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What to photograph on a window cleaning job: glass, frames and damage
Clean glass is nearly invisible, which makes window cleaning one of the hardest trades to photograph. Glare, reflections and a bright sky can hide the difference between a dirty pane and a clean one, and a customer who looks through a freshly cleaned window does not see the glass at all.
The answer is angle and contrast: shoot from an angle that cuts the glare, photograph a dirty pane next to a clean one, and record the frames, tracks and damage that tell the rest of the story.
Before you start
- Walk the building and count the panes, so you can photograph each side consistently.
- Check the sky. An overcast day is easier to photograph than a bright one.
- Photograph existing damage before you touch a pane: scratches, etching, cracked seals, broken screens.
- Decide on your standing spot for each elevation, and use the same one for the after shot.
The shot list
11 photos, in the order to take them. For each one: what to shoot, how to frame it, and why it is worth the few seconds.
Before you start
- Each elevation of the building, from a fixed spot
How: Stand far enough back to include the whole face, and photograph from an angle that cuts reflection.
Why: The pairs for the exterior are built from these.
- Dirtiest panes, close up
How: Photograph at an angle to the glass, so the dirt shows against a dark background such as an interior.
Why: Film and spotting show best at an angle, and straight-on glare hides them.
- Frames, sills and tracks
How: Close up, looking along the sill or track.
Why: Tracks hold the grime that glass does not, and the change is large.
- Screens
How: A screen in your hand, against a plain background, if you clean them.
Why: It records the condition and what you did.
- Existing damage
How: Scratches, hard-water etching, cracked or fogged seals, broken screens.
Why: Etching and scratches are often found after cleaning, so a before photo protects you.
The glass test
- One clean pane beside a dirty one
How: Wash one pane first and photograph the pair together, at the same angle.
Why: It is the clearest way to show the difference in a single image.
- A reference object in the glass
How: Photograph a reflection of a clear object, such as a tree or a building, in a clean pane.
Why: Reflections are the best sign of a clean surface.
After the clean
- The same elevations from the same spots
How: Same height and angle, with the same light if you can.
Why: The pair has to line up for the change to show.
- Frames, sills and tracks again
How: The exact spots from the before.
Why: It proves you did the details.
- Interior and exterior sides of a hard-to-reach window
How: One shot from each side, from the same distance.
Why: It shows the customer you did both.
- Cleanup
How: The ground, plants and sills after you are done.
Why: It shows you left the property as you found it.
Get the angle and the light right
- Photograph glass at a slight angle, not straight on. Straight-on shots show your own reflection and the sky.
- Overcast light is best. Harsh sun creates glare that hides streaks and film.
- A dark interior behind the glass makes dirt show up, and a bright interior hides it.
- Keep ladders, buckets and squeegees out of the frame in the after shot.
Mistakes that make the result look smaller
- Taking the after at a different angle, so the glass looks cleaner or dirtier than it is.
- Photographing a window with a bright sky behind it, so nothing shows.
- Skipping the frames and tracks, which show the biggest change.
- Not recording scratches, etching and cracked seals before you start.
When it is not a standard job
Storefronts and commercial accounts
Take a dated set at every visit. A property manager can see the storefronts were done, and you have a record if an account changes hands.
Hard-water stains and etching
Photograph it before, and note that hard-water damage may not come out. It is honest and it protects you.
High or hard-to-reach windows
Photograph from the ground with a zoom, from the same spot, and never lean off a ladder to take a photo. Safety comes before the shot.
Printable checklist: window cleaning
Tick each one before and after.
- Each elevation of the building, from a fixed spot
- Dirtiest panes, close up
- Frames, sills and tracks
- Screens
- Existing damage
- One clean pane beside a dirty one
- A reference object in the glass
- The same elevations from the same spots
- Frames, sills and tracks again
- Interior and exterior sides of a hard-to-reach window
- Cleanup
photoluego.com/guides/window-cleaning-photo-checklist
From photos to proof
A folder of photos is not a report. Photo Luego for window cleaners lines up each before and after shot with a ghost of the first photo, pairs them for you, and turns the best pairs into a report with your logo, your review links and a pay button. It works in your phone's browser, and it has an always-free plan. New to it? Start with Getting started, then see how to send a report.
Questions
How do I photograph clean glass?
Stand at a slight angle, use overcast light if you can, and include something in the frame that shows through the glass or reflects in it. A clean pane beside a dirty one is the clearest shot.
Do I need a before and after of every window?
No. Photograph each elevation, the dirtiest panes, the frames and tracks, and any damage. A report with ten strong pairs beats forty weak ones.
What should I do about damage I find?
Photograph it before you touch it, close up and from a step back, and tell the customer. A scratch or a cracked seal found after cleaning is much harder to explain.
General advice, not legal advice. Rules about photographing people and property vary by place, so check yours.