Good quality photos can make or break an advert. Gone are the days of newspaper classifieds with five lines of text and no image of the item for sale. The best part about the internet is the freedom you have when it comes to selling an item, in this case, your car. Showing pictures of the condition of the vehicle, along with the colour and trim, means that you can spend less time painting an image with words and can actually just include a picture of whatever you'd like to describe.
Related: Is it better to sell a car privately or trade it in?
We're also extremely fortunate that technology is on our side. Digital cameras and cellphone technology mean that nearly everyone has access to an item that can take a very respectable digital photo. But the camera is only as good as the user that is pressing the shutter button. We're going to give you a few tips to help make your images stand out from the rest, to ensure that your car sells first.
Clean your car
This is a bit of a no-brainer, but surprisingly, many seem to forget it. While a quick wash and dry may do the trick it's a good idea to spend a few bucks extra and go for the wash and wax option. This will give your car the shine it deserves. Let them polish the tyres and don't forget to vacuum the interior and dress the interior plastics with an interior trim dressing. Wipe away any finger marks and smudges and try to get the interior looking as standard as possible – that means taking out the flowery mats you may have installed.
Find the right location
The subject of the photo is one thing, but the background is just as important. Ideally, you want an open area, devoid of distractions. This allows the car to stand out from everything else and become the focal point of the photo. While an open field is an option, we don't recommend taking photos of your car on grass – it ends up sticking to the paint and the green (or brown) affects the colour of the paint. Try to get a spot that contrasts with your car's colour – so no white cars on white backgrounds. Photography is about capturing light, as you will soon see.
Get the lighting right
You want the car to be lit up correctly as to show the lines of the car and a true reflection of the colour. In order to do this best, it's advisable to take the photos in the sunlight, and not in the shade. Taking photos in the shade requires additional lights in order to accurately showcase the shape and lines of the vehicle.
Position the car so that when you take the photo, the sun is behind you and shining directly onto the car. Placing the car between you and the sun will mean that you are taking photos of the shaded side of the car – not good.
For the best results, you'd actually want to take the photos on an overcast day. The clouds prevent any harsh shadows and give a nice, even lighting. To best replicate this, you can also take photos in what is known as Golden Hour – the hour before, or after, sunrise and sunset.
Get all the angles
Put yourself in the buyer's shoes; what would they want to see? There are a few shots that are completely necessary and those are:
- Two front, three-quarter angles showing the front and either side of the car
- Two rear, three-quarter angles showing the rear and side of the car
- A head-on shot
- A rear shot
- Two side shots
- Interior showing the seats
- Interior showing the dashboard and steering wheel (best to take one from either side, passenger and driver) – make sure that steering wheel is straight
- An engine bay shot
Don't be lazy and just walk around the car to photograph the rear, turn the car around so that you get the same background.
From there on you can get a little creative, showing a few details of the car and maybe even something artistic. It's a good idea to show any damage that needs to be noted in the advert, so if there is a scratch, take a photo of it – this will place the buyer's mind at ease, knowing the true condition of the car.
Don't forget to get the whole car in the shot, cutting off the back or front is not good and doesn't showcase the car properly. Also stay away from strange angles and don't tilt the camera to get the car in, rather step back a little.
Step away from the filters
This isn't an Instagram post, so don't filter your photos. A good photo should be able to stand on its own without needing filters and editing. Editing a photo or applying a filter will make the person viewing the pictures think that you are trying to hide something.
