How to Take Good Roof Photos With Just Your Phone

I've looked at hundreds of roofing photos across Atlanta. Most of them are bad. Not because the work is bad — because the photos don't show the work. Here's how to fix that with the phone in your pocket.

1. Before, during, and after

Every job is three photo sets: the condition when you arrived, the work in progress, and the finished roof. The before photo shows why the customer hired you. The during photos show you doing the work. The after photo is the money shot. Post all three. Homeowners want to see the transformation, not just the final product.

2. Get on the roof

A photo from the ground looking up at the roof tells the homeowner nothing. Get on the roof. Show the shingles up close. Show the flashing. Show the ridge cap. Show the view from the roof looking out at the neighborhood. That last one is marketing gold — it puts the homeowner in your shoes.

3. Hold steady, good light

Midday sun creates harsh shadows that hide detail. Shoot in the morning or late afternoon when the light is softer. Brace your phone against something steady — a chimney, a vent pipe, your knee. Blurry photos look unprofessional even if the roof is perfect.

4. Name the neighborhood in the caption

"Finished a roof replacement in Virginia-Highland today" is an Instagram post that gets found by people in Virginia-Highland. "Roof done. Looks great." is one that nobody sees. The neighborhood name is the SEO. Use it.

5. Post to Google, not just Instagram

Instagram is nice. Google is where customers find you. Every job you finish, add 3-5 photos to your Google Business Profile. Photos of the finished roof. Photos of the crew. Photos of the materials before installation. Google rewards active profiles. A profile with 50 recent photos ranks higher than one with 5 old ones.