You Can Just Photoshop That Out... Can't You?

It's probably one of the questions I hear most often. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

The short answer is... No.

Please hear me out as to why.

The longer answer is that while modern editing is incredibly powerful, removing items from photographs isn't always just as simple as clicking a button. Professional object removal can take time, skill and, in many cases, hours of detailed editing. As with any professional service, time is money.

I get asked this at nearly every single job, every single day. Imagine that no one prepared their properties and expected me to spend hours on every job every day for FREE to get this work done (over and above regular editing and delivery of work for the next day)... and I mean hours because when stuff has to be redrawn/recreated... it can be time consuming. You may just want that bed, cupboard and pile of clothes and rug taken out but all that clutter has covered all the floor architrave, the carpet (which has intricate designs in it), the bottom of the curtains, the window and the window sill ... guess what happens when it is taken out? It disappears and there is nothing there in the background - so all that stuff has to be recreated. This is why I tell you it will go to a specialist editor and I can provide you with a quote. I can tell you now I am not redrawing the missing pieces of the kitchen cabinets, bench-tops, splash backs, tiles, the neighbours house, the fence, the front facade of the house etc.

So, imagine that? I would not sleep, I'd work 24 hours a day and that is not possible. Real Estate Photographers are already burnt out enough already, that is common knowledge.

On the flipside, there may be something that can't be moved and I may say I can just photoshop that out - because I know it might be simple and quick. It is just the one item, once off, one time. It might take me 2-20 seconds to remove it whilst I am editing and I will not charge you for it.

Well, what about Ai?

Ah, this makes me laugh. Because we use it everyday, it isn't just always magical and it doesn't always get everything right. It makes mistakes often and those mistakes are misrepresentations of a property. Also, FREE Ai isn't that great. Paid Ai can deliver better results sometimes - but who is paying for it? I do not use FREE Ai. Ai can be great when it gets it right - But it is still hit and miss most times. I could write another blog post about this and perhaps I will.

Bottom line - you can't just expect to put an image in through Ai and it will spit the result out perfect for you first go - without changing room orientations, image quality, ratio, moving windows, accidentally removing other fixtures that are supposed to be there etc, changing flooring etc. Same thing if you are trying to get virtual staging done with free Ai. So it may take multiple goes at getting it right and every Ai generation costs money and again, time consuming. Ai pricing is not in regular photography and editing prices. This is extra if you would like a quote on something specific, please ask.

Property Preparation Matters

The best real estate photographs always start with a well-prepared property.

Our goal is to photograph your home exactly as it is presented on the day of the shoot. In other words:

What you see is what you'll see in your photographs.

Our standard photography service includes professional image enhancement (colour correction, exposure balancing, sky replacements where appropriate, window balancing and other standard editing), but it does not include digitally removing furniture, clutter or personal items.

Preparing the property before photography not only saves editing costs, but almost always produces the most natural and realistic result.

If you're unsure how to prepare, I have a Property Preparation Checklist that I'm happy to provide before your photography appointment.

Why Can't Everything Just Be Removed?

When an editor removes an object, they don't magically reveal what's behind it.

They actually have to recreate the hidden parts of the image.

For example:

• Carpet hidden beneath a rug has to be reconstructed.
• Flooring covered by furniture has to be recreated.
• Architraves, skirting boards and wall details may need to be redrawn.
• Kitchen cabinets, benchtops, splashbacks or tiles hidden behind appliances or clutter have to be rebuilt.
• Exterior items such as boats, trailers, bins or overgrown vegetation often require significant reconstruction of gardens, driveways or facades.

Our specialist editors do an amazing job matching textures, flooring, walls and architectural details as closely as possible. However, where something is completely hidden, they are making an educated recreation of what should be there. While the finished result is usually excellent, it may not be an exact replica of the original hidden surface.

Digital Item Removal Is Available

If you'd like items removed from your images, I'm more than happy to arrange it.

Simply let me know which images you'd like edited and I'll obtain a quote from my specialist editing team.

Digital decluttering typically starts from $15 per image*, with pricing depending on the complexity of the work - and whether it goes from digital declutter to a virtual render or Virtual Renovation.

Simple jobs may involve removing a few small items from a room.

More complex edits—such as removing large objects from front yards, heavily cluttered rooms, or spaces where most of the walls, floors, windows or cabinetry are hidden—require considerably more work.

These projects often fall under Virtual Renovation or Virtual Render, where much of the image needs to be digitally recreated. As you can imagine, this is a highly skilled and time-intensive process, so pricing is higher.

The Best Time to Arrange It

If you think you'll require digital item removal, please let me know before your photography appointment.

This allows us to discuss the best approach, provide an accurate quote and ensure enough time is allowed during the editing process.

The Bottom Line

Preparing your property before photography will always deliver the best results.

A clean, tidy and well-presented home photographs beautifully, helps buyers focus on the property itself, reduces editing costs and speeds up delivery.

If digital decluttering or Ai work is needed, we're absolutely happy to help—we simply treat it as an additional editing service rather than part of the standard photography package.

If you'd like a quote for digital item removal, just let me know which images you'd like edited and I'll organise a quotation from our specialist editors.

And lastly, but this is very important - I can't be expected to work over and above for hours on every job, every single day for Free. You might think that sounds blunt - it isn't meant to - it is simply a true statement.

I take care of my regular repeat clients and look after them because I take pride in my work and I care for them and their business and their clients (I actually do). I don't want to work for free though. You probably don't either.

**This image was created with Ai and it wasn't free.