How To Take Pro-Grade Job Photos

Did you ever wonder why some job photos look incredible and think, “I wish I could get images that nice”? Considering the current worldwide pandemic, many contractors are wondering just how to get the best shots for each job. We will discuss how to shoot great images with a phone camera/tablet (point and shoot). Remember, great images will help clearly define your job scope, take progress shots (before and after shots), or help to diagnose problem areas and make sure you don’t miss something important or vital in your quote.

Getting Down to the Basics 

There are fundamental shooting basics that apply to all types of photography, regardless of the camera type. The two basic aspects to consider are 1) is the image you are trying to capture in focus and, 2) is there adequate light available for a good exposure. Let’s first discuss best practices when using the camera on your phone or tablet.

Shooting Phone/Tablet Images 101 

Exterior

• - No flash should be needed.
  
  
• - Always try to take a picture with the sun behind you. If the camera lens is pointed toward the sun, the camera senses too much light and will result in a subject that is too dark. Cloudy days are best - you can shoot from almost any angle without running the risk of an underexposed image.
  
  - Position your phone/tablet so it is either in a vertical or horizontal orientation relative to your subject. 
  
  - Do not zoom in more than 50% before taking the picture or, the resulting image might be fuzzy-looking from the camera shake.
  
  - Center the subject and get as close as possible to preserve any detail you might need.
  
  - Touch the image on the LED screen to confirm the focus and exposure, then SHOOT! 

Interior

- Flash may be needed if there is not enough available light. Low light situations result in low shutter speeds and can cause camera shake (image blur).

- Position your phone/tablet so it is either in a vertical or horizontal orientation relative to your subject.

- Do not zoom in more than 50% before taking the picture or, the resulting image might be fuzzy from camera shake.

- Center the subject and get as close as possible to preserve any detail you might need.

- Touch the image on the LED screen to confirm the focus and exposure, then SHOOT!

You’ve captured your pictures now what? 

Since you’ve shot these pictures on your phone you can easily tie them to your customer’s record inside of One Click Contractor. These photos will stay with the customer record throughout the sales process and beyond. Photos can be used to personalize the agreement, gather job scope, document delivery of materials to the job site, and much more. Utilizing the CompnayCam App you can even make notes on the photo and then those photos are connected to the customer’s job in One Click Contractor. 

High-Quality Photos Will Give You The Right Insight Into a Potential Job

Have you ever heard the saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words”? This is especially true in the home improvement industry. With professional-quality images, you will feel confident in giving your customers accurate and detailed quotes. Photos can be uploaded to the One Click Contractor Platform by the salesperson, data collector, or the homeowner. 

High-quality photos will give you the right insight into any potential job before you even set foot inside a customer’s home. Once taken and uploaded, all the images are safely stored and saved according to each customer or job. The images can then be easily applied to a proposal or agreement by checking the appropriate boxes. Give your customer an accurate estimate every time with great pro-grade job photos!