How Many Photos Should a Real Estate Listing Have? A Guide for Auckland Agents
The short answer: enough to tell the full story of the property. The longer answer depends on the size of the home, the features worth highlighting, and whether the photos are supported by aerial images and a floor plan. But if you are counting photos before you have seen the property, you are starting from the wrong end.
This article covers what the data says about photo count, what practical benchmarks look like by property type in Auckland, and why the way most photographers package their services makes this question harder than it needs to be.
What the data says about photo count
Research from Planomatic found that listings with more than 20 high-quality images spend 32 fewer days on market compared to listings with fewer photos. The NAR consistently reports that the number of images in a listing is one of the most important factors buyers consider when deciding which properties to shortlist for a viewing.
That makes sense. Buyers on Trade Me and realestate.co.nz are trying to answer a series of questions before they commit to attending an open home: Is the kitchen big enough? What does the bathroom look like? How is the outdoor space? What is the view like? Is the street tidy? Every question that the listing photos can answer is one less reason for the buyer to scroll past and look at the next property.
Too few photos and the buyer cannot get a clear enough picture of the home to feel confident attending. Too many low-quality photos and the listing feels padded — repetitive angles, unnecessary close-ups, and shots that add nothing to the story.
The sweet spot is not a specific number. It is the point where every room, every key feature, and every relevant exterior angle has been covered once, well, with nothing repeated and nothing missing.
Related: For the full data on how photography affects sale price and time on market, see our evidence breakdown here.
Practical benchmarks by property type in Auckland
Based on our experience shooting across Auckland — from Hobsonville apartments to Hibiscus Coast lifestyle properties — here is what a comprehensive set of listing photos typically looks like by property size.
These are not caps. They are realistic estimates for what it takes to photograph each property type thoroughly. If a three-bedroom house has an exceptional garden, a striking view from the deck, or a beautifully renovated kitchen that deserves an extra angle, we shoot it. The property decides the photo count, not the package.
The problem with counting photos before you shoot
Many real estate photography providers structure their pricing around photo count: 15 photos, 30 photos, 45 photos. The agent picks a number before the shoot, and the photographer delivers exactly that many images regardless of whether the property needed more or fewer.
This creates an awkward situation. If you are selling a compact two-bedroom apartment, do you really need 45 photos? Probably not — and you have just paid for images that pad the listing without adding value. If you are selling a four-bedroom home with a pool and a view, will 15 photos cover it? Definitely not — and you are now either paying for an upgrade or compromising the listing presentation.
Per-photo pricing forces you to guess what the property needs before the photographer has even seen it. It centres the conversation on a number rather than on the outcome: a listing that comprehensively and honestly represents the property to buyers.
A better way to think about it
At Bash & Co, we do not price by photo count or square metres. We price by property type — three tiers that match how agents and vendors actually think about their listings:
Apartments and small properties. You know the price before you book. We shoot every room, every angle, and every feature that matters — typically around 24 images including aerials.
Three-bedroom houses or smaller. Same certainty. We capture the full property — typically around 40 images including aerials. If the property has features worth extra angles, we capture them.
Four-bedroom houses and larger. The most comprehensive coverage. Typically around 50 images including aerials, with flexibility to shoot more if the property warrants it.
This means you know exactly what you are paying when you book, and you never have to worry about whether you have enough photos. The photographer’s job is to capture everything the property needs to present well. If that takes 38 images, that is what you get. If it takes 52, that is what you get. The property sets the standard, not an arbitrary number on a pricing table.
See pricing: View our full packages and pricing by property type at bashco.co.nz/pricing
What actually gets photographed on a listing shoot
If you have never thought about what makes up a full set of listing photos, here is a typical breakdown for a three-bedroom Auckland home:
Front exterior: 2–3 angles showing the street frontage, entrance, and any architectural features
Rear exterior: 2–3 angles showing the back of the house, outdoor entertaining, garden, and any views
Kitchen: 2–3 angles depending on size and layout
Living areas: 2–4 angles covering main living, dining, and any secondary living spaces
Bedrooms: 1–2 angles per bedroom
Bathrooms: 1 angle per bathroom
Utility spaces: 1 angle each for laundry, garage, storage where relevant
Detail shots: Fireplace, view from a window, architectural details, landscaping features
Aerial: Approximately 8 images — overhead, oblique, and perspective shots showing boundary, neighbourhood context, and proximity to amenities
Every image should earn its place. A strong set of listing photos has no filler — every shot tells the buyer something new about the property. If an image does not add information or emotional value, it should not be in the gallery.
Related: For tips on preparing the property before the photographer arrives, see our shoot-day preparation guide here.
What to ask your photographer
If you are evaluating photographers and want to understand how they handle photo count, here are the questions that matter:
Is there a cap on the number of images? If yes, ask what happens if the property needs more. An artificial cap means you may be compromising the listing.
Do you charge per photo or per property type? Per-photo pricing makes you guess. Per-property pricing gives you certainty.
Are aerial images included or extra? Aerial photography adds genuine value to most Auckland listings. If it is charged separately, factor that into the total cost when comparing providers.
What if the property has more features than expected? The right answer is: we capture what the property needs. If the answer is “you’ll need to upgrade your package,” that tells you the pricing model is built around the photographer’s convenience, not your listing’s needs.
Related: For the full guide on evaluating and choosing a photographer, see our selection guide below.
The bottom line
The question “how many photos should my listing have?” is worth asking because the data is clear — more comprehensive visual coverage helps listings sell faster and attract more qualified buyers. But the answer is not a specific number. It is a principle: every room, every key feature, and every relevant angle should be covered once, well, with nothing missing and nothing repeated.
If your photographer delivers that, the number takes care of itself. And if you are choosing between providers, the one who prices by property type rather than photo count is the one who has already thought about this the way you should.
Ready to book? View our packages and pricing to see exactly what is included for your property type, or book your next shoot directly.
Frequently asked questions
How many photos should a real estate listing have?
There is no single right number — it depends on the size and features of the property. As a practical benchmark, a small apartment typically needs around 24 images, a three-bedroom or smaller house around 40 images, and a four-bedroom or larger home around 50 images. These include aerial photography. The goal is to cover every room, feature, and angle that helps buyers understand the property.
Can a listing have too many photos?
Yes. If the gallery includes repetitive angles, unnecessary close-ups, or images that do not add new information, the listing feels padded and the buyer’s attention drops. Every photo should earn its place. A tightly edited set of 40 strong images is more effective than 60 images with filler.
Are aerial photos counted separately?
It depends on the photographer. At Bash & Co, aerial photography is included in every listing package as standard — typically around 4-10 aerial images per shoot. It is not free; the cost is built into the package price because almost every property benefits from aerial coverage. We would rather include it by default than have agents weigh up whether to add it as an extra on every listing. Some photographers charge aerial as a separate add-on, which increases the total cost and often results in agents skipping it to save money, even when the property would benefit from it.
Why do some photographers charge per photo?
Per-photo pricing is common in the industry but it puts the agent in the position of guessing what the property needs before the shoot. This can lead to under-coverage (not enough images to tell the full story) or over-payment (paying for a photo count the property does not need). Pricing by property type removes this guesswork entirely.
Does Bash & Co cap the number of photos per shoot?
No. We price by property type, not by photo count. Each tier includes full coverage of the property — every room, every relevant angle, ground and aerial photography. If the property has additional features worth capturing, we shoot them. The property decides the photo count, not the package.
