Camera height is one of the most overlooked aspects of property photography, yet it has a dramatic impact on how a room feels. Too high and the room looks small; too low and you see too much ceiling.
The general rule
Set your camera at the midpoint between the top of the highest piece of furniture and the ceiling. In practice, this usually means:
- Kitchens: Around worktop height (90-95cm). This avoids showing the underside of wall cabinets, which looks unflattering.
- Living rooms: Slightly above sofa back height (80-90cm). This shows the room from a natural seated perspective.
- Bedrooms: About 15cm above the mattress top (70-80cm). This creates an inviting, intimate feel.
- Bathrooms: Waist height (90-100cm). High enough to see into the bath/shower, low enough to avoid showing the top of the toilet cistern.
- Hallways: Chest height (110-120cm). These are transitional spaces, so a slightly higher perspective works well.
Why height matters
- Too high: You see too much floor and the tops of furniture. The room feels like you're looking down into it.
- Too low: You see too much ceiling and the undersides of tables/cabinets. The room feels cramped.
- Just right: The room feels natural, as if you're standing in it at a comfortable height.
Keeping the camera level
This is critical. A tilted camera creates converging verticals — walls that lean inward or outward. Use your camera's electronic level and check the grid lines in your viewfinder.
If you must tilt the camera slightly (to include more floor or ceiling), correct the perspective in post using Lightroom's Transform tools or Photoshop's Perspective Warp.
Shooting from doorways
Doorways are natural framing devices and often provide the best vantage point for a room. Stand just inside the doorway with the door frame cropped out of the shot. This gives the viewer the feeling of walking into the room.
Key Takeaways
- Set camera height at the midpoint between the tallest furniture and the ceiling
- Kitchen shots should be at worktop height to avoid showing cabinet undersides
- Bedroom shots work best at about 15cm above the mattress
- Always keep the camera level — correct any tilt in post-processing
- Doorways provide natural framing and the best vantage points
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