Photoshoot Standards

Partner With US

Evolve is a hospitality company that makes vacation rental easy for both sides of the business — owners & their guests.

We partner with photographers like you to help capture our homes in their best light, which means you are at the heart of what we do. Here’s everything you need to know about our standards and what we look for while you’re on a shoot. 

Must Read: Requirements for Evolve Photographers

Please read our quality standards carefully. If you do not meet these standards or do not photograph a property in its entirety, we’ll require a reshoot without additional payment.

Required Equipment Icon

Required Equipment

Camera: DSLR capable of auto bracketing a minimum of 5 frames

Tripod: A tripod for all shots so the camera is motionless while capturing bracketed sequences

Ultra Wide-Angle Lens: 

  • 14-16mm on a full frame camera 
  • 10-11mm on a crop sensor camera

Cable release: To avoid any blur from a shutter press, use a cable release, remote trigger or your camera’s built in self timer

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Prohibited Equipment

Fisheye lens: Fisheye photos distort the property proportion

Flash: Do not use a flash in any of your photos

PREPPING YOUR CAMERA

Required Camera Settings

Camera mode: Aperture Priority

Aperture: f8 to f11

ISO: Recommend 100 but up to 400

White balance: Auto (or whichever setting is necessary)

Image quality: High quality JPG – at least 4000 pixels on the longest side (minimum file size: 4000 x 2666 pixels)

Aspect ratio: 3:2

Metering Mode: Evaluative (on Canon), Matrix (on Nikon), or Multi (on Sony)

Auto exposure bracket: Depending on your camera’s capabilities, use either 5 or 7 exposures with 2 full stops between each bracket, or 9 exposures with 1 full stop

  • In high contrast scenes, shoot 2 sets of your current bracket  settings (5, 7 or 9), one exposing the shadows and one exposing the highlights, covering the entire tonal range
BRACKETING GUIDE
5-Frame Bracket Range
7-Frame Bracket Range
9-Frame Bracket Range

Shoot Requirements

Provide a minimum of 30 unique photos (otherwise, the shoot is considered incomplete)

  • Your goal is to document the full space the guest  has access to —both interior and exterior 
Shot List – Minimum of 4 different angles of
  • Each interior room (including bathrooms)
  • Small bathrooms only require 2
  • The exterior from all sides
  • The surrounding views
  • The amenities and outdoor recreational spaces

We require wide-angle shots

We prefer horizontal photos

  • Include a vertically oriented shot if no other option, in addition to the horizontal photo

All images must be shot on a tripod 

Lens must be clean

Post-Shoot Requirements

Send us original, unedited images

  • Please do not rename or edit the photos post-shoot 
  • Lens correction is okay if applied to all images 

You are required to deliver photos via Box.com and a completed property feedback form to Evolve within 48 hours of the shoot

All images are owned by Evolve unless the homeowner purchases them directly from us. However, you are welcome to use photos from the shoot in your portfolio.

STAGING:

While the homeowner is responsible for cleaning and preparing the home, we rely on you to make adjustments for appearance to ensure each space is presented in the best possible way.

  • Turn on all available lighting in the property

  • Raise the blinds in all rooms and pull open curtains and drapes

  • Turn off all ceiling fans & TVs

  • Turn on gas fireplaces, if present

  • Ensure all pillows, furniture, linens are arranged neatly

  • Bathroom
  • Lower all toilet lids
  • Shower curtains should be partially opened to show off tile and fixtures
  • Move toiletries out of sight
  • Straighten towels

  • Move any objects that detract from an appealing photo, both interior and exterior
  • ie. trash cans, grill covers, cleaning products, items of clothing, rugs, towels, remote controls, items on top of counters, hoses, toys, boxes, other debris etc.

If you encounter a property that’s not in a condition to be photographed, please notify Evolve, take photos of the main issues preventing the shoot, and leave the premises. Do not execute a full shoot.

SETTING UP THE SHOT:

Think like a guest. What features of the interior and exterior would you find important? How can you emphasize them?

Capture views from interior and exterior spaces. Guests love to get a feel for the landscape that surrounds the property, even if it’s minimal. (i.e. water views, mountain views, golf course views, foliage, etc.)

Highlight the way spaces connect — and proximity to amenities. Understanding the property’s layout, the flow from room to room, and distance to outdoor areas are key factors in a guest’s decision to book.

COMPOSITION

INTERIOR

  • Tripod: We suggest setting your tripod to around 4-4.5 feet to provide the best composition. Please do not shoot too high or low. 
  • For kitchens and bathrooms — Raise to 5ft to show countertops
  • Make sure tripod is perfectly level and horizontal so vertical lines are truly vertical
  • Do not shoot downward or upward angles
  • Get a shot from every corner of every room (bathroom excluded). Stand as far into the corner as possible (depending on the layout of furniture) to document as much space as possible.
  • Using the rule of thirds, make sure the subject of the room (bed, couch etc.) is the main focus
  • Do not leave large open spaces on the ceilings or walls when possible
  • Do not shoot with door frames on the edges of the photo, if possible
  • Do not split the frame in half with a wall when trying to show 2 rooms

 
EXTERIOR:

  • Take front, side, and rear photos of the property
  • Raising your tripod height is acceptable to mitigate upward angles  
  • The full exterior should be documented, including recreational areas (fire pits, pools/hot tubs, patio, grill, open land) and community amenities

ADAPTING TO THE PROPERTY:

LIGHTING

There may be times where lighting produces lens flare or issues with white balance. Please use your best judgment and adjust the lighting as needed.

METERING

The camera will often meter very differently based on where the windows are in the room. When there are windows in the shot, the camera might meter for the brighter exterior light and consequently make the interior darker.
    Review the last (typically brightest) exposure in the camera after every capture to ensure the metering is consistent and correct, providing images that are both bright enough and dark enough.
       If it is too dark or too light, you can adjust your brackets by using exposure compensation up +1 or +2 EVs. Keep in mind, by using the EV comp you are only making the image darker or lighter and not actually increasing the tonal range value. Taking 2 bracketed sets may be necessary to document the full tonal range.

      Quality Control

      • Ensure your reflection is not visible
      • Mirrors, framed art, TVs, oven and microwave doors, and shower doors are common culprits
      • If unavoidable, minimize camera/tripod reflection as much as possible
      •  Be on the lookout for glare and lens flares
      • Never include people or pets in any of the photos, with the exception of public spaces

      Small Property?

      CHECK OUT OUR SMALL PROPERTY GUIDE

      How to Shoot an Evolve Property

      Want a quick overview of the basics discussed here?
      Watch this video.

      Photoshoot Property Review & Feedback

      As photographers, you are Evolve’s first connection to a property. Your feedback regarding the home’s safety and overall presentation is crucial.

      View Our Photoshoot Property Review & Feedback Guide

      Photoshoot Standards PDF

      Want to download a PDF of these photoshoot standards? 
      Click below.

      Download PDF

      Questions?

      Please contact us! Send us an email
      at [email protected].

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