How to photograph
your home

Your photos are the foundation of your color plan. The better the photo, the better the result. This guide covers everything you need to know before you shoot.

Your renderings are only as good as the photos you provide. We work directly from your images — if a facade is blown out, heavily shadowed, or partially obscured, we have limited ability to recover detail. A few minutes spent photographing well saves significant back-and-forth.

01 — Timing

When to shoot

Light is the single biggest variable in exterior photography. The time of day you shoot determines whether your home reads clearly or disappears into shadow and glare.

✓ Ideal

Overcast day

Flat, even light from edge to edge. No harsh shadows on siding, no blown-out sky. This is the gold standard for color work.

✓ Good

Open shade

Early morning or late afternoon, with the sun behind you or to the side. Soft directional light that reveals texture without extreme contrast.

✗ Avoid

Midday sun

Direct overhead sun creates harsh shadows under eaves and overhangs. Half the house will be in deep shadow, the other half blown out.

✗ Avoid

Shooting into the sun

If the sun is facing you, your facade will be underexposed and dark. Move your position so the light is at your back or side.

02 — What to capture

The shots we need

We need at least 2 photos, ideally 3–5. Each shot serves a different purpose in building your color plan.

Required

Straight-on facade

Stand directly in front of the house, centered. The roofline should be level. Capture the full width — don't crop the edges.

Required

Three-quarter angle

Stand at a 45° angle to one corner. Shows two facades, reveals depth, and helps us understand how colors will read from the street.

Helpful

Material close-up

A close shot of any brick, stone, or mixed material. Helps us select colors that harmonize with existing fixed elements.

03 — Common mistakes

What doesn't work

These are the most common submission issues. Each one limits what we can do with the image.

Avoid — overexposed

Blown out in direct sun

Detail is lost in the highlights. We can't render colors onto a surface we can't see. Shoot on an overcast day or in open shade.

Avoid — underexposed

Shot in shadow or at dusk

When the facade is too dark, siding texture and color disappear. We need to clearly see the surface we're working with.

Avoid — obstructions

Cars, trees, or objects in frame

Vehicles and vegetation covering significant portions of the facade make it impossible to render those sections accurately.

Ideal submission

Even light, full facade visible

Overcast light, no obstructions, full house in frame with a small buffer on each side. This is what we're working with.

04 — Before you submit

Photo checklist

Shot on an overcast day or in open shade — no harsh direct sunlight on the facade

Full house visible in frame — edges of roofline and foundation not cut off

Camera held level — roofline should be horizontal, no steep upward or downward angles

No vehicles, bins, or large objects blocking the facade

No filters or HDR processing applied — submit the original, unedited photo

High resolution — taken on a smartphone camera, not a screenshot or cropped thumbnail

Included a three-quarter angle shot — standing at 45° from one corner of the house

A note on photo quality

If your submitted photos are significantly overexposed, underexposed, or obstructed, we will contact you to request new images before beginning work. This may affect your turnaround time. We cannot begin processing until we have usable photos, but your delivery window will reset from the point we receive acceptable images — not from your original submission date.

Questions? Email us before submitting.

How to photographyour home