Over the more than 30 years as a classic car hobbyist, I have had to sell cars and trucks so there is a method to this madness to get the most attention and best pricing for a potential sale. Previously we have discussed how to prepare your classic car for sale. Now we review that great photos are a key component to success in selling classic cars as pictures are better than a thousand words.
When you are trying to sell a car, pictures matter. If you have ever seen online car ads, you have seen examples of poor photography – it can be maddening! Each one had slightly different requirements, but they all came back to the fundamentals listed below. By following these guidelines, you can take car photos that make your ride pop and – most importantly – sell quickly.
Clean the Car for Great Photos
Giving your car a thorough cleaning inside and out is a fantastic way to make it more appealing to buyers.
Clean the car inside and out! Give it a thorough car wash, vacuum it, and give the dash and center console a once-over with a microfiber cloth. Depending on the condition you may want to give a quick wax and interior polish. You would be surprised how few sellers do this.
Zoom In
The latest devices have fantastic lenses built into them, and you do not need to worry about the myriad camera settings that DSLRs have.
On an iPhone or Android phone, you can pinch-to-zoom, then focus the camera on the car by tapping on the center of the screen. Tap on a light or dark portion of the car, and the exposure and focus will change. You do not need to know how any of this works behind the scenes – simply play around with it until you get a look that you like.
Make sure you stand back a bit from the car! Walk at least 10 paces away from the car and then zoom in a bit. The new smartphone cameras are good and zooming in will not hurt as long as you are within 25 to 40 feet of the car. Taking a picture from that distance with zoom “flattens” the image of the car.
In the first photo, which is taken from up close with no zoom, it looks like the front of the car is bulging out, and not much of the background is visible. In the second photo, the photographer has stepped back from the car and zoomed in. As a result, the front of the car does not appear as prominent (the image is “flatter”) and more of the background is visible.
Make Sure You Take a Cover Shot for Your Lead Great Photo
Cover Shot Image
There are a number of different angles, but the most crucial ones are the “3/4” shots. This is shot from the driver’s front corner – and the passenger’s rear corner – of the car. These are called the “Cover” shots.
The key is to keep the camera at about the level of the headlights or side mirrors. If you want to get crazy, tilt the camera in your hands just a few degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. Suddenly, the image framing will start to take on a cinematic quality. You can also bend down a bit and tilt the camera up, so the car takes on a more “heroic” quality. Have fun experimenting with new angles, but make sure you get the basics down first.
Mind the Sunlight for Great Photos
No matter what angle you are going for, if you are taking an exterior photo, make sure the sun is behind you and not behind the car. If the sun is behind the car, the background will be bright, and the car will look dark.
Car Photo with Bad Lighting
Car Photo with Good Lighting
Early or late in the day make for terrific lighting conditions – we call it the “Magic Hour” or “Golden Hour.” I would only recommend taking photos at midday if the sky is overcast. Otherwise, you will get harsh shadows and bright reflections off the car.
Think of it this way: The sun is as much a tool as the camera you are using. Once you take a lot of photos, you can start to play around with lighting conditions, but for now, it needs to be a bright spotlight that is behind you.
Turn the Wheels for A Great Photo
If you are taking a picture from the front driver’s side, then turn the wheel all the way to the passenger’s side. You want to show some of the wheel and hub. I have seen people turn the wheel towards the driver and it looks awkward – if you want to show off the tire tread, do that with a separate, close-up photo.
When taking the rear 3/4 shot, turn the steering wheel to the same side that you’re taking the photo from.
Take Many Exterior Angles
In every other angle, move the steering wheel back to center. You will want to get images of the car from head-on, side-on, and rear. Once again, keep the height even with the headlights or side mirrors.
For the head-on and rear shots, center the car by lining up the rearview mirror equally between the headrests. For the side-on shot, line up the passenger and driver’s side B-pillars (aka, the pillar behind the front and rear doors).
Take Exterior Detail Shots
What about that car makes it special? Roof racks? Fog lights? Dual exhaust? Special lettering on the side? The tire treads. Get them all!
To do this well, zoom all the way back out and walk right up to the car. If the sun is still at your back, try to block it completely with your body. Otherwise, move yourself or the car around until you are not casting a partial shadow in the middle of the shot.
Engine Shots
Snapping a decent-looking photo of the engine has its own requirements. Prop open the hood. Turn the car so that the sun is behind it. In most situations, this lets the hood block out the sun.
Now, stand directly front and center of the car. Hold the camera at about eye level and angle it downwards. The engine bay should fill up the camera’s frame. Be sure to clean the engine as best you can before you take the shot.
Take Interior Images (With Good Lighting)
Cabin photos are tricky. There can be lots of shadows combined with lots of spaces lit up by sunlight (we call that “hot and cold”). The best way to avoid this is to park in the shade. It does not matter if it is behind a large building or under thick tree cover, the goal is to avoid direct sunlight.
Bad Interior Car Photo
Good Interior Car Photo
Shoot an establishing interior shot. Turn on the car in Accessory mode. Center the steering wheel. Set all the climate control vents in the same direction. Put the touchscreen (if you have one) on its home screen. Move the front seats as far back as they will go. Recline both front seats, but not so far that you cannot get into the back seat. Turn off the overhead cabin light to ensure even lighting.
Once you have done this, sit in the middle of the back seats, brace your forearms on the semi-reclined front seats, and frame up the entire dashboard. You should be zoomed all the way out. Set the frame edges from side-mirror to side mirror, and from rearview mirror down to the center console.
You can also try an alternative side angle. Stand outside the car and open the rear door (with the seats still in the same semi-reclined position). Use the space between the B-pillar and the reclined seatback as a little space to get a “3/4” shot of the dash.
Pro Tip: Since you are in the shade, you might be in a low-light situation. If the instrument panel are glowing, use the car’s settings to temporarily dim these lights. Your images will come out much better.
Take Pictures of Key Features
A Clear Photo of a Full Gauge Dash Cluster
If you are taking photos to sell your car, remember that the interior is where people spend all their time. They want to see the inside of the car, including individual photos of the:
- Instrument panel (move the steering wheel up and in for this shot)
- Gear selector or shifter
- Center console bin
- Rear seats and package tray
- Cargo area (show pictures with the seats up AND down)
- Trunk area including the spare tire and any tools
As a reminder, BEFORE you take these photos, vacuum your car thoroughly. No one wants to see a sea of crumbs on the back seat or dirt in the trunk.
More Great Photos for On-Line Success
If you are planning to join the thousands of classic car sold on the internet via eBay or even one of the many on-line auction services like Bring-A-Trailer then even more photos are important to achieve the highest level of bidding to secure that desire sales price. To give your classic car the best opportunity to sell at a desirable price then thorough pictures are also needed:
- If you have a convertible then photos with top up and down; inside and out; with and without the boot installed; the same applies to cars with Targa tops, T-tops, and sunroofs
- The underside of the car noting the drive train (engine, transmission, rear-end) and underside body and frame conditions
- The trunk or under the bonnet
- Photos of the door components and panels with the doors open
Preparation Is the Key to Success
Cover Shot of Chevrolet Corvette
A terrific way to get your head around it is to write out a shot list. List all the major shots and detail shots you will want. With all of that captured, focus on getting the best shot possible.
Finally
This may seem like a lot of information, but as you start to incorporate these lessons, you will quickly realize there are some common concepts at play. Taking successful photos is about controlling light and being conscious of framing, distance, and zoom. So when your are ready for your car’s photo shot check your list and car prep twice to get out there on a sunny day for great photos.
Car photography is not an easy step. with your blog we can learn many technics. Thanks for those ideas.
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