How do I Take Pictures of Hardwood Floors for Small Claims Court?

A digital camera is preferable to photograph damaged hardwood floors.

Documenting the material and labor defects in a hardwood flooring installation or sanding can be difficult. Problems that are readily visible to the eye can be hard to successfully photograph and produce in court. Issues with lighting or scale can make a photograph useless, as glare may make it impossible to even see a problem, or a scratch without an adequate reference point could be two inches or two feet long. Knowing how to properly stage your photos will make them effective in court, and properly convey the problems with the flooring (See Reference 1).

Things You'll Need

• Digital camera
• Post It notes
• 12-inch ruler

Instructions

1. 

   Document the issues.

   Make a numbered list of each flooring defect in your claim. Briefly describe what the problem is, and any circumstances that you observed during the work process that may have caused it. Example: There is a dent in the flooring where the installer dropped his mallet. Be as descriptive as possible.

2. 

   Use Post It notes to label problem areas.

   Place a numbered Post It note next to each problem area, with the numbers corresponding to your written list of defects. Be certain to write the numbers large enough so that they can be clearly seen clearly in all of the photographs.

3. 

   Use a ruler for scale.

   Adjust your camera so it inserts the date at the bottom of the photographs. Take pictures of the problems listed in your complaint making sure that the numbered Post It notes are clearly visible. Place the ruler in the pictures as necessary to denote scale. Most photos should be taken from directly overhead to reduce lens flare, but some issues, like a cupped floor, make taking side view pictures necessary to capture the defect . Avoid using the flash, and rely on natural light instead. If necessary, take multiple photos to document the problem. Leave the notes in place for now.

4. 

   The computer is a great tool to edit photographs.

   Connect your camera to the computer and review your photos. Edit the photographs as necessary to highlight the problems. This may include cropping them, making them lighter or enlarging them. If one or more pictures have problems, take the photo again. When you are happy with the pictures, save them to your hard drive and print them. Remove the Post It notes.

5. 

   Bring everything with you to court.

   Compile the written information together with the photographs and place them into a folder. You have now successfully documented your issues and are ready for small claims court.

Tips & Warnings

• Use a lens shade if you are having trouble reducing glare.

• Do not adjust any content in the photographs that might be seen as manipulating the image.

• Do not use a standard film camera. It is difficult to adjust the photographs or check their suitability during the process.

References

• Kings County District Court Services: Information about Small Claims
• Photocritic.org: How to Avoid Lens Flare
• NOLO: Choose Your Evidence

Resources

• California Courts Self-Help Center: Small Claims