How to prepare your venue for a 360° photo shoot - a checklist

A 360° camera sees everything - including the pile of boxes behind you and the cable under the desk. A little preparation makes the difference between a good tour and a great one. Use this checklist in the days before the shoot.

A week before

• Agree the list of spaces. Decide which rooms and areas to include and in which order visitors should walk through them. It helps to walk the route yourself.
• Book the right time. Choose a time when the place is closed or quiet: early morning, evening, a weekend or a holiday. For outdoor areas, think about the season - gardens and grounds look best from late spring to early autumn.
• Plan for people. We photograph empty spaces. Let staff know the timing and, if needed, arrange for each area to be free for a few minutes.
• Fix small things. Blown bulbs, broken blinds, marks on walls - they are more visible in a panorama than in real life.

The day before

• Declutter every room in the tour. Remove boxes, bags, coats, cleaning equipment, paperwork and personal items. Remember that the camera sees all four walls, the ceiling and the floor.
• Tidy cables behind desks, TVs and counters.
• Set the scene. Lay tables in a restaurant, make beds in a hotel, arrange chairs neatly in classrooms and meeting rooms.
• Check displays and notice boards for personal information, names or photos that should not be published.
• Clean glass and mirrors - fingerprints show.

On the day

• Switch on all the lights in the rooms being photographed, including lamps and display lighting.
• Open blinds and curtains evenly - or close them all in a room if the view outside is not attractive. HDR photography keeps both the room and the windows in balance.
• Turn screens off or show a neutral image such as your logo.
• Keep doors open between connected spaces, so visitors can see where the arrows lead.
• Move vehicles away from the entrance if you want the front of the building in the tour.
• Have someone available who knows the building and has the keys.

Each panorama takes around ten minutes, so a tour of fifteen rooms needs a few hours including moving between spaces.

After the shoot

You will receive the tour with a hand-over page: the direct link, the code for your website, Google Street View links if ordered, and the downloads. Check it with fresh eyes - if something in a room needs changing, a single panorama can be re-shot later without affecting the rest of the tour.

Ready to plan your shoot? Read how it works or contact us.