Blogue · 10 octobre 2026 · 5 min de lecture
Fall Listing Photos in Quebec: Foliage Timing and What to Shoot First
Autumn colour moves from north to south in about ten days. Typical timing by area around Montreal, which photos to take first when the window is short, backup days for weather, shorter daylight and what the seller can do this week.
For about ten days each autumn, a Quebec house can look better than at any other time of the year. The maples behind it turn red, the lawn is still green, the light is low and warm. Then a windy night strips half the colour, and the opportunity is gone. Timing is everything. This guide explains how foliage moves across the Greater Montreal area, what to photograph first when the window is short, and how to plan so rain does not cost you the week. Our website and booking page are available in both French and English.
How the colour travels
Foliage does not arrive everywhere on the same date, and it shifts a few days every year with temperature and rainfall. As a general pattern, colour moves from north to south and from higher ground to lower:
Area | Typical timing of strong colour | What it means for a shoot |
|---|---|---|
Laurentians and northern Lanaudière | Late September to early October | Book early; the window closes first |
North Shore (Laval, Mirabel, Terrebonne) | Early to mid October | A solid middle of the window |
Montreal island and the South Shore | Early to mid October, sometimes later in town | The window can last a little longer in built-up areas |
These are rough ranges, not promises. A warm September delays the colour; an early frost speeds it up. The practical rule is to look at the trees on the actual street the week before, not at a calendar.
What to shoot first when the window is short
A listing has many photos, but only some depend on the season. Put the colour-sensitive ones at the front of the queue and leave the others for any day:
- The front exterior. It is the first image of the gallery, and it benefits most from a colourful tree line.
- The aerial overview. From above, a lot with mature trees in colour is spectacular. Drone extra: between $100 and $125 for 10 aerial photos.
- The back yard and any water. A pond, river or lake with foliage in the background becomes the lead photo. Our guide to the best time of day, season by season covers the sun angle.
- Interiors with views. A window that frames red maples is worth shooting at the same visit, so the window is not blown out.
- Everything else. The kitchen, bathrooms and bedrooms look the same on any day, so they can go last.
If the weather forces a choice, the exterior-only session costs between $75 and $100, and the interiors can be shot another day.
Plan around the weather, not against it
Autumn has fewer reliable days than summer. Rain flattens colour, wind drops leaves, and fog keeps the drone on the ground. A few habits protect the week:
- Book early and keep two backup days that are available if the first one fails.
- Check the forecast. We confirm flight conditions before the shoot. A bad day on the day itself means a postponement; other terms are handled case by case, so contact Dimension 360.
- Avoid the day after a storm. The leaves are down, and the puddles shine on the asphalt.
- Shoot in the morning for east-facing facades, and in the afternoon for west-facing ones, to keep the colour warm rather than shadowed.
The days get short
Sunset moves from around half past six in early October to before five in early November, once the clocks go back. A full shoot with exterior, drone, interiors and a twilight photo needs more of the day than in summer, so the start time matters. If a twilight image is part of the plan, the virtual version costs between $30 and $40 per photo, and our twilight guide compares it with a real one.
What the seller can do this week
- Rake the front lawn the day before, not the week before; leaves return fast.
- Leave a few leaves on the lawn if a tree is the star of the photo: a thin carpet looks natural, a thick one looks neglected.
- Clean the gutters and the roof edge of wet leaves that stain.
- Put away the pumpkins and decorations for the photos, or keep two. Seasonal décor can distract; the entry should show the house, not the holiday.
- Open the curtains so the colour appears through the windows.
What we do not do to autumn
We do not saturate the colours beyond what was there, and we do not paint leaves onto bare branches. An honest autumn photo has strong colour because it was taken in the right week. A buyer arriving ten days later will see the real thing and should recognise the photo.
How many photos, and at what price
Photo packages follow the size of the home: 25 photos for a condo, 35 for a one-storey home, 40 for a regular two-storey home, 60 for a large home of 2,600 to 3,500 sq. ft. and 90 for a prestige property, at a price between $175 and $425 depending on the property. The exact price is shown in the online estimator. The right count depends on the property, as we explain in how many photos a listing needs, and the full list of prices is in our price guide. Delivery is within 24 hours.
After the leaves fall
If the window is missed, the season has not ended. November brings its own light and a clearer view of the house through bare trees, and winter has its own method; see winter listing photos in Quebec. A listing that stays on the market until spring can have its exterior refreshed with an exterior-only session, between $75 and $100.
Foliage at its peak right now? Choose a slot in the online estimator and add the drone while the colour lasts.
Dimension 360 — services
Photographie immobilière · Photo et vidéo par drone · Vidéo immobilière · Plan d'étage 2D
Tous les articles du blogue · Dimension 360 : photo, vidéo et drone immobiliers