Preparing your home for a photo shoot is very similar to preparing your home for an open house, but

you only have to do it once. The photo shoot is an opportunity to show your house at its best, so put

on your sales and marketing hat. Remember, you could have thousands of people viewing your

home.

Take some time to consider the following tips when preparing your home:

· Think like a buyer! Flip through magazines and imagine how your home would look in them.

· Clean well and clear up clutter! If you wouldn't see it in a model home, hide it! Put personal

belongings out of sight-- in closets, under the bed, in drawers, in boxes in the garage or attic, etc.

· Lighten up dark spaces! If you have dark furniture, you can brighten it up with light colored throw

blankets and pillows. If you have a dark rug, a light and neutral area rug can do wonders to

brighten up a room!

· Bright idea! Use daylight bulbs in 65 watts - these are recommended to show your rooms in the

best type of light. If you don't have enough lamps in a room, consider buying a floor lamp or two.

· View askew?! Need to hide an unflattering view? Semi-sheer curtains are perfect for letting light

in and hiding any unflattering views.

· Remember CURB APPEAL! Be sure that garbage cans are out of site and basic yard maintenance

has been done. Pay close attention to the front of the house. Trim any dead branches hanging in

front of your house. Liven up the front entrance with some flowering plants. Open blinds, drapes,

and shades. Be sure that blinds are the same length so that you don't see one up, one down,

one crooked.

· Lights, Camera, Action! Think about your home as if you were a producer. What are the

highlights? What made you buy the home originally? Which are the best rooms to show off? While

Fabled Photography's photographers use our exclusive method for photographing homes, no one

knows your home and its highlights better than you!

· Inform. When the photographer calls to make the appointment, let them know if any of the rooms

may be a little dark so they can bring extra lighting. The photographer will usually take exterior

photos during the day and interior photos at dusk or at night.

· Be Prepared. Make a list of the rooms they will be photographing. The most commonly

photographed rooms are the kitchen, dining room, living room, and family room. Bedrooms and

bathrooms are generally photographed only if they are large or unique.

· Simplify the process. When the photographer arrives, clear out as many people as possible and

keep pets in a separate room. The process will go smoothly and quickly if the photographer

doesn't have to work around people and pets.