Get your property ready for the camera.

Commercial prospects tour with a spreadsheet open. Before they visit an office in Leesburg or a retail bay in Ocala, they want to see frontage, access, parking and condition. The listing that answers those questions on screen gets the site visit, and most of what makes commercial photos work is decided before we arrive.

Be ready the day before.

Have the property fully ready at least the day before the shoot. Commercial spaces involve more people than a home: tenants, staff, property managers and cleaning crews. A day of margin lets everyone hear about the shoot and finish their part.

Access, people and timing.

Confirm who unlocks the building, the alarm code, which suites we can enter and where we park. If a tenant controls a suite, get their permission in advance. Name one contact who will answer the phone on shoot day.

Occupied offices photograph cleanly before staff arrive or after close, and retail is easiest before opening. Tell staff, tenants and regular customers the shoot time. Anyone recognizable in a photo needs to give consent, so the simplest plan is a quiet space. If people will be on camera on purpose, arrange their written consent before the shoot.

Outside: lot, signage and dumpsters.

The parking lot is part of the listing, and an empty lot shows its size and condition. That is why commercial exteriors are often shot early or after hours. Ask employees to park elsewhere and move company vehicles out of frame. Move dumpsters and garbage cans out of sight or close the enclosure gates. Sweep the walkways and entries, pull weeds, trim and clear leaves. Wash the entry glass, clean the signage and make sure every sign light works.

Inside: lights on, surfaces clear.

Turn on every lighting zone, including display and task lights. Replace dead bulbs and flickering tubes and keep color consistent, since one dark or off-color panel reads as neglect. Open the blinds for natural light.

Sweep or mop, dust and clean the windows. Clear desks down to a monitor and a chair. Put boxes, stacked files and clutter into storage. Hide trash cans and visible cords. Stock and tidy the restrooms. Industrial and flex spaces should look orderly: pallets squared, floors swept, equipment parked in its place.

What we do, and what we don't.

We set the blinds and move small items to make each space photo ready, schedule around your business hours, and time the exteriors and parking lot for good light. We do not move furniture, stock or equipment, so the space needs to be arranged the way you want it shown. We do not photograph staff or customers without consent, and we do not enter restricted or secured areas unless you or your contact are with us. Cleaning and staging are yours to finish before we arrive. We also do not edit out signs or cars as part of the standard edit, so ask us before the shoot if something cannot move.

Pets.

If an office or shop pet is on site, it should be crated or in a closed room before we arrive. If one is loose and no one can secure it, we have to reschedule.

Aerials and weather.

Aerials show the site in its corridor: the intersection, the anchors and the traffic. Across Lake, Sumter and Marion counties, where corridors change quickly, that context helps prospects place the site. Flights are made by an FAA Part 107 certified, insured pilot. We check the airspace before any flight, and flights depend on wind and weather. Every exterior carries our blue skies guarantee. If the forecast turns, we reschedule at no charge.

What happens on shoot day.

We work area by area, often the exterior and lot first, then the interior from the entry inward. Your contact unlocks doors and keeps people out of frame as we move through.

After the shoot.

Photos are delivered within 24 hours, with a free single-property website that gives prospects one link to the whole property. For the shots a leasing package needs, see our commercial property photography checklist.

Ready to list or lease in Lady Lake, Leesburg or Ocala? See our commercial real estate media, then book a commercial shoot online.