In the past, it was necessary for agents to have a really nice camera in order to get great photos for real estate listings. Nevertheless, these days modern smartphones have some pretty advanced cameras and it’s totally possible to get great photos just with a cell phone. That is if you know some of these cell phone cameras hacks to make sure that you’re getting the best possible photos:

Get The Lighting Right

You should never use the flash on your cell phone camera. It will make pictures look grainy and overexposed. The best way to get great photos indoors with your cell phone camera is to make sure that you get the indoor lighting perfect. Natural light is best, so open all the shades and drapes to illuminate the room. But if the day is cloudy or you’re taking photos at night you need to have professional studio lights. The good news is that these days portable photography lights can be purchased for very cheap on Amazon and other sites. For around $20 you can get professional quality lights that you can easily transport to houses. It’s a great investment that is well worth the cost.

Don’t Use Filters

You may be tempted to use filters on your photos in order to correct the lighting or make the photos look more appealing. Don’t. It’s easy to see when filters are being used and if you use them the potential buyers will wonder what you’re trying to hide by using filters. Don’t get too artsy with these photos. You’re trying to sell a home not make an Instagram art installation.

Use A Mount Or A Stand

If you’re taking photos in a low light environment, like indoors, the camera shutter will slow down to let more light in to get a better photo. That means there is plenty of time for your hands to shake, or jerk, or move and ruin the photos. The best way to get great photos of a home’s interior is to use a stand, a tripod, or some kind of mount so that you will be sure that the camera stays steady. You can use the auto self-timer on the phone camera to make sure that you have time to line up the photo and put the camera on the stand or mount before the phone takes the camera.

Don’t Use Fish Eye Lens

You might be tempted to use a fisheye lens to try and get more of the room in the photo. But a fisheye lens distorts the photo and makes it harder for people to gauge the size of the room. Take simple photos without any special lenses to get photos that accurately represent the room.