You finish a job, pack the van and remember the photos when you are already on the next call. A repeatable checklist makes it easier to collect proof of your work without turning the handover into a photo shoot.

Before you take a picture

Ask the customer if they are comfortable with photographs and where you might use them. Check that the room is ready: remove your tools, waste and packaging, but do not move the customer's possessions without asking. Make sure the work is complete and safe to photograph.

Take photos only when doing so will not distract you or anyone else from the job. Never climb, reach over an unsafe area or delay a proper handover for a better angle.

The eight useful shots

  1. The overall result: Step back and show the whole installation or finished area.
  2. A straight-on view: Keep vertical edges as upright as you can so the result is easy to judge.
  3. A key detail: Show the finish, joint, fitting, trim or other detail that matters to the job.
  4. The connection or transition: Where relevant, show how new work meets the existing room or materials.
  5. A second angle: Photograph the result from another side only if it adds useful information.
  6. The before view: Take this before work starts, with the customer's agreement and without interrupting the job.
  7. The after view: Match the before angle as closely as practical, so the change is clear and honest.
  8. A context shot: Show enough of the room, garden or exterior for someone to understand where the work sits, while keeping private details out of frame.

You will not need all eight for every job. A small repair may need one clear detail and a wider view; a kitchen fit may benefit from several angles. Pick the shots that explain the work.

Make the image easy to understand

Wipe the lens, use available daylight where practical and hold the phone steady. Tap the finished work on screen to focus. Avoid heavy filters, extreme wide-angle distortion and edits that change colours or hide flaws. Google's Business Profile photo guidance recommends photos that are in focus, well lit and representative of reality.

Before posting, crop out faces, house numbers, paperwork and security details. See our guide to customer-home photo privacy for a fuller permission and privacy routine.

Save the context while you remember it

Add a short note to the image: what the customer asked for, what you completed, the town or service area if appropriate, and one detail worth explaining. Do not include the customer's address or private job information. Keeping a separate folder for each project makes it easier to find examples when you prepare a quote or update your trade portfolio.

Use the photo to show the work, not to make claims you cannot support. A consistent, honest set of pictures is more useful than dozens of nearly identical shots.