Storing To Stay Calm

5 Tips For Capturing Great Storage Unit Images For Security & Organization

28 August 2015

Lois King

Storage unit rentals are a great way to store personal belongings and items. Without proper organization, it's easy for the unit to get overfilled and crowded with junk. Instead of making each trip to a storage unit a scavenger hunt, you can use photography to capture great images. Not only will the photos of your unit items help you stay organized, but they will help add security. You can track if items have gone missing or use the images for any insurance purposes. Instead of just snapping away, the following five photography tips will help you capture clear images and ideal angles of your self storage unit.

LED Lights

A camera flash can feature harsh lighting that makes it hard to see items or specific details of your storage unit. Instead of using a direct flash, you can get better lighting with a LED light. The LED light provides a constant stream of light and allows you to evenly capture all your storage unit items.

The LED light can attach directly to the camera or be held with your free hand and shone directly on the items. Take a few test pictures to see the intensity of the light and then adjust the light strength as needed.

Low Angles

When capturing images of the storage unit as a whole, you want to get as many items in the picture as possible. By aiming the camera at a low angle, you will be able to get the whole storage unit in one shot. Crouch down low and then aim the camera slightly upwards until a majority of the unit is within the frame.

If needed, you can take a few steps backwards outside the unit to ensure that everything is captured. You may need to Step back further and then crop the final image so just your storage unit is in the shot.

Overhead Shots

A lot of people rely on boxes or plastic totes to store items in a storage unit. When multiple items are packed in a single box, you can capture the whole box with one picture. By using a step stool, you can climb up and take an image directly over the box. This allows you to capture everything inside the box without having to move items around or take shots from multiple angles.

Picture Label Numbers

As you take images, it's easy to keep a list of items based on various organizational skills. With each image, you can place a piece of paper with a number on it. With each image number, you can match it to a list of the items included in the image.

For example, if you take an image of a box with an image label of #4, then you can type that up in a document. The document can list "Image #4" and then list the items included in the box. This organization will help you find items and post any claims needed for insurance purposes.

Filling the Storage Unit

Instead of filling the storage unit and then going back to take pictures, it's a lot easier to take images at the same time as you fill it. By setting up a tripod near the entrance of the storage unit, you can fill some items, snap a picture and then fill some more. By the end of the trip, you will have a time lapse collection of photos that captures the unit as a whole. These images can also help you remember where you placed exact items to retrieve at a later time.

If your camera has a remote on it, then it makes it even easier to capture images. Instead of returning to the camera each time, you can simply tap the remote shutter and capture an ideal picture.

Take a few test images of the unit before you start capturing your main shots. This will help you pick the best settings and have the clearest images possible.

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