Everyone thinks they’re a photographer these days. With the impeccable cameras in nearly every smartphone, you can take high-quality photos of everything you see, eat, and experience. However, this technology is not only for sharing selfies on social media. If you are looking to sell a used car, you need to know how to properly photograph your vehicle.
When it comes to selling your car, your phone’s camera can be a great asset. Though car pictures don’t need to be particularly artistic, there are certain things to keep in mind when you’re trying to sell your car. Whether you are selling on your own or to a safe and credible institution like CarVIO, you must take the time to snap photos that clearly show specific details if you want to get an accurate estimate of your car’s value.
Taking good photos gives buyers an accurate representation of what they are negotiating for and increases the appeal of your car. When you share poor photographs, buyers and agencies can’t see the quality of your car. In these cases, most of them err on the side of caution and shoot for a low price. When you show your car’s assets clearly, it drives the price up higher and helps your car sell quickly.
If you are ready to take some car listing photos, follow these tips.
Think of your car photos as glamour shots for your vehicle. You don’t want to take these photos when the lighting isn’t right. With a car, you will be working with outdoor lighting. Generally, the best times of day to photograph outside are when the sun is rising and when the sun is setting. This is often called the “golden hour.” Try to aim for one of these times of day to capture the most appealing images.
You may be surprised to find that cloudy days are often ideal for car photos. If you take photos when the sun is too high or bright, you will get a reflective glare off your car that can hide important details. The clouds filter the light so you can see the vehicle clearly.
The sun isn’t the only thing that reflects off cars. If you are taking a close-up photo, you can appear in the reflection in the photo, making even the best shots look unprofessional and rather silly. If you can, stand back from the car when you take the picture. If you need to get close, play with your angle so that you are out of the reflection.
You also want to be aware of other cars and objects in the surrounding area because these items will be distracting for potential buyers and detract from the car for sale. If you can’t avoid capturing your surroundings at home, try driving the car to an empty parking lot.
There is no such thing as too many angles when taking car photos. Buyers will just skip past angles they don’t want to see, but they will refrain from buying the car altogether if you don’t show the angle that they are interested in. When you get the lighting right, you might as well take as many photos as you can. You can always sift through them later if they appear redundant.
Don’t forget about angles inside the car too. Sit in each of the seats and take photos of the rest of the car. This gives buyers a sense of how much room they have inside and the orientation of all the buttons and features. Again, not every buyer will be interested in these, but they can make all the difference for others.
If your car is damaged in any way, you either need to repair the damage or show it in photos. Potential buyers will gain trust in you as a seller if you document the negatives as well as the positives. By showing them the scratches and dings and scrapes, you signal that you have nothing to hide and are honest about the car’s condition. Many buyers, such as our team at CarVIO, won’t care about the damage too much, especially if it’s minor.
While you do want to record the bad stuff, feel free to focus on the good things too! Take close-ups of any neat or innovative features that you have particularly enjoyed or that may interest buyers. Not all models are made the same, so buyers won’t assume that the car has heated steering wheels or a backup camera unless you specifically note it.
Be sure to blur out your license plate, home address number, and any other potential identifiers before you post or send the photos. Though this is usually not an issue, it is better to protect yourself and your identity than risk someone stealing your information or knowing where you live. If you are sending your photos to a trusted agency like CarVIO, you can skip this step and leave the license plate in view.
The biggest downfall for car owners trying to sell their vehicles is trusting unreliable or nonprofessional sources. Selling a car on your own is risky and often doesn’t yield as much money as you would think. The process can also potentially put you in danger or compromise your private information. Though you are expected to post photos and location information on your sale, buyers don’t have to give any information. It is hard to know who to trust.
The best option is to sell your car with CarVIO. Our team is trusted, professional, and experienced, and we put client safety and security above all else. We provide confidential and secure services so you can avoid the anxiety of clandestine meetings or viewings with strangers. We can get you a quote within 24 hours and often are able to give immediate offers to our clients. We buy cars in all conditions, so your dents and broken bits don’t scare us. Our service is the easiest, safest way to sell your vehicle online.
If you are ready to sell your used car, fill out our online form today to begin.