Photo Standards

What you'll learn

The photo standards a public adjuster uses. Why phones make this easy. The 4-shot rule applied at scale. Time-stamping. Geo-tagging. The exact photo sets carriers can't dispute.

This module is the practical extension of Module 3.2 — Documentation Discipline.

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5.3.1 The principle (recap)

Photo > argument. Every dispute ends with: what does the file show?

A complete photo set:

• Forecloses scope disputes
• Establishes pre-mitigation conditions
• Anchors causation arguments
• Survives carrier challenges
• Builds the file your PA, attorney, and CRN will all reference

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5.3.2 The 4-shot rule (recap + scaled)

For every damaged area, capture all 4:

Shot	Distance	Purpose
Wide	10–15 ft	Where am I? Which room? Context.
Medium	4–6 ft	Damage relationship to surroundings.
Close-up	1–2 ft	Detail of specific damage.
Extreme close-up	<1 ft	Macro — fibers, mold, paint texture.

Rule: if your detail shot doesn't have a wide-shot companion, your file is incomplete. Adjusters orient by wide shots.

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5.3.3 The room-level photo set

For every affected room, capture this full set:

Wides (4 minimum)

• Standing in 4 corners of room → shoot toward opposite corner
• 4 shots → covers entire room

Walls (4 medium per room)

• Each wall, straight on, capturing baseboard to ceiling

Surfaces (every damaged spot)

• Each damaged section of wall, ceiling, floor
• Wide → medium → close-up

Built-ins (every fixture/cabinet/feature)

• Cabinets, vanities, countertops, mirrors, fixtures
• Both pre-damage state (if visible) and damage detail

Mechanical / electrical

• HVAC vents, registers
• Smoke detectors, ceiling fans, light fixtures
• Outlets, switches (often water-damaged)
• Visible plumbing

Contents (each damaged item)

• Wide showing item in context of room
• Medium showing the item itself
• Close-up of damage on the item
• Photo of the brand/model label or receipt if available

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5.3.4 The exterior set

For wind, hail, hurricane, fire, vandalism — exterior matters.

Standard exterior set

• All 4 sides of the home, wide shot
• Roof — multiple angles (drone if available, or from ground/ladder safely)
• Soffits + fascia
• Windows + doors — each individually, especially impact-damaged
• Screens / pool cage if applicable
• Detached structures — full exterior of each
• Landscaping — trees down, fences damaged
• Driveway / walkways — flooding damage, debris

Storm-specific

For wind/hurricane:

• Direction-of-storm side — most exposed, most damage
• Roof from ground — capture missing/damaged shingles, ridge, soffits
• Debris — fallen trees, branches, wind-blown items

For hail:

• Roof close-ups — hail bruising on shingles
• Vents, soft metal — hail leaves dents on AC units, gutters, vents
• Windows + screens — hail damage often visible on south-facing
• Vehicles if covered (separate auto policy though)

For fire:

• Smoke/soot patterns — exterior walls, eaves
• Fire department report area — origin point if known

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5.3.5 Hidden-damage photo set

Some damage isn't visible until you open walls/ceilings/cabinets. Take photos when mitigation crew opens them.

Wall cavities (after drywall removed)

• Insulation condition (wet, moldy, compressed)
• Studs (water lines, mold, rot)
• Wiring (damaged, corroded)
• Plumbing in wall (if any)

Ceilings (after texture/drywall removed)

• Joist condition
• Insulation
• Electrical fixtures from above

Subfloor (after flooring removed)

• Plywood/OSB condition
• Tile mortar (if previous tile)
• Moisture readings (if you have a meter)

Behind cabinets

• Wall behind sink, dishwasher
• Floor under cabinets
• Plumbing connections

The photos taken during demolition are some of the most valuable in the file. The carrier rarely sees this — they show up later, after walls are reopened. You document before.

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5.3.6 Time-stamping + geo-tagging

Auto-stamp via phone

iPhone + Android default cameras embed:

• Date + time in EXIF
• GPS coordinates
• Device info

Don't strip metadata when sharing. PDFs strip it; AirDrop preserves it; email attachments often preserve it; cloud uploads to Dropbox/Google preserve it.

Manual time-stamping (belt + suspenders)

Hold a smartphone showing date/time in frame for 1 photo per session. Or include a current newspaper.

Apps that help

• CompanyCam — purpose-built for property photo documentation. Auto-tags time + GPS. Free + paid tiers.
• DocSketch — photos integrated w/ damage diagrams
• Encircle — claim-focused photo + inventory

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5.3.7 File organization

Folder structure (same as Module 3.2):

ClaimName/
├── 02_Photos/
│   ├── 2025-03-15_Pre-Mitigation/
│   │   ├── Exterior/
│   │   ├── Roof/
│   │   ├── LivingRoom/
│   │   ├── MasterBath/
│   │   └── Kitchen/
│   ├── 2025-03-16_During-Mitigation/
│   ├── 2025-03-22_Adjuster-Inspection/
│   └── 2025-03-25_Post-Mitigation/

File names — date + location + shot type:

2025-03-15_MasterBath_Wide_NorthWall.jpg
2025-03-15_MasterBath_CloseUp_WaterStain_NorthWall.jpg

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5.3.8 Video — when stills aren't enough

Use video for:

• Walking through damage (continuous footage harder to dispute than stills)
• Active leaks/water flow
• Mechanical failures (door won't close, window won't latch)
• Roof walks (drone or smartphone gimbal)

Standards

• Narrate as you walk: "Master bathroom. Date is March 15, 2025. Water line is 18 inches above floor."
• Slow, steady pan
• 2-5 minute clips per area
• Continuous shot per room (no cutting)

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5.3.9 Common photo mistakes

Mistake	Cost
Photos after cleanup	Lost original-state evidence
Only close-ups, no wides	Adjuster can't orient detail
Stripping metadata when sharing	Lost timestamps + GPS
Photos only at carrier inspection	Carrier sees post-mitigation only
Missing exterior shots	Causation disputes (storm vs maintenance)
Missing hidden damage (in walls, under flooring)	Hidden damage gets denied
One huge folder, no organization	File appears unprofessional

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5.3.10 Action steps

1. Pre-loss baseline: walk your home today, photograph every room, all 4 shots, organized by folder. 30 min saves thousands later.
2. Day-of-loss: photograph everything pre-mitigation. Use the room set (5.3.3) + exterior set (5.3.4).
3. During mitigation: photograph hidden damage (5.3.5).
4. Adjuster inspection day: photograph everything they look at. Photograph their tools, their areas of focus.
5. Use CompanyCam (or equivalent) if claims are common in your area.

Next: 5.4 Contents Inventory.

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Educational. Not legal advice. Photo documentation standards described here reflect common professional practice; specific claim requirements vary.