Subletting
How to Photograph Your Room for a Sublet (Phone Only)
To photograph your room for a sublet, tidy it, open the blinds, and shoot in daylight from the corners with your phone held level at chest height. Take the room first, then the kitchen, bathroom and shared spaces, and include the flaws.
Sublet Buddy Guides3 min read
Times Square. Photo: Sublet Buddy.
In This Guide 7 sections
The Short Version
- Daylight, lights on, no flash.
- Stand in a corner and hold the phone level and horizontal.
- Eight to twelve photos in a sensible order is enough.
- Show the room as the subtenant will get it.
Tidy First
Ten minutes of tidying changes the photos more than any camera setting.
- Make the bed with plain bedding and flatten the pillows.
- Clear the desk, the floor and the top of the dresser.
- Hide laundry, cables, trash cans and toiletries.
- Put away anything with your name, face or address on it: mail, ID, photos of people, a diploma.
- Wipe the mirror and close the closet and toilet lid.
Only stage what stays. If the desk is leaving with you, take it out of the shot or say so in the listing.
Use Daylight
Shoot when the room is brightest, usually late morning or early afternoon. Open the blinds and curtains fully and turn on the lamps to fill dark corners.
Turn the flash off. It flattens the room and makes it look smaller. If the window is very bright, stand with it to your side instead of pointing the phone straight at it.
Stand in the Corners
Back into a corner, or stand in the doorway, so the photo shows two walls and the floor. That gives a true sense of size.
Hold the phone horizontally at about chest height and keep it level, so the walls look straight and not leaning. Use the normal lens. The ultra-wide lens bends the edges and makes the room look bigger than it is, which only leads to a disappointed viewing.
Wipe the lens, tap the screen on the middle of the room to set the exposure, and take two or three shots of each view.
The Order of Shots
Put the best photo of the room first. It is the one people see in search results.
- The room from the doorway.
- The room from the opposite corner.
- The bed and the window.
- The desk or work area.
- The closet, open, with the space the subtenant will get.
- The kitchen, showing the stove, fridge and counter.
- The bathroom, showing the shower and sink.
- The living room or other shared space.
- The view from the window, if there is one worth showing.
- Laundry, the building entrance or the stairs, if they matter to the stay.
Show the Flaws Honestly
Photograph the things someone would notice in the first five minutes: a small window, a narrow kitchen, a mark on the wall, the stairs. One honest photo saves a wasted viewing for both of you.
Do not use filters, and do not edit out things that are really there. Straightening and a little brightening is fine. If you use an AI tool to tidy or enhance a photo, say so and keep the original.
Before You Upload
- Check every photo for faces, names, mail and anything showing your street number or building name.
- Ask roommates before photographing shared rooms, and keep their things out of the frame.
- Delete near-duplicates. Twelve clear photos beat thirty similar ones.
- Keep the full set. The same photos are a useful record of the room’s condition before you leave.
Get your landlord’s written approval for the sublet before the listing goes up.
Questions
How many photos does a sublet listing need?
Eight to twelve is usually enough: three or four of the room, then the closet, kitchen, bathroom and shared space.
What time of day is best for room photos?
When the room gets the most daylight, often late morning or early afternoon. Open the blinds, turn on the lamps and leave the flash off.
Should I use the wide-angle lens on my phone?
Use the normal lens from a corner. The ultra-wide lens distorts the edges and makes the room look larger than it is.
Should I show problems in the photos?
Yes. Showing a small window or a walk-up staircase means the people who reply already accept it.
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<a href="https://www.subletbuddy.com/guides/how-to-photograph-your-room-for-a-sublet">How to Photograph Your Room for a Sublet (Phone Only)</a> (Sublet Buddy Guides)This is general information, not legal advice. Rules differ by state, city, building and lease. Check your lease, get your landlord’s written approval before you sublet, and ask a local attorney about your situation.
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