Local service work
Make a photo checklist for documenting a service job
Decide before the job which views you need and why, then ask the customer's permission to photograph them. Pair each shot with a purpose, such as showing the starting condition or the finished work. Frame photos to leave out people and personal items.
A text to start with
I'm documenting a job for [type of work] at a customer's [room or area]. The agreed work is [description]. Make a photo checklist listing each area, whether the shot is before or after, its purpose and any permission I need first. Keep the list limited to what the agreed work requires and note where private items might appear.
Example request. Change the details to fit your situation.Job photo checklist
Job and address: [ ] Agreed work: [ ] Customer permission asked on [ ] by [ ] Customer answer: [ ] Area to photograph: [ ] Before, after or both: [ ] Purpose of the photo: [ ] Private items that could appear: [ ] How I will frame or clear them: [ ] Photos the customer asked me not to take: [ ] Who may see the images: [ ] Storage location: [ ] Copies offered to customer: [ ] Images removed after review: [ ]
Images that show too much
A broad checklist can call for whole rooms when the work covers one fixture. Check each entry against the agreed work and cut shots that capture more than the job needs. Look for views likely to include family photos, documents, screens, medications, valuables or people, including reflections in mirrors and windows. Reframe each such shot, delay it until items are moved, or drop it. Confirm the checklist asks permission before the visit and does not assume the customer agreed. Also check that no photo is planned for an area outside the scope.
Ask another agent to check the result
Review this photo checklist and flag any image that could expose private possessions, documents, screens or people unnecessarily. Identify shots outside the agreed work. For each flagged shot, suggest a narrower framing or say to skip it. Do not add new photos.
Agree on use and storage
Tell the customer which photos you will take and what they are for before you start. Ask whether they want copies and who may see the images. Write down where the photos will be stored and how long you keep them under your own practice. After the job, review the images and remove any that show private items you did not mean to capture.