Take beautiful car photos
A how-to guide
When it comes to selling your car online, photos are king. We’ve created this reference guide to help you properly present your vehicle and take excellent photos yourself. Great photos can be taken with any camera or mobile phone. Following this guide will help you get the best pictures possible no matter the camera or experience.
Let's begin with a clean car
Completely wash and dry the exterior of your car. It’s best to do this in shade so as to avoid potential watermarks. Clean and vacuum the interior and remove everything that is not going to be included in the sale. Our goal is to neutralize any traces of a previous owner as much as possible.
Find a suitable location
Car photoshoots are best performed outdoors in shaded areas. Cloudy days are better than clear days as direct sunlight can obscure detail. Avoid taking photos in your driveway or with your house in the background. Try to find a setting with a neutral background such as greenery or fencing. We want the car to be the main attraction so limiting background distractions is key.
Camera settings best practices
When setting up for the shoot, make sure to hold your camera or smartphone horizontally instead of vertically. This allows you to capture more of the car in the frame and generally gives you a better range for cropping later. While most smartphones have the ability to change between various zoom modes, we recommend sticking to the 1x or ‘normal’ zoom mode for the shoot. Do not employ color enhancing software filters as these will distort the look of your car. Our aim is take natural looking photos which best represent the car.
Capture every angle
Begin taking photos of the exterior from every angle by walking around the car from about 10 ft away, snapping 12-15 photos in total. Ensure the hood, trunk and all doors are closed for these shots. If your car is a convertible, make sure to take two sets of photos: one set with the top up and one set with the top fully down. This is also a good opportunity to shoot a short video of the top opening and closing.
Get the detail shots
After you get the overall exterior shots, it’s time to hone-in on the details. This includes blemishes in the paint, dents, dings, corrosion and other damage or wear. Don’t forget to include detailed shots of the badges, headlights and tail lamps along with the condition of the rubber moldings, door handles and chrome bits. Even if your car is in mint condition, including these shots will help sell the car.
Moving inside
Let’s begin taking photos of the interior starting with opening the doors and shooting shots while standing outside looking in. Try to get both seats as visible as possible in the frame from several angles. Also frame up the dashboard showing the steering wheel as much as possible.
Taking to the driver’s seat, start with a clear shot of a gauge cluster showing the odometer reading and then gradually move outward to expose the whole cluster, steering wheel, center console and whole dashboard. Be sure to capture details such as blemishes, scratches etc on common wear areas like arm rests, seat bolsters and switches.
Engine bay and trunk
Photograph the entire engine bay from above and from each side, making sure to get as much of the engine in each shot as possible. Then, move in closer and start taking photos of components such as carburetors, ignition systems, valve covers, belts, etc. Lastly, move in even closer and take photos of small details like engine stamps, markings, and other items that a potential bidder would be interested in reviewing. Open the trunk and take good shots from all angles. Open spare tire compartment and jack compartments if equipped and shoot those too.
Underside of car
For underside photos, putting the vehicle up on a lift is ideal, however if you don’t have access to one, holding your phone or camera on the ground and pointing it up towards the underbody will suffice. It can be tricky to do this well with lower vehicles, so using a ramp or stands can help a lot. Work from front to back and take as many detailed photos of the underside as you can including shots of the engine, transmission, rockers, suspension, wheels, tires, and brakes. Make sure to capture any rust, damage, and/or fluid leaks if present.
Documentation
It’s important to get photos of documentation relevant to the vehicle. For service records, lay them out like a fan and take one shot from above, then take individual shots of significant or recent receipts. If personal information is visible, ensure that it is covered or redacted before uploading. Make sure you also take photos of any parts, extra equipment, or spares included in the sale. Lastly, take a photo of the title. We will not post it publicly, but we will need it to verify ownership of the vehicle.
Final thoughts
Pictures sell cars. We require at least 60 photos of every consignment car we sell and encourage more photos if possible. If you are having doubts about whether to shoot something or not, take it anyways and send it in. Buyers want to see every aspect of a potential vehicle. If you have any questions about this guide or our process, please reach out using the contact form at the bottom of this page.
