Frequently Asked Questions

California's AB 723 law requires disclosure when real estate listing photos have been digitally altered — including common edits like blue sky replacement, grass repair, or object removal. Insight Photos handles this for you automatically at no extra charge. When your photos are ready, you can download them in multiple formats depending on how your MLS handles the requirement: "MLS Complete" includes all photos with alteration disclosure watermarks on digitally altered images, plus the unaltered originals; "MLS Simple" includes edited photos with no digital alterations applied, so no disclosure is needed; and "Marketing Photos" includes fully altered photos without disclosure labels, intended for social media and non-MLS marketing. All three download options are available in your Insight Photos account for every shoot.

California Assembly Bill 723, effective January 1, 2026, requires real estate licensees to disclose when listing photos have been digitally altered in a way that could materially affect a buyer's perception of the property. This applies to photos used in MLS listings and other marketing materials. The law does not ban digital alterations — it simply requires that buyers be informed when they are present. Each MLS may implement the requirement differently, so agents should confirm their specific MLS rules and consult their broker for guidance on compliance.

The distinction is between standard photo editing and digital alteration. Standard edits — such as color correction, brightness adjustment, white balance, and lens distortion correction — are generally not considered digital alterations requiring disclosure. Edits that add, remove, or change physical elements of the property — such as blue sky replacement, object removal (wires, hoses, trash cans), grass repair, or virtual staging — are considered digital alterations that may require disclosure. Insight Photos flags this automatically: when you download your photos, the "MLS Complete" option includes disclosure watermarks on any digitally altered images along with the unaltered originals, while the "MLS Simple" option provides edited photos with no digital alterations applied. Agents should confirm specific requirements with their MLS and broker.

Yes. Virtual staging digitally adds furniture, decor, and accessories to photos of empty rooms, which is a digital alteration under AB 723. When you order virtual staging through Insight Photos, the staged images are included in your "MLS Complete" download with disclosure watermarks, and the original unstaged photos are provided alongside them. If your MLS requires that you upload both the altered and unaltered versions, both are ready to go in your account. For non-MLS use — such as social media, flyers, or your personal website — the "Marketing Photos" download provides the staged images without disclosure labels.

A disclosure gallery is a hosted web page that displays the before-and-after versions of each digitally altered photo in a real estate listing shoot. It's designed for situations where watermarked photos aren't practical — such as printed flyers, postcards, mailers, door hangers, social media posts, and digital ads. Instead of watermarking the photos themselves, you include a link or QR code to the disclosure gallery so viewers can see exactly which edits were made and what the original photos looked like.

Insight Photos generates a disclosure gallery automatically for every shoot that includes digital alterations, at no extra charge. The gallery is hosted indefinitely on our platform while your listing is active. Each altered photo is shown side by side with its unaltered original, making it easy for buyers to see what was changed. You'll find the gallery link in your Insight Photos account alongside your photo downloads.

1–2 days in advance is usually enough to get on the schedule. For the best selection of time slots — especially if the property has time-sensitive views like morning light or west-facing sunsets — booking 3–4 days ahead gives you the most flexibility. Same-day bookings are sometimes possible; call or text us the morning of and we'll do our best to fit you in. The fastest way to book is through our online ordering system, which ensures we have accurate property details and helps us schedule your shoot faster.

Yes. We shoot seven days a week, including weekends and holidays, at no extra charge. The only two days we do not shoot are Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Shoots the day before Thanksgiving are delivered the following Friday, and shoots on Christmas Eve are delivered the day after Christmas. All other holidays — including New Year's Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, and Memorial Day — follow our standard next-day delivery schedule.

To schedule a reshoot at a discounted price of $145, simply contact our customer support team via email or phone. Provide your original shoot details and the reason for the reshoot, and we will work with you to find a convenient time for the photographer to return and capture the new photos.

If the original shoot is more than 30 days old, a full re-photography is required.

A 24-hour cancellation notice is required to avoid any fees. Cancellations made less than 24 hours before the scheduled shoot will incur a fee of $35. Rescheduling is available at no additional cost if done within the cancellation window. We understand that emergencies happen, so please contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment.

Typically, a standard real estate photo shoot takes 1-2 hours depending on the size of the property and the photo package selected.

Preparing your home for photography is crucial because it will affect your offers and time on the market. Buyers lack imagination, so don't give them an excuse to disqualify your home.

Exterior Photography

Front — curb appeal is the most important.

• No cars in the driveway
• Trash cans put away
• Tidy up landscaping

The Back Yard is where many homeowners spend the majority of their time.

• Patio furniture arranged
• Toys and gardening equipment put away
• Barbecue areas clean
• Pool and jacuzzi look sharp

Interior Photography

Decluttering will make your home look more spacious. The garage will be your friend, where you can hide everything. We seldom take photos of the garage interior.

• Kitchen countertops
• Refrigerator magnets
• Pet bowls
• Trash cans
• Bathroom counters

Furniture — open floor space makes the home look more spacious. If there is furniture that is easy to move, then move it to the garage.

Lights — lighting helps give accent and style to photos. Replace burnt-out light bulbs in:

• Light fixtures
• Recessed lights throughout the home
• Bathroom bar lights

If it rains on the day of your shoot, we will reschedule your appointment at no additional cost. If you need the photos right away, we can still do the shoot and digitally add blue skies to all the photos.

We can digitally remove furniture and clutter from photos. For minor removals there is no additional charge, just ask us. For more extensive removals, we offer the service for $30 per photo.

Pay after you receive your photos. We make the process smoother for you – now you can settle your payment hassle-free. Whether you prefer the ease of a credit card, the simplicity of debit, or the traditional method of a check, the choice is yours.

Yes. When you add services to a photo shoot, you save $20 on each additional service. For example, if you book a Premiere photo package ($215) and add a Matterport 3D tour ($295), the Matterport drops to $275. Add an aerial video ($235) and that drops to $215. The more you bundle, the more you save. We also offer a $20 discount at checkout for first time clients when you mention a community event you attended that we photographed.

Yes, you can order online at any time. After booking, you'll receive a confirmation email with shoot details. The night before, a follow-up email reconfirms the photographer assignment, time, and location.

The next day by 5pm for free.

For expedited results, choose the delivery that suits your needs and timeline. Opt for Same Day Delivery at just $50 to get your photos lightning fast. Or, if you prefer an early start, our Next Day 8 a.m. Delivery is available for $20. Are you looking for a cost-effective option? Our Next Day Noon Delivery is yours for just $10.

You'll receive an email with a link to download photos individually as high-quality JPGs or as a single zip file ready for MLS import. You can also log in to your agent dashboard to download photos anytime.

Yes. Free flyer templates populated with your listing details are included with every shoot.

Each photo shoot includes up to 10 photo adjustments at no extra charge. A small fee applies for each additional adjustment. Contact us after delivery with any changes needed.

Yes. A branded and unbranded property virtual tour is included free with every photo shoot. Once your listing is in the MLS, enter the MLS number in your Insight Photos account and you'll receive links to both versions.

Yes. Up to 3 cell phone photos can be added to any shoot for free. Our editors will process them to make them MLS-ready. For more photos, our Quick Pics package processes up to 30 for $95.

We time our twilight shoots precisely to the sunset at the specific time of year of the shoot. We ensure your property is bathed in the most captivating natural light, creating breathtaking visuals that leave a lasting impression. We stay approximately 20 minutes after sunset to capture every twilight moment. We will arrive about one hour before sunset to capture the exterior and interior photos if you also get daytime photos.

Yes, we shoot aerial video and photos. FAA approval is required for aerial photography — this confirms the airspace over the property is clear and determines the allowed altitude. We handle the FAA authorization process for every shoot.

Six months of free Matterport hosting is included with every tour. After that, hosting can be renewed for $50/year.

Our commitment to versatility ensures your property is showcased seamlessly across all media platforms. Enjoy our three dynamic delivery options:

• For personalized impact, a branded YouTube link featuring your contact information, including name, license, phone, and brokerage.
• An unbranded Vimeo link tailored for MLS compatibility.
• An MP4 file that's ready to download and share on your preferred social media channels.

Insight Photos, Inc. owns the copyright on all photos delivered to you, but we provide you the exclusive and unrestricted permission to use, share, and modify the images forever. We can provide you with the CAR Property Images Agreement signed upon request.

Virtual staging digitally adds furniture, decor, and accessories to photos of empty rooms. Instead of paying for physical staging — which can cost thousands of dollars and requires coordinating furniture rental and delivery — virtual staging achieves a similar effect at $30 per photo. It helps buyers visualize how a space could look furnished, which is especially effective for vacant listings. We offer a range of furniture styles to match the home's aesthetic, from modern to traditional.

A Zillow 3D Home tour is an interactive virtual tour that lets buyers explore a property in dollhouse, walkthrough, and floor plan views directly on the Zillow listing. It also generates an interactive floor plan where buyers can click room by room to see photos from each space, giving them a clear sense of the home's layout and flow before visiting in person. According to Zillow, listings with a 3D tour and interactive floor plan receive significantly more views, saves, and shares than listings without one.

Insight Photos captures and produces the 3D tour using compatible 360° cameras, then publishes it to Zillow on your behalf for $215. We provide you with links to the tour that you can use in the MLS or your other marketing.

A Matterport 3D tour is an interactive experience where buyers control their own exploration of the home. They can navigate room to room at their own pace, look around in any direction, zoom in on details, and view a dollhouse-style 3D model of the entire floor plan. It's hosted online and stays available for as long as the hosting is active (six months free, then $50/year to renew).

A video walkthrough is a professionally produced 2-3 minute cinematic tour of the property. The viewer watches a guided path through the home set to music, often with an agent introduction. Videos are delivered as a branded YouTube link, an unbranded Vimeo link for MLS, and a downloadable MP4 for social media.

In short — a Matterport tour lets the buyer drive, while a video walkthrough tells a curated story. Many agents bundle both because they serve different purposes: the Matterport engages serious buyers who want to study the layout, while the video performs well on social media and grabs attention quickly. Bundling saves $20 per additional service.

Insight Photos has been serving the San Diego real estate market since 2007, providing high-quality photography and media services to help agents market their listings effectively.

We have delivered over 500,000 property photos and videos since our inception.

We have photographed over 20,000 unique properties in the San Diego area.

Our team of photographers has an average of 10 years of experience in real estate photography.

All photo and video editing is done in-house by our dedicated team in the United States — we never outsource processing overseas. Our editors use proprietary processing techniques developed specifically for real estate photography, including blue sky replacement, color correction, lens distortion correction, and cosmetic enhancements like carpet dimple removal, hardwood floor polishing, and wire cleanup.

Keeping everything in-house gives us full quality control over every image and ensures consistent results across every shoot.

We use professional-grade Canon cameras and lenses, along with high-quality lighting equipment to ensure every photo is crisp and vibrant.