When severe weather hits—hail, straight-line winds, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, ice—someone has to document what happened, where, and to what extent. That “someone” is often a storm damage photographer. It’s a niche that flies under the radar of mainstream photography, yet it sits at the center of high-stakes decisions: insurance claims, contractor scopes, legal disputes, and municipal recovery. If you’re reliable, detail-oriented, and comfortable working outdoors with a safety mindset, this can be a flexible, well-paid home business you can start with modest gear and grow into a specialist practice.
Where the work comes from—and how you get paid
Your clients aren’t brides and brands; they’re problem solvers. Independent and staff insurance adjusters hire you to capture unbiased, time-stamped evidence. Public adjusters and law firms need thorough documentation to support claims or litigation. Roofing and restoration companies use your photos to prepare estimates, win approvals, and reduce callbacks. Property managers, HOAs, real-estate asset firms, and lenders want “before/after” sets to protect portfolios. During catastrophes (CAT events), out-of-state adjusters and contractors surge into the region and routinely outsource local photography.
Income is typically a flat assignment fee plus add-ons. A common structure is a local base fee for a specified shot list, travel within a set radius, and digital delivery within 24–48 hours. Extras include per-mile surcharges, rush fees, additional structures or units, after-hours access, roof/drone coverage, 360° walkthroughs, and annotated PDF reports. Day rates for CAT deployments are higher, and some clients prefer a monthly retainer to guarantee your availability during peak season. Licensing is straightforward: most assignments are work-for-hire (the client owns the images); if you’re shooting for contractors’ marketing, you can license usage by term and medium.
What “good” documentation looks like
Storm work isn’t about pretty; it’s about complete, clear, and credible. You’re telling the story of damage with wide, medium, and detail frames, consistent orientation, and visible scale. A typical hail job might start with a street-level establishing shot, include compass-labeled elevations, roof planes, and close-ups of dents with a coin or ruler for scale. Wind claims need siding lifts, shingle creases, missing tabs, bent drip edges, and debris fields. Floods require high-water marks, mud lines, appliance serial numbers, and moisture meter readings at consistent heights. Every set should retain intact EXIF metadata (date/time/GPS), include a simple file-naming convention the client understands, and arrive with a brief checklist so a reviewer can verify nothing was missed.
Safety and compliance come first
Storm scenes are hazardous: slick roofs, broken glass, downed limbs, hidden nails, mold, and sometimes energized lines. You’re not there to do structural assessments or repairs—don’t exceed your competence. Treat each site like a work zone: high-visibility vest, hard hat, safety glasses, cut-resistant gloves, and sturdy boots are standard. Use ladders only where safe and permitted; many photographers remove roof-walking from their scope and cover the roof via drone or a 20–30-foot pole mast to avoid fall exposure. If drones are part of your service, you must hold FAA Part 107 certification for commercial flights, follow airspace rules (including LAANC authorizations around controlled airports), and adhere to any temporary flight restrictions that often follow major disasters. Keep written permission to access the property and a simple “hazard acknowledgment” in your intake form.
Equipment: start lean, add smart
You can begin with weather-resistant mirrorless or DSLR bodies, two zooms that cover wide to moderate telephoto (for example 16–35mm/17–28mm and 24–70mm), and a longer lens around 70–200mm for distant details. A small macro or close-focus option helps with fasteners, impact marks, and serial plates. Pack a circular polarizer to cut glare on siding and water, an on-camera flash for dark interiors, and a headlamp for attics and crawl spaces. A lightweight tripod or monopod improves consistency for comparison shots.
Evidence tools matter as much as cameras: carry a rigid ruler, a coin card, orange evidence markers or painter’s tape, a dry-erase board to ID each structure, a moisture meter for floods, a laser distance measurer, a pitch gauge, and a compass. Many pros add a 360° camera for quick room documentation and a compact drone for roof and site overviews; extra batteries and ND filters keep you productive all day. To avoid roof work, a telescoping pole-cam with a remote trigger can capture high-angle images safely. For data integrity, use dual-slot cameras shooting RAW+JPEG; back up to an SSD in the field and sync to the cloud back at base.
A realistic starter kit runs $1,500–$3,000 if you already own a camera; adding a capable drone raises the total by $800–$2,500 depending on features. Don’t forget business essentials: general liability insurance, optional equipment and drone liability coverage, a rugged case, rain shell, kneepads, and throwaway shoe covers for clean interiors.
Workflow that clients trust
Speed matters, but accuracy wins repeat work. Begin with a pre-arrival checklist: confirm access, contact, scope, hazards, and any special requests. On site, shoot an ID frame (address, date, your company), then move systematically—clockwise around the exterior, then interior by floor. Capture context first, then details with scale. Include orientation hints (compass or sun position) so reviewers know which elevation they’re viewing. When you finish, do a quick on-site review to confirm the checklist is complete.
Back at your desk, ingest to a dated job folder with subfolders for RAW, JPEG, drone, 360, and documents. Apply minimal corrections (exposure, straightening, crop) that preserve evidence; avoid edits that change appearance. Export web-res JPEGs and—if requested—full-res sets. Deliver via a clean gallery link and include a simple PDF or CSV index of file names and notes. For frequent clients, create templated shot lists for hail, wind, flood, and fire so your process is predictable and scalable.
Finding clients and staying busy
Start local. Introduce yourself to roofing and restoration firms, property managers, and independent adjusters. Bring a one-page capability sheet, show sample sets on a tablet, and emphasize your availability, safety practices, and turnaround time. Join regional contractor and adjuster associations; attend a networking breakfast and ask what their current bottleneck is (it’s often “photos I can actually use”). Build a minimal website with your service area, certifications, insurance note, sample galleries, and a booking form. Claim your Google Business Profile and upload “before/after” context shots (avoid identifying residences without consent). When storms hit nearby towns, call your existing contacts first and offer overflow coverage; during CAT declarations, sign up with national adjusting firms’ vendor lists and be ready to travel on short notice.
Pricing with confidence
For single-family residential assignments within a standard radius, many photographers charge a flat $200–$450 depending on scope (exterior only vs. full property) and add $100–$300 for drone roof sets or 360° interiors. Multi-building or commercial sites shift to half-day or day rates—$600–$1,500+—with line items for deliverables and reports. CAT surge work often pays higher but demands long hours; build in per-diem, mileage, and a rush premium for same-day delivery. Put everything in writing: scope, safety limitations, access requirements, cancellation terms, and who owns the images.
Ethics and reputation
Storm damage involves people on bad days. Be discreet, ask permission before photographing personal areas, and never post sensitive images publicly. You’re not there to make the case bigger or smaller—only to document faithfully. Time-stamp honestly, leave metadata intact, and preserve your cards until the client confirms receipt. Build a reputation for answering the phone, showing up when you say you will, and delivering organized sets that make reviewers’ jobs easier. That’s how you earn a place on the short list when the next storm hits.
A 30-day launch plan
Week one, assemble your safety kit, confirm insurance, and finalize intake and delivery templates. Week two, shoot practice sets at your own home and a friend’s property—simulate hail, wind, and flood documentation to refine your checklists. Week three, meet five local contractors and two adjusters; show samples and offer a pilot rate on the next assignment. Week four, publish a simple website with three sample galleries and “24–48 hour turnaround,” and set text alerts for severe weather in neighboring counties. The next time the radar lights up, you’ll be ready—and in a niche where preparedness and professionalism translate directly into income.
Storm damage photography isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential. It blends practical fieldwork with clear communication and gives a dependable path to revenue that holds up in tough economies. If that mix appeals to you, this under-served niche can become a durable, high-trust home business you can scale on your terms.
