In short
- The goal in a small apartment is to make the layout clear, not to make the space look bigger than it is.
- The camera usually goes in a corner or the doorway, at about chest height, with a restrained wide angle and straight vertical lines.
- Decluttering matters more than any technique: fewer objects make a small room easier to read.
- A studio needs a small number of clearly different photos, not many versions of the same angle.
- HDR photography for properties up to 50 m² costs €129 excluding 24% VAT.
How do you photograph a small space without making it look bigger?
With a restrained wide-angle lens and frames that show how the parts of the room connect. A viewer should understand what fits where, and what they see at the viewing should match what they saw in the listing.
A very wide lens stretches the edges of the frame: a table for two starts to look like a dining table and a standard bed like a king size. That impression lasts until the first visit and then works against the listing. This is why we use wide-angle lenses with restraint, so that rooms do not look larger than they are.
Three practical rules keep the picture honest:
- Every overview shot includes a piece of furniture of familiar size, such as a bed, a sofa or a door, so the eye has something to measure against.
- Vertical lines, meaning walls, door frames and wardrobes, stay straight. Leaning lines make a room look distorted.
- The floor area is stated clearly in the listing. The photo explains the layout, it does not replace the number.
Where should the camera go in a studio?
Usually in a corner or in the doorway, at about chest height and perfectly level. From there the frame takes in two walls and the floor, so the viewer senses the depth of the room without exaggeration.
In an open-plan studio it is worth taking two opposite overviews: one from the entrance towards the window and one from the window back towards the entrance. Together they work like a small floor plan, because they show where the kitchen sits in relation to the bed and where the bathroom door opens.
Shooting from very high up, close to the ceiling, shows more floor and gives a false sense of space. Shooting from very low makes furniture loom. A mid height is closest to what a person sees when they walk in.
What should you prepare before the shoot?
Clear the surfaces and remove anything that does not permanently belong in the room. In 30 or 40 m² every object takes up a large share of the frame, so tidiness shows immediately.
- Kitchen worktop: keep one or two items at most, for example the kettle and a plant.
- Drying rack, vacuum cleaner, ironing board and suitcases: out of the apartment or inside a cupboard.
- Bed: made with neutral, ironed linen.
- Bathroom: no personal items, toilet lid down, clean towels.
- Cables, chargers and power strips: tucked behind the furniture.
- Balcony: no boxes or tools, and two chairs if they fit.
Tidying is not hiding. Damage and permanent features of the property are never concealed, either during the shoot or in editing. You will find a full checklist in our guide on preparing a property before the shoot.
How do you make the most of the light in a small space?
By opening blinds and curtains so daylight reaches as far into the room as possible, and by shooting in HDR to balance the bright window against the darker interior. Small apartments often have a single window, so the difference in brightness between the window and the back of the room is large.
HDR photography blends several exposures of the same frame, so that both the view and the interior are visible. If the apartment faces a light well or an inner courtyard, the shoot is scheduled for the time of day when most light comes in. Lamps are switched on where they add warmth, but the result should look like what a visitor sees at midday, not like a studio set.
Which shots does a small apartment need?
The main room from two sides and one clear photo for every function of the home. The table shows what each shot has to answer.
| Shot | What it should show |
|---|---|
| Main room, two opposite overviews | The layout and how the sleeping, sitting and kitchen areas relate |
| Kitchen corner | Worktop, hob, fridge, cupboards and whether there is somewhere to eat |
| Bathroom | Shower or bathtub, basin, washing machine if it lives there |
| Balcony or terrace | Its real size and the view, whatever that view is |
| Storage | Wardrobe, loft storage or storeroom, opened if tidy inside |
| Entrance and building | The front door, the floor level and the facade, where they help the listing |
Storage deserves its own photo, because it is one of the first things people ask about when they look for a small home. For the full service, see our apartment photography page.
How many photos are enough for a studio?
As many as it takes to show every function of the space once, plus the main room from two sides. Our shoots deliver 15 to 40 final photos depending on size and layout, and a small apartment naturally sits at the lower end of that range.
Ten versions of the same room from slightly different angles add no information and tire the viewer. Aim for a sequence that feels like a viewing: entrance, main room, kitchen, bathroom, storage, balcony, view. There is more on this in our article on how many photos a listing needs.
What does it cost, and what about vertical versions for social media?
HDR photography for properties up to 50 m² costs €129 excluding VAT, which is €159.96 with 24% VAT. There is no area surcharge in Central and South Athens, while the rest of Attica adds 10% to 15% to the main services. A studio in Piraeus, for example, works out at €129 x 1.11 = €143.19 before VAT.
Property portals mostly display horizontal photos, while stories and reels are vertical. If you plan to promote the listing on social media, say so when you book, so that the key frames are also composed vertically on site. A vertical frame set up in the room is better than a horizontal one cropped afterwards, because in a small space the crop cuts out half the layout.
For moving images, the Social Media Reel (vertical, 15 to 45 seconds) starts from €149, and the Photo + Reel bundle for properties up to 50 m² costs €229. Delivery is within 3 working days via cloud link, and a 40% deposit confirms the date.
Frequently asked questions
Will my studio look bigger in the photos?
No, and that is not the aim. We use the wide-angle lens with restraint, so the space looks the way a visitor will see it at the viewing.
How much does it cost to photograph a 40 m² apartment?
The category up to 50 m² costs €129 excluding 24% VAT. Outside Central and South Athens an area surcharge of 10% to 15% applies to the main services.
Is a small or narrow bathroom worth photographing?
Yes, because leaving it out raises questions. One clean shot from the doorway, with straight vertical lines, is enough to show what is there.
Can I get vertical photos for stories and reels?
Yes, as long as you ask when booking, so the key frames are also composed vertically on site. For video there is the Social Media Reel from €149, or the Photo + Reel bundle at €229 for properties up to 50 m².
The apartment is empty. Can it be shown furnished?
Yes, with virtual staging from €25 per image. These images are always labelled as digital visualisations and the furniture is placed at a realistic scale.