How to prepare a villa for a luxury property shoot in Cascais

A week before

Walk the house as a buyer would, from the gate to the furthest terrace, and note anything that needs fixing: a blown bulb, a stained cushion, a cracked tile by the pool. Small repairs are easier than retouching, and they show in a way that is hard to hide in film.

Book the gardener and the pool service for the day before the shoot, not the morning of it. Cut grass needs a day to settle, and a freshly treated pool can stay cloudy for hours.

Living rooms

Living rooms carry the listing, so they need the most care. The camera exaggerates clutter and flattens depth, so less always reads as more.

• Clear coffee tables to one object or a short stack of books.
• Remove remote controls, chargers, magazines and family photographs.
• Plump and align cushions; fold throws neatly or remove them.
• Open curtains fully, and raise blinds to the same height on every window.
• Hide cables behind furniture, and switch off screens.

Kitchen

• Clear the worktops completely, apart from one or two considered objects.
• Remove dish racks, bins, cloths, soap bottles and magnets on the fridge.
• Polish the hob, the sink and stainless steel; fingerprints show in raking light.
• Close cupboard doors and line up bar stools.

Bedrooms and bathrooms

• Make beds with plain white or ivory linen, pressed if possible.
• Clear bedside tables to a lamp and perhaps one book.
• Empty wardrobes of anything visible, and close them.
• In bathrooms, remove toiletries, toothbrushes, bath mats and scales; leave a folded towel.
• Lower toilet lids and clean mirrors and glass shower screens last.

Outdoors and the pool

On this coast the exterior often sells the house before the interior is seen. A buyer in Cascais is looking for the terrace, the garden and the pool as much as the rooms.

• Fill the pool to the line, clean it, and switch off any jets or cleaning robot before we arrive.
• Remove pool covers, hoses, inflatables and the robot itself.
• Align loungers and umbrellas; close or remove umbrellas on windy days.
• Sweep terraces and paths, and blow leaves from the pool surround.
• Move cars out of the drive and off the street in front, where possible.
• Put bins, tools and garden furniture covers out of sight.

Lights

Light is the one thing a photograph cannot fake well. Check every bulb in the house, including outdoor, garden and pool lights, and replace any that do not work.

Bulbs of mixed colour show clearly, especially at twilight. Where possible, use warm white bulbs of the same colour throughout. On the day, we will usually ask for every light on for twilight, and some off during the day.

What to hide

Anything personal or that dates the image: family photographs, children's drawings, religious objects, pet bowls and beds, post, calendars, security panels and visible alarm sensors where they can be moved. Anything with a brand name visible, such as packaging or bottles, should also go.

Timing on the day

A typical day begins with interiors while the sun is high and off the main glass, moves to the façade when the sun is on it, and ends with the twilight set after sunset. In Cascais, south-facing rooms are often best in the morning, and west-facing terraces in the late afternoon.

Plan for the house to be empty during the shoot, or for the owners to stay in one area. Pets are best away for the day. Allow time for us to move furniture slightly; we always put it back.

Summer afternoons on this coast often bring a strong north wind. If the forecast is windy, we may photograph the pool in the morning and come back for twilight.