Coverage checklist
Before editing, make sure the gallery covers the spaces guests use to decide. Editing cannot fix a missing room or a missing amenity photo.
For each space, choose a clear horizontal image before adding secondary angles.
- Exterior or strongest identifying feature
- Living room or main gathering area
- Kitchen and dining area
- Every bedroom guests can book
- Bathrooms, especially if recently updated
- Outdoor spaces, parking, water access, or shared amenities
- Accessibility-relevant features if the listing claims them
Quality checklist
A photo is a good edit candidate when the subject is clear and the scene is accurate, even if the lighting or color is weak.
A photo is a reshoot candidate when it is blurry, too cropped, vertical for a key hero slot, missing important context, or showing a setup guests will not receive.
Truth checklist
Ask whether each image shows what guests will actually find. If an edit would need to remove a permanent flaw or add something important, the right move is not editing. It is either a reshoot, a listing update, or a property fix.
- Do not hide damage guests will see
- Do not add views, amenities, landscaping, or furniture
- Do not make paths, decks, or access look different
- Do keep color and brightness believable
How Pure Michigan Getaways uses this score
We use the checklist as a triage tool, not a promise that every low-scoring image should be edited. Coverage problems usually call for a reshoot. Presentation problems—dark rooms, cold color, inconsistent brightness, mild tilt, or a weak lead image—are better editing candidates.
The first review is always the same: can a guest understand the real stay from the gallery? Only after that do we decide which photos deserve stronger polish, which should stay close to the source, and which should be replaced.
- Score coverage before visual style
- Separate edit candidates from reshoot candidates
- Protect guest-facing facts before changing mood
- Review the full gallery, not only the prettiest image
FAQ
How many photos should a short-term-rental listing have?
Enough to show every major space and guest-facing amenity clearly. Listing Photo Optimizer includes up to 20 optimized listing photos, with paid extras available for larger galleries.
Should every photo be edited?
No. Prioritize the images guests see first and the rooms that answer real booking questions.