The Motorist Guide to taking photos for vehicle quotations or listings

(Photo Credit: Pexels)

If you've ever had to sell your vehicle you would've had to take a photo or two of your vehicle. But what exactly is the photo for and how do you take a good one?

Be it for a listing or a vehicle quotation. A photo is one of the most clearest forms of information —at least when it comes to a vehicle's physical quality or aesthetics. Besides that, a good photo should also be aesthetically-pleasing and attractive to entice potential buyers into making an offer.

Today we'll be covering some basic guidelines to ensure that you get effective photos to help you in your car-selling journey!

Information

(Photo Credit: Pexels)

Think about all the times you've done shopping online. A listing with photos of the actual product taken by the seller would usually be more appealing than a similar listing that has photos taken off the product's company website. Photos showing exactly how the product is at various angles give prospective buyers a better grasp of what they're buying, helping them make a decision. This is also why many shopping apps offer incentives to their users to submit reviews with photos or videos, and why many customers seek out these reviews before making a purchase. 

Similarly, a photo for a listing or a vehicle quotation should provide buyers with enough information for them to get a better grasp of the vehicle that they might be purchasing. This also means that you need to ensure that every trait of the car is captured, flaws included. Not doing so might lead to uncomfortable situations when the buyers eventually discover them.

Ensure that you have:

• Different shots covering the car's exterior and interior
• Focused shots on any modifications or upgrades made on the car, be it performance or aesthetic
• Focused shots depicting any defects

Aesthetics

(Photo Credit: Pexels)

As mentioned, the other important aspect of a photo is how aesthetically pleasing it is. Humans have a natural inclination to things they find attractive. This especially applies to car listings. Having a good photo can put an average vehicle in a good light. Inversely, a bad photo might make your shiny, clean machine look dull and dirty.

Follow these rules to ensure that you get a decent photo:

• Use a decent camera (or at least ensure that it doesn't seem like you're taking a photo using a potato)
• Take the photo in good lighting, be it outdoors when the sun is out or in a well-lit multi-story story carpark.
• Use a tripod to prevent blurry photos.
• Lightly edit the photo. We can't stress enough on the 'lightly', overedited photos can make it look like you're overcompensating for potential flaws.

In Conclusion...

If you follow these sets of guidelines, you would more likely be able to capture good photos of your vehicle for your listing or quotation. Of course, remember that basic maintenance is still required, there's no point capturing the best photo when your car looks like it has just gotten out of a mudslide. Wash your car, wax it if possible to give it some pizzazz and you'll truly be well on your way to selling your vehicle!

Read more: 9 Reasons Why You Should Install the Motorist App Today!