Real Estate Photography Hub
Interview Questions Template
Assistant Photographer & Editor Hiring Guide
Candidate:
Date:
Position:
Interviewer:
1 Technical Skills
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Walk me through the exposure triangle. How do you balance aperture, shutter speed, and ISO for an interior real estate shot?
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What camera body and system do you shoot with, and why did you choose it?
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Which lenses do you consider essential for real estate photography, and what focal lengths do you prefer for interiors vs. exteriors?
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Describe your experience with HDR bracket shooting. How many exposures do you typically capture and why?
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Have you used off-camera flash or continuous lighting for interiors? Describe a scenario where supplemental light was necessary.
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What editing software are you proficient in? Rate yourself 1-10 in Lightroom and Photoshop.
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How do you ensure accurate white balance when shooting mixed lighting environments (daylight + tungsten + LED)?
2 Real Estate Photography Specific
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How many property shoots have you completed? What types of properties (residential, luxury, commercial)?
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What is your typical turnaround time from shoot to delivering final edited images? Can you meet a 24-hour deadline?
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How do you handle difficult spaces -- small bathrooms, dark rooms, or tight hallways -- to make them look appealing?
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Explain your approach to vertical line correction. Do you handle it in-camera, in post, or both?
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Do you have experience recognizing and adjusting staging on-site (moving pillows, turning on lights, opening blinds)? Give an example.
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How do you compose a shot to best highlight a room's key selling features (natural light, open floor plan, high ceilings)?
3 Equipment
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List the gear you currently own that you would bring to a shoot (bodies, lenses, lighting, accessories).
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Do you carry backup equipment (second body, extra batteries, spare memory cards)? What is your contingency plan if gear fails on-site?
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Do you use a tripod for every real estate shoot? What brand/type, and how does it affect your workflow?
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What is the widest and longest focal length range you cover? Do you own a tilt-shift lens or have experience with one?
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Do you have experience operating a drone for aerial/exterior shots? If so, are you FAA Part 107 certified?
4 Editing Skills
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Describe your Lightroom workflow from import to export for a typical 25-photo property set.
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How comfortable are you with Photoshop layer-based editing (sky replacement, object removal, window pulls)?
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What is your approach to color correction to ensure consistent tones across all images in a set?
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Do you have experience with virtual staging software or services? Which tools have you used?
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How many images can you batch edit per hour while maintaining quality? What shortcuts or presets do you rely on?
5 Reliability & Professionalism
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What is your general weekly availability? Are you open to weekends and early morning shoots?
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Do you have reliable transportation? Are you comfortable traveling to properties within a 30-mile radius?
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How would you describe your punctuality track record? Have you ever missed or been late to a shoot? What happened?
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How do you interact with agents, homeowners, or tenants who may be present during a shoot?
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Describe how you would handle a scheduling conflict or last-minute cancellation. What is your communication process?
6 Business & Growth
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Where do you see your photography career in 1-2 years? Are you looking to specialize in real estate long-term?
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Are you open to learning new techniques, following brand-specific style guides, and receiving constructive feedback?
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Would you be available for periodic training sessions or mentoring calls to align on quality standards?
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Are you interested in expanding into video walkthroughs, virtual tours (Matterport), or drone photography as part of this role?
7 Practical Assessment
Suggested Paid Test Shoot Scenario
Offer the candidate a paid test shoot to evaluate real-world performance before making a final hiring decision.
- Property: Select a mid-range residential listing (3 bed / 2 bath, ~1,500 sq ft) with a mix of natural and artificial light.
- Deliverables: 20-25 fully edited, MLS-ready images delivered within 24 hours.
- Compensation: Pay your standard assistant rate for the shoot + editing time (suggest $75-$150 depending on market).
- Evaluate: Composition consistency, vertical line accuracy, exposure quality, color accuracy, editing style match, turnaround time, and professionalism on-site.
- Bonus evaluation: Ask them to include one twilight exterior shot if timing allows.
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Is the candidate willing to complete a paid test shoot? Availability for the test:
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What rate or compensation does the candidate expect for regular shoots?
Scoring Summary
1. Technical Skills
___ / 5
2. Real Estate Photography Specific
___ / 5
3. Equipment
___ / 5
4. Editing Skills
___ / 5
5. Reliability & Professionalism
___ / 5
6. Business & Growth
___ / 5
7. Practical Assessment
___ / 5
Total Score
___ / 35