Staging service has been booked, then we're helping them to envisage the life they could have in the property. Once we've captured their imagination and helped them to picture themselves in the space, the viewing is really just to reassure potential buyers of practicalities.