You don’t need expensive gear: a 360° camera on a tripod gets you most of the way. Check your camera’s own instructions too, as every model works a little differently.
Shooting checklist
- Use a tripod or monopod at about chest height, around 1.5 m. Keep the same height in every room, so walking between them feels natural.
- Stand the camera in the middle of the room, or where a visitor would stand, at least an arm’s length from walls and furniture. Close objects bend at the seams.
- Get out of the shot. Use the camera’s phone app or a timer, and step into another room.
- Turn on the lights and open the curtains. If the camera has HDR, use it, so windows and dark corners both show.
- Tidy up. A 360° photo sees everything: cables, bins and the camera bag in the corner too.
- Take one shot per room, plus one in each doorway or hall that joins them, so visitors can walk the route.
Fix it afterwards
- Cover the tripod with a nadir patch, such as your logo.
- Straighten a tilted horizon with horizon correction.
- Choose where each panorama starts with an initial view.
Photos still in your camera’s own format? See Turn fisheye and INSP photos into 360° panoramas.
Videos
Do you need a 360° camera to get started? Our video from 2020 goes through the options:
And how to take a 360° photo with almost any camera, from Visual Line:
Common questions
Can I take a 360 photo with my phone?
Yes, with a phone app that saves a full 360° panorama as an equirectangular image, twice as wide as it is tall. A 360° camera takes the whole room in one shot, so it’s the easier choice for a full tour. The Visual Line video above shows the options.
How do I hide the tripod in a 360 photo?
Cover it with a nadir patch, such as your logo, in the TeliportMe editor. Shooting on a slim monopod keeps the patch small.
What file should I upload for a virtual tour?
Upload a stitched 360° photo as a JPG or PNG file. If your camera saved two round fisheye images or an Insta360 INSP file, convert it to JPG first.