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Exterior photo best practices

Tips for taking great exterior photos and how to handle obstructions or tight lot lines

Updated over 5 months ago

The better your photos are, the quicker Hover can deliver everything you need to get your job done!

Check out this 2 minute video for examples of great exterior photos, or continue reading below for additional tips:

Taking great photos with the Hover app

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Step back


Include free space around the top, bottom, and edges of a photo. You want to include the full structure in the photo whenever possible.

If you can't capture a full face or corner of a property within one photo, try to step back as much as possible and take the photo from another angle. The best photos include both the sky and ground in one frame.

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Tip: Rotate your camera to landscape mode (horizontally) for best possible results.

Include corner photos


Corner shots are important photos to capture clearly so the geometry or lines of the structure can be identified. A good corner shot includes three posts:

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Any tight corners or obstructions in frame? Don't worry - we can work with that! Just be sure to take a photo of every corner of the property and don't hesitate to add more pictures, if necessary!

Minimize obstructions


Move around to minimize obstructions (trees, vehicles, fences, etc). Changing your position to get the best view of the property is highly recommended.

Add additional pictures


While the app only requires (1) photo per side or corner of a property, there is no limit to the number of photos you can take. Don't hesitate to add more, if necessary.

Tap on the photo spot in the grid, then tap 'Add photos'

If you click 'Add more photos' below the grid, they will not be used to build the 3D model. Rather, photos added in that section are usually meant for documenting property damage for an insurance claim, etc.

When should I add more photos?

Besides heavy obstructions in the frame, another reason to include additional photos is if your property has tight lot lines:

If the structure has minimal space between it and its surrounding area, adjust your position until you see some free space. Take as many photos as needed, from different angles.

More helpful tips


Other things that effect the quality of photos include:

Sun glare

Avoid sun glare by using your hand or a notepad to cover your device.

Lighting

Use your device's flash feature for photos taken at night. Turning on the interior or exterior lights of a property will also help.

Landscape mode vs portrait mode

While there may be instances that portrait mode is helpful (e.g. tall, narrow buildings), it is usually best to hold your phone horizontally (i.e. landscape mode) to include the free space around edges.

Still have questions? Reach out to our support team.

  • Call us (+1.844.754.6837). We're real people and ready to help!

  • Email us ([email protected]). We'll usually reply in about 30 min.

  • Chat with us. We generally answer in less than 3 mins. Click on the blue chat icon at the bottom right of your screen.

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