How to Make NYC Real Estate Listings Photograph Beautifully in Winter
Winter can be one of the hardest seasons to photograph NYC real estate. The shorter days, skewed lighting, and ice make capturing beautiful photos of them feel like a game of chess with Mother Nature. As the city’s light shifts (especially in the winter weather), interiors tend to feel darker and visually heavier on camera.
However, the cold season doesn’t have to hurt your listing performance. With the right styling strategies, and a photographer who understands how to work with NYC’s challenging winter light, your December listings can still look inviting and high-end.
Our team at GreeneHouseNYC helps agents and developers position their listings beautifully during any season by combining thoughtful styling guidance with refined, magazine-quality photography techniques. Let’s break down the most important things to consider when photographing your winter listings.
Winter Light in NYC
What Every Realtor Should Know Before a Photoshoot
During the solstice, the sun travels at a lower angle and sets earlier, which affects how light moves through building windows. Apartments, in particular, get worse natural light than other developments at this time of year.
The reason these rooms get less direct sunlight is due to NYC’s skyline and dense cityscape. The tall buildings close to one another block the already limited light during winter months. The shadows can cast odd shapes around furniture, making the space look dull or dark.
Spaces even feel colder because of the light reflecting off of the snow. Snow reflects the blue/ gray tones of the sky, so when the light enters the room, colors shift to cooler tones. Whites appear starker and blue, silver, and grays feel brighter. Blue undertones are exaggerated and can make interiors appear colder or less inviting.
The most important part to keep in mind is the short daylight window. By winter solstice on December 21, 2025, NYC will only get just over 9 hours of daylight. Many of the days leading up to it will have overcast, suboptimal weather, and other barriers to photographing property listings. This means you have to be strategic about when to schedule a photoshoot, or you risk poor photo quality.
Best Times to Schedule a Winter Listing Photoshoot
In the winter, it’s more difficult to find the best time to photograph your listings. The right lighting can turn a mediocre listing into a high-end luxury listing that sells quickly.
The best times to photograph rooms are late morning to early afternoon. This is when daylight is most consistent and the warmest in the winter.
You should avoid the late afternoon unless you want a very moody look. When the sun drops below the horizon, the room loses warmth and light.
Apartments are particularly tricky. For south-facing and east-facing units, you should schedule your shoot mid-morning; north-facing units often shoot best around midday.
If you can’t escape the weather (cloudy days, downpours, or constant snow), aim for midday to maximize brightness and diffused light. This will provide the most optimal results.
For tailored guidance or to book your shoot, explore our NYC interiors photography.
How to Make a Listing Look Warm on Camera in December
Even the most beautiful NYC apartment can look cold in the winter if it’s not styled intentionally. These winter staging tips help ensure rooms feel warm & balanced.
Warm Up the Color Palette
Use sandy neutrals, mushroom tones, warm whites, or muted taupes.
Add warmth with caramel, olive, terracotta, or soft brown accents.
Avoid icy grays or harsh white palettes that exaggerate the cool lighting.
Use Textures to Soften the Space
Layer knits, boucle throws, wool, or linen textures.
Add tactile pillows or cozy textiles
Use sheer curtains or drapery to help diffuse the natural light into the room.
Choose Decor That Photographs Well
Stick to minimal, neutral seasonal décor like greenery, soft metallic accents, and organic shapes.
Avoid holiday-heavy items that date the photos or add to the clutter.
Remove clutter from surfaces and windows to enhance light flow.
Enhance the Warmth With Lighting
Use warm LED bulbs (2700–3000K) instead of cool-toned options.
Turn off harsh overheads unless they add intentional ambience.
Layer lighting with table lamps or ambient fixtures to soften shadows.
“Winter white is totally a thing. The main trick is adding a pop of color. What I notice is that pops of color including photos at midday are ideal for property listing photos.”
How GHNYC Captures Luxury Listings in Winter
Why Virtual Staging Wins
Photographing spaces well requires a refined understanding of light, composition, and styling, especially around NYC’s skyscraper architecture. Winter real estate photography makes this more challenging because there is less daylight to get the photos you need, the light you do get makes spaces appear colder, and physical staging is often slower and more costly during the holiday season. Virtual staging for winter listings solves all of these problems at once.
In the winter, we prefer to skip the physical staging entirely by utilizing virtual staging.
We add warmth and dimension to rooms that previously looked cold
We use light exposure to maximize the limited natural light & soften hard shadows
We add furniture, textures, and decor that turn a basic listing into a luxury listing
Bonus: It’s more cost-effective (especially for developers preparing multiple units).
As you prepare your client’s listings this winter, know that the weather doesn’t have to limit the quality. With the right stylistic decisions (and a photographer who understands the complexities of winter in NYC), you can position your December listings beautifully, even on the coldest, darkest days of the year.
For December listings, virtual staging is the best way to turn your basic listing photos into high-quality listings. GHNYC specializes in capturing warm, editorial images that elevate your listings, enhance buyer interest, and help your winter inventory sell.