Every inspector handles photos a little differently. Some shoot everything and sort it out back at the office. Others mark up each photo the second they take it. There's no single right way, but some approaches are a lot faster than others depending on how you walk a house.
This article walks through the common styles, when each one works best, and a few habits that save time on every job.
Pick a capture style that matches how you inspect
1. Shoot first, add photos later
You take photos in your device's camera app during the inspection, then add them to the report afterward.
- Works best if: you want to move fast on site and write the report at your desk
- Watch out for: sorting time. Matching 100+ photos to the right comments later adds up.
- Tip: take a quick photo of each room or area before its findings, so you have a visual "divider" when sorting.
- See: Add Existing Photos to a Tap Inspect Report
2. Batch by area, attach to comments as you go
You take several photos of one area or item, then attach them to the right comments in a group.
- Works best if: you finish one item before moving to the next (all the roof, then all the gutters)
- Why it's fast: you can mark up several photos in one pass and save them to the comment together
3. Capture in the app, item by item
You take each photo inside Tap Inspect right at the item you're recording.
- Works best if: you want every photo in the right place the moment you take it, with nothing to sort later
- Watch out for: bouncing between items. If you go siding, window, soffit, siding, each photo is its own round trip. Grouping even two or three photos per item before moving on cuts taps noticeably.
- See: Take a Photo in Tap Inspect
4. Mix it up
Many experienced inspectors batch the routine stuff (room overviews, data plates, the roof field) and shoot findings in the app as they find them. If you're not sure where to start, this is a good default.
How much markup is enough?
Markups help your client see exactly what you're talking about. They also take time. A few guidelines:
- Overview photos usually don't need markup. A shot of the living room or the roof field is context. Let it be.
- Mark up findings where the defect isn't obvious. If a client could look at the photo and miss it, add an arrow or circle.
- One clear element beats three. A single well-placed circle is usually easier to read than several arrows.
- Let the comment do the talking. If your comment already says "Cracks in foundation," a text label saying the same thing on the photo is optional. Save text for things the comment can't point to, like "Not GFCI" on one of several outlets.
- Make it readable on a phone. Many clients view reports on mobile. Thicker lines and high-contrast colors help.
- See: Markup a Photo With a Shape or Arrow, Markup a Photo With Text, Change the Thickness of a Photo Markup Element, Change the Color of a Photo Markup Element
Mark up now or later?
- Now: best when the defect is subtle and you might not remember exactly where it was
- Later: best when the defect is obvious in the photo and you'd rather keep moving on site
A lot of inspectors do a mix: mark up the tricky ones on the spot and save the rest for the review pass.
Quick habits that save time
- Group photos of the same item before moving on, even just two or three at a time
- Skip markup on context photos
- Use one consistent color for defects so clients learn what it means
- Reorder photos in a collection so the clearest shot comes first (see: Rearrange the Order of Photos in a Collection)
Not sure which style fits you? Reach out to support. We're happy to look at a recent report with you and suggest what would save the most time.
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