Open workspace

A field guide to useful property photos

Rental Inspection Photo Checklist

A good inspection photo communicates both where you are and what you observed. Pair room-level context with close details, use clear captions, and repeat angles when you want to compare visits.

Wide shots and close-ups serve different purposes

A wide shot establishes the room, layout, and location of an observation. A close-up helps show a specific mark, fixture, or item detail. When a close-up is difficult to place in context, add a mid-range image that connects it to a recognizable part of the room.

Printable rental inspection photo checklist

Use this example shot list as a prompt. Capture what is useful for the inspection and appropriate to document.

0 items checked

For each room

For each specific condition

Captions and repeat visits

Before finishing

Example photo sequence

  1. Kitchen overview: a wide view identifying the kitchen and showing the cabinets and work area.
  2. Sink location: a mid-range view connecting the sink to the counter and surrounding cabinets.
  3. Specific detail: a close-up of the observed feature, with enough light and focus to see it clearly.
  4. Caption: “Kitchen — sink, right rear edge of counter — wide context and detail views.”
  5. Later comparison: repeat the same views if practical, and note anything that changed the framing or visibility.

Keep captions factual and records backed up

Identify the room and feature in plain language. Avoid captions that claim a cause, date, or responsibility that the image cannot establish. Inspecterfly stores photos in the current browser; export a JSON backup to keep the images with the editable inspection record.

For room-by-room prompts, use the rental inspection checklist or see how to make move-out photos comparable.