Frequently Asked Questions

Booking is simple and fully online. Visit our Packages & Pricing page, select your property type, choose your property size, pick the package that fits your needs, and click Book Now. You’ll be taken to our secure booking portal where you can select your preferred date and time, enter the property details, and complete payment. You’ll receive a confirmation email immediately after booking.

If you have a custom request or would like to speak with us first, use the Contact page and we’ll get back to you within a few hours.

We generally need 1–2 business days of lead time to schedule a shoot. During peak seasons (spring and fall) we recommend booking 3–4 days in advance to secure your preferred time slot.

If you need a same-day or next-morning shoot, contact us directly — we do our best to accommodate urgent requests and a $75 rush fee applies for same-day bookings.

A well-prepared property produces dramatically better photos. Here’s what we recommend:

• Declutter all surfaces — countertops, tables, shelves
• Remove personal items — family photos, toiletries, pet bowls
• Turn on all interior lights including lamps and under-cabinet lighting
• Open all blinds and curtains to maximize natural light
• Remove vehicles from the driveway for exterior shots
• Ensure the lawn is mowed and front entrance is tidy
• Clear garbage bins, hoses and garden clutter from view
• Make all beds and arrange furniture neatly

Our photographers will do their best to work with any condition, but a prepared home saves time and produces results your sellers will love.

We require a minimum 2-hour notice to cancel or reschedule a booking without charge. Cancellations or reschedules made with less than 2 hours notice will incur a $50 fee to cover the photographer’s time and travel.

If the property is inaccessible when the photographer arrives (lockbox issue, no access code provided, etc.), this is treated as a same-day cancellation and the $50 fee applies.

It is not necessary for you or your clients to be present during the shoot. Most agents simply provide us with a lockbox code and we handle everything. If you do want to be present, you’re welcome to — just avoid standing in rooms as the photographer works through the space.

Please note: we are not equipped to use electronic lockbox systems such as Supra or SentriLock. Please use a standard key lockbox or arrange direct access for the shoot day.

We shoot in most weather conditions — overcast skies, light rain and cloudy days are all manageable because all our packages include our Blue Sky Guarantee (see Terms section below). This means grey or cloudy skies in exterior photos are digitally replaced with a natural blue sky during editing at no extra charge.

In cases of heavy rain, severe weather or unsafe conditions, we will contact you to reschedule at no cost.

Snapshot is our entry-level residential package — the essentials, perfectly delivered. It includes professional HDR photography (the number of photos scales with property size), a Digital Twilight cover photo, Blue Sky Guarantee, a branded Property Website, and MLS-ready file delivery within 24 hours.

It is ideal for condos, studio apartments, small investment properties and any listing where a clean, professional photo set is the primary goal without video or additional media.

Storyline includes photos plus a Visual Slideshow Video Tour — a polished photo-based video where your listing images are sequenced with music and motion effects into a shareable video. It is a cost-effective way to have video content without a full cinematic production.

Director’s Cut includes photos plus a Top-Grade Cinematic Video Tour — a fully filmed walkthrough of the property shot with professional cinema-grade cameras, stabilized movement, and cinematic editing. This is a real video, not a slideshow. It creates a far stronger emotional connection with buyers and is ideal for houses and mid-range listings where video marketing makes a measurable difference.

In short: Storyline = photo-based video. Director’s Cut = real filmed cinematic video.

Reel Ready includes photos plus an Instagram/TikTok Reel — a short vertical video (typically 30–60 seconds) specifically optimized for social media platforms. It is designed for agents who maintain an active social media presence and want a listing video formatted for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Facebook Stories. No cinematic walkthrough is included in this package.

Full Frame combines photos, a full Cinematic Video Tour, AND an Instagram/TikTok Reel — giving you both the long-form MLS/website video AND the short-form social media content in a single booking. This is our most popular residential package for agents who want complete media coverage.

Blueprint includes everything in Full Frame (photos + cinematic video + reel) plus a 2D Floor Plan with measurements. The floor plan is a professionally drawn, to-scale layout of the entire property showing room dimensions, doors, windows and key features.

Choose Blueprint when your listing has a complex or impressive layout that buyers need to understand — multi-storey homes, open-concept designs, or properties where the floor plan is a selling feature. Floor plans significantly reduce unnecessary showings by helping buyers pre-qualify the space before visiting.

Cornerstone is our most comprehensive standard residential package — the complete package top agents trust. It includes photos, cinematic video, Instagram/TikTok reel, a full 3D Matterport Virtual Tour, and a 2D Floor Plan with measurements. Delivery is prioritized to 12-hour turnaround.

It is most popular with experienced brokers, top-producing agents, and listings priced above $800,000 where a 3D virtual tour makes a significant difference in buyer engagement. The 3D tour allows buyers anywhere in the world to virtually walk through the property before booking a showing.

Masterpiece is our ultimate residential package — when only extraordinary will do. It includes unlimited HDR photography, an extended cinematic video tour, Instagram/TikTok reel, drone photos and cinematic drone video, a 3D Matterport virtual tour, both 2D and 3D floor plans, virtual staging for up to 3 rooms, a real twilight photography shoot, neighbourhood photos, a premium property website, and same-day delivery.

Masterpiece is designed for high-value competitive listings — typically $1M+ homes, bidding war situations, and listings where maximum visual impact translates directly to a higher sale price. Research shows professionally marketed luxury listings can command 3–5% more per square foot — on a $1.5M home that is $45,000–75,000 more in the seller’s pocket.

Opus is our signature luxury package — a cinematic work for a landmark property. Starting from $1,199, it is designed for premium homes in the $1M–$2M range. It includes unlimited photography, an extended cinematic video, a story-driven short film, reel, drone photos and video, 3D Matterport tour, 2D and 3D floor plans, virtual staging for up to 5 rooms, a twilight shoot, neighbourhood and lifestyle photos, feature sheet design, and a premium property website.

Legend is our white-glove estate production — reserved for the finest estates in the GTA. Starting from $1,999, it includes everything in Opus plus a full-day production shoot, director-level cinematic film (60–90 seconds), multiple drone flights at different times of day, twilight and night photography, unlimited virtual staging, an agent headshot session, a custom brochure, a social media content pack of 10 posts, and a dedicated production manager. Legend is for $2M+ properties where the marketing itself becomes part of the prestige story.

These are our AirBnB and Short-Term Rental (STR) packages, each edited with a brighter, warmer, lifestyle-focused style specifically optimized for platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Booking.com.

• Welcome — 20 photos for studio to 1-bedroom units. First impressions that fill your calendar.
• Hosted — 30 photos + a 60-second video tour for 2–3 bedroom units. Professional content that drives bookings.
• Getaway — 40 photos + video tour + drone exteriors + 3D virtual tour for larger units, cottages and vacation properties. Inspire the escape. Fill every date.

The editing style for STR packages is intentionally different from standard real estate — brighter, warmer, and more aspirational to appeal to vacation and short-term renters rather than buyers.

These are our four Commercial Space packages for offices, retail, restaurants, industrial properties and businesses:

• Establish — HDR photography for small spaces under 2,000 sq ft. Make your first impression count.
• Amplify — Photography + promotional video tour + drone aerials for medium spaces. Reach more tenants and buyers.
• Command — Unlimited photography + cinematic brand video + drone + 3D tour + floor plan for large commercial and industrial spaces. Own your market position.
• Constant — A monthly content retainer delivering 20–30 photos and 2–4 short social videos every month for businesses that need ongoing visual content. Fresh content, every single month.

Absolutely. Every package can be customized with our À La Carte add-on services. Simply select your base package and add any combination of extras — drone photos, drone video, additional photos, floor plans, 3D Matterport tours, Instagram reels, virtual staging, twilight photography, neighbourhood photos, agent headshots, feature sheet design, rush delivery and more.

All add-on pricing is listed on the Packages page. If you need something not listed or have a very specific requirement, contact us and we’ll build a custom quote for you.

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. In real estate photography, this means our photographers take multiple exposures of the same shot — capturing bright areas (windows, sunlight) and dark areas (shadowed corners, interiors) separately — then blend them together in editing to produce a single, perfectly balanced image where every part of the room is clearly visible and naturally lit.

HDR is the industry standard for real estate photography because standard single-exposure photos cannot capture the extreme contrast between a bright window and a dark interior wall. The result is a photo that looks natural, bright, and inviting — the way your eye actually experiences the space.

Our Blue Sky Guarantee means that if the exterior photos show a grey, cloudy, or dull sky — regardless of the actual weather on shoot day — we will digitally replace it with a natural, realistic blue sky during editing at no extra charge. This is included with every package we offer.

The result looks completely natural — agents and buyers cannot tell the sky was replaced. This ensures your listing always makes a strong first impression with a bright, appealing exterior photo regardless of Toronto’s unpredictable weather.

A Digital Twilight (also called Virtual Twilight or Virtual Dusk) is an exterior photo that has been digitally edited to replicate the beautiful warm glow of golden hour — the magical time just after sunset when interior lights glow warmly through windows and the sky turns deep blue and orange.

Rather than scheduling a separate shoot at dusk (which requires returning to the property at a specific time), we create this effect digitally from a daytime exterior photo. The result is a stunning, magazine-quality cover image that dramatically increases click-through rates on MLS listings. Research shows virtual twilight images can increase listing click-through rates by up to 300%.

This is included as the cover photo in every residential package we offer.

These are two very different types of video content:

A Visual Slideshow Video (included in Storyline) is created entirely from your still photos. The photos are sequenced with smooth transitions, pan-and-zoom motion effects, and background music to create a video that flows like a property tour. It is an effective, affordable way to have video content for social media and MLS without the cost of filming.

A Cinematic Video Tour (included in Director’s Cut, Full Frame, Blueprint, Cornerstone, Masterpiece, Opus and Legend) is a fully filmed video — our videographer physically walks through and films the property using professional cinema-grade cameras, a gimbal stabilizer, and professional lighting. The footage is then professionally edited with colour grading, music, and smooth transitions. This produces a dramatically more immersive, emotional, and impressive result that genuinely moves buyers.

With 30 years of professional filmmaking experience behind our production, our cinematic tours are filmed and edited to a standard most real estate photographers simply cannot match.

A Reel is a short-form vertical video (9:16 aspect ratio — the tall format designed for phone screens) typically 30–60 seconds in length, specifically formatted for Instagram Reels, TikTok, and Facebook Stories.

It is different from the standard cinematic video tour which is horizontal (16:9 — landscape format for TVs and computer screens). The Reel is edited with fast cuts, trending audio, on-screen text overlays, and a visual style optimized to stop the scroll and generate engagement on social media platforms.

Agents use Reels to promote listings on their own social media accounts, dramatically increasing the reach of the listing beyond the MLS to an audience of potential buyers who may not be actively searching.

A Property Website is a dedicated, single-listing webpage created specifically for your listing — hosted on our platform and included with every package we offer. It displays all the media from your shoot in one beautifully designed page: photos, video, floor plan, 3D tour, and property details.

Every property website we create comes with two versions:

• Branded version — includes the agent’s name, photo, contact information and brokerage branding. Used for social media sharing and direct marketing.
• Unbranded version — no agent information displayed. This version is submitted to the MLS as the official Virtual Tour link, as required by real estate board rules.

The property website link can be shared directly with buyers, posted on social media, embedded in emails, and submitted to portals like Realtor.ca, Zillow and Trulia.

A 3D Matterport Virtual Tour is an interactive, three-dimensional digital model of the entire property that buyers can explore from any device — anywhere in the world. Using a specialized 3D camera, we scan every room of the property and create a fully navigable model where viewers can:

• Click through rooms as if physically walking through the property
• View any angle of any room in 360 degrees
• Switch to a dollhouse view — seeing the entire floor plan from above
• Measure distances and room dimensions directly inside the tour

3D Matterport tours are especially valuable for out-of-town buyers, international investors, and any listing where remote decision-making is likely. Studies show listings with 3D tours receive 49% more qualified inquiries and reduce unnecessary in-person showings significantly.

A 2D Floor Plan is a clean, to-scale overhead drawing of the property layout showing room dimensions, wall positions, doors, windows, and key fixtures such as appliances and plumbing. It is the standard format used for MLS listings, feature sheets, and online portals.

A 3D Floor Plan is the same layout but rendered in three dimensions with furniture, flooring texture, wall colours, and realistic depth — giving buyers a much more intuitive sense of how the space actually looks and flows. It is more visually engaging and helps buyers emotionally connect with the layout before visiting.

Both versions are delivered with approximate measurements. CAD files (for architects and contractors) are available as an additional add-on service.

Virtual Staging is the process of digitally adding furniture, décor, and finishing touches to photos of empty rooms — making vacant properties look fully furnished and lived-in. It is a fraction of the cost of physical staging and allows buyers to visualize the potential of an empty space.

We offer virtual staging at $49 per photo as an add-on to any package. Our virtual staging uses realistic, high-quality 3D furniture renders in current interior design styles — not cartoonish or obviously fake. We can also remove existing furniture from photos and replace it with a different style if required (item removal fee applies).

Virtual staging is especially effective for vacant investment properties, new construction, and any listing where physical staging is not possible or not cost-effective.

There are two different twilight options we offer and it is important to understand the difference:

Digital Twilight Cover Photo — included free with every package. This is a single exterior photo edited digitally to simulate the look of dusk. Created from a daytime photo during post-production. No extra visit required.

Twilight Photography Shoot ($199 add-on or included in Masterpiece/Opus/Legend) — a real, in-person shoot at the property during the golden hour window just after sunset. Our photographer returns to the property at dusk and captures the exterior with all interior and exterior lights on, the warm glow through windows, and the deep blue evening sky. The result is dramatically more stunning and cinematic than a digitally created twilight — the depth, shadow detail, and warmth of a real twilight shoot is unmatched. Ideal for luxury listings and properties with impressive exteriors.

MLS-Ready Files means that in addition to high-resolution versions of all photos (suitable for print, feature sheets, and large displays), we also deliver web-optimized versions sized and compressed specifically for uploading to the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) and real estate portals like Realtor.ca. MLS systems have specific file size and dimension requirements — we handle this automatically so you never have to resize or compress images yourself before uploading.

Every property website and video we deliver comes with two shareable links:

• Branded link — displays the agent’s name, photo, brokerage logo, and contact information. Used for social media posts, direct emails to clients, and any personal marketing where the agent wants their brand visible.
• Unbranded link — contains no agent or brokerage information. This is required by CREA (Canadian Real Estate Association) rules for the Virtual Tour link field on MLS listings — the MLS cannot display one agent’s branding to buyers searching through other brokerages.

You receive both links with every delivery and can use each in the appropriate context.

The number of photos scales with property size and package selected. As a general guide:

• Condo / under 1,000 sq ft — approximately 20–25 photos
• 1,000–2,000 sq ft — approximately 25–30 photos
• 2,000–3,500 sq ft — approximately 30–40 photos
• 3,500–5,000 sq ft — approximately 40–50 photos
• 5,000+ sq ft — 50+ photos

Masterpiece, Opus, and Legend packages include unlimited photos — we shoot every angle, room, and detail until the property is completely documented. Additional photos beyond your package can always be added for $25 per 10 photos.

Our photographers use professional full-frame mirrorless cameras with wide-angle lenses specifically chosen for real estate photography — producing sharp, geometrically accurate images with minimal distortion. We use professional strobe and ambient lighting systems to achieve the bright, balanced look that distinguishes professional real estate photography from amateur work.

For video, we use cinema-grade cameras mounted on professional gimbal stabilizers — the same class of equipment used in professional film production. This is what produces the smooth, cinematic movement you see in our video tours, backed by 30 years of professional filmmaking experience.

Yes. When booking, there is a notes field where you can specify any special requests — particular angles, rooms to emphasize, features to highlight (a renovated kitchen, a view, a special architectural detail), or rooms to exclude. You can also leave notes at the property for the photographer or text us on the day of the shoot.

Standard cinematic video tours are typically 2–4 minutes depending on property size. Extended versions (in Opus and Legend packages) run 4–6 minutes. The story-driven short film in the Opus package is a separate, more narrative piece typically 60–90 seconds designed for social media and website headers.

We can produce custom lengths on request — contact us to discuss your specific needs.

All videos delivered to you can be used anywhere — your property website, MLS virtual tour link, YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, email campaigns, your personal website, and client presentations. You own the rights to use all media we produce for your listing without restriction.

Cinematic video tours are delivered in 4K resolution MP4 format — the highest quality available and compatible with all major platforms and devices. Instagram/TikTok Reels are delivered in vertical 9:16 format optimized for direct upload to social media platforms. All videos are also hosted on your property website and delivered via a shareable link for easy sharing.

Yes. All drone operations are conducted by a Transport Canada Advanced RPAS (Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems) certified pilot. This is the highest level of drone certification available in Canada, required for all commercial drone operations. We comply fully with Transport Canada regulations for all drone flights including controlled airspace near airports.

Yes. Certain areas of the GTA fall within controlled or restricted airspace where drone flights require special authorization — particularly properties near Toronto Pearson Airport, Billy Bishop Airport, and certain other restricted zones. In these areas we apply for the required authorizations from Transport Canada in advance.

Additionally, drone flights may not be possible in severe weather conditions (high winds, heavy rain, or visibility below minimums) for safety reasons. If drone photography is not possible due to airspace restrictions or weather, we will notify you in advance and issue a full refund for the drone portion of your booking.

Our standard drone photo package delivers 10 aerial photos capturing the property from multiple heights and angles, typically including: a top-down overhead view of the property and lot, angled views showing the relationship between the home and its surroundings, neighbourhood context shots showing nearby parks, water, transit and amenities, and wide establishing shots showing the street and community. For larger properties and commercial spaces, we capture more angles and expand the coverage area.

Our floor plans are produced from laser measurements taken on-site and are accurate to within a few centimetres. They include all room dimensions, ceiling heights (on request), door and window positions, and key fixtures. They are described as approximate measurements as required by real estate board guidelines — not architectural or survey-grade drawings, but accurate enough for buyer decision-making and MLS use.

If you require CAD files (for architects, contractors or renovation planning), these are available as an add-on service for an additional $30 per floor.

The 3D scan typically adds 30–60 minutes to the shoot time depending on property size. The camera needs to be positioned in multiple locations throughout each room to capture full 360-degree coverage. The processing of the 3D model happens after the shoot and is included in the standard delivery timeline.

Yes — when done professionally, virtual staging is indistinguishable from real staging in photographs. We use high-quality 3D furniture renders with accurate lighting, shadows, and perspective matching the original photo. The furniture styles we use are current, tasteful, and appeal to broad buyer demographics.

It is standard practice (and required by most real estate boards) to disclose that photos are virtually staged in the listing description. Buyers understand and accept virtual staging — it is now a mainstream real estate marketing tool used by top agents across Canada and the US.

Yes. Our Item Removal service ($10 per item) allows us to digitally remove small objects from photos during editing — a television remote, a power cord, a stray shoe, a recycling bin visible through a window. This is different from full virtual staging and is a minor retouching service.

For larger removals (removing all furniture from a room to create a vacant photo for virtual staging, for example), contact us for a custom quote.

Property websites remain live for the duration of the listing and for a period after. If you need a listing website taken down or kept active after a sale, contact us and we’ll accommodate your request. There is no additional charge for standard hosting of your property website.

Yes. If the listing price changes, you need to add or update media, or any details need to be corrected — contact us and we will update the property website promptly, usually within a few hours of your request.

All media is delivered via a secure download link sent to your email address. The link gives you access to your full gallery of photos and all video files, organized and ready to download. Your property website and all shareable links are also included in the same delivery email.

Files are stored on our platform for an extended period so you can re-download at any time if needed.

Our standard turnaround times by package type:

• Residential packages (Snapshot, Storyline, Director’s Cut, Reel Ready, Full Frame, Blueprint) — 24 hours after the shoot
• Cornerstone — 12-hour priority delivery
• Masterpiece, Opus, Legend — Same-day delivery
• Commercial packages — 48 hours after the shoot
• Weekend shoots — delivered within 48 hours (not 24 hours)
• Same-day rush — available for $75 additional fee

Turnaround times are from the time the shoot is completed, not from booking. If your shoot is Monday at 10am, standard delivery is by Tuesday at 10am.

Yes. All media produced for your listing is licensed to you for full commercial use — you can use it anywhere, in any format, for any marketing purpose related to the listing. This includes MLS, social media, print, your website, email campaigns, and client presentations.

We retain the right to use select images and videos in our own portfolio and marketing materials to showcase our work, unless you specifically request otherwise at the time of booking.

We photograph and film all types of commercial spaces across the GTA, including:

• Corporate offices and co-working spaces
• Retail stores, boutiques and showrooms
• Restaurants, cafés, bars and hospitality venues
• Hotels, spas and wellness studios
• Industrial facilities, warehouses and logistics centres
• Medical, dental and professional offices
• Fitness studios and recreational facilities
• Plazas, shopping centres and multi-unit commercial properties
• New construction and development sites

The Constant package is a monthly content retainer designed for businesses that need a consistent flow of fresh visual content for social media, Google Business, their website, and marketing campaigns. It works like having an on-call photography and video team without the overhead of hiring in-house.

Each month we schedule a shoot at your business, deliver 20–30 professionally edited photos and 2–4 short social media videos, and provide content ready to post immediately. The retainer runs month-to-month with flexible cancellation — no long-term contracts required.

It is most popular with restaurants (needing regular menu and atmosphere photos), fitness studios, hotels, retail stores, and any business actively building a social media presence. Pricing starts at $499/month for small spaces and scales with space size and content volume.

All prices displayed on our website are in Canadian dollars (CAD) and are exclusive of HST. HST (13%) will be added at checkout. A detailed receipt showing the HST breakdown is provided with every order for your accounting records.

We accept all major credit cards (Visa, Mastercard, American Express), Interac e-Transfer, and direct bank transfer for corporate accounts. Payment is collected securely at the time of booking through our online portal. For the Constant monthly retainer and corporate brokerage accounts, we offer monthly invoicing on approved accounts.

Yes. Our Volume Discount Program automatically applies to agents and teams based on monthly booking volume:

• 5–10 bookings per month — 5% off all packages
• 11–20 bookings per month — 10% off all packages
• 21+ bookings per month — 15% off + dedicated scheduler
• Brokerage accounts — custom pricing

For brokerage-level pricing, team accounts, or to discuss a custom arrangement, contact us directly and we will set up a dedicated account for your office.

We serve the full Greater Toronto Area — Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Vaughan, Markham, Richmond Hill, Oakville, Burlington, Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, and all surrounding communities — with no travel surcharge for properties within our core service area.

For properties beyond our standard service area (Hamilton, Kitchener, Barrie, Peterborough, etc.), a travel surcharge may apply. Contact us with the property address and we will confirm pricing before you book.

We serve the entire Greater Toronto Area and surrounding regions including:

• Toronto (all neighbourhoods)
• North York, Scarborough, Etobicoke, East York
• Mississauga and Brampton
• Vaughan, Woodbridge, Kleinburg
• Markham, Richmond Hill, Stouffville
• Aurora, Newmarket, Bradford
• Oakville, Burlington, Milton
• Ajax, Whitby, Oshawa, Pickering
• Hamilton and surrounding areas (surcharge may apply)
• Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge (surcharge may apply)

Not sure if we cover your area? Contact us with the property address and we’ll confirm same day.

We’re happy to help. Reach us through any of these channels:

• Email: info@realestatephoto.ca
• Phone: [Your phone number]
• Contact form: realestatephoto.ca/contact

We respond to all inquiries within a few hours during business hours. For urgent same-day booking requests, calling is always the fastest option.