Indoor car sales photography
Discussion
If you're shooting outide rather than inside, a silver car in full sun is a bad place to start! Wait until the sun goes in and you'll have a much softer look - ie some midtones not all burnt-out highlights and impenetrable shadows.
Once you've dispatched the horrible shadows, walk all round the car to find its best angles. This includes looking from near and far (because perspective makes a massive difference to the result) and also from lower down not just eye-level. If the light isn't very good from the best angle, turn the car round. Always be aware of where the light is coming from and the effect it's having in terms of highlights and shadows.
When you're ready, consider colour accuracy. A few years ago I went to view a car because I thought it had cream leather, which was what I wanted, and paid a small deposit for them to keep it until I arrived to see it. When I got there it was butterscotch, blech. I didn't want butterscotch, walked away and the dealer refused to return my deposit.
Once you've dispatched the horrible shadows, walk all round the car to find its best angles. This includes looking from near and far (because perspective makes a massive difference to the result) and also from lower down not just eye-level. If the light isn't very good from the best angle, turn the car round. Always be aware of where the light is coming from and the effect it's having in terms of highlights and shadows.
When you're ready, consider colour accuracy. A few years ago I went to view a car because I thought it had cream leather, which was what I wanted, and paid a small deposit for them to keep it until I arrived to see it. When I got there it was butterscotch, blech. I didn't want butterscotch, walked away and the dealer refused to return my deposit.
If you have to shoot outside , wait till the end of the day just past sunset and then any clouds in the sky act like huge diffusers. Wonderful light for photographing cars . Some of mine from the past
Obviously an indoor setup is much more convenient.
Obviously an indoor setup is much more convenient.
Edited by DaveGB on Thursday 29th September 20:42
Forget the ipad.
Buy a cheap slr, it can be a 8 year old one, with a kit lens. Get a tripod for it.
Dont shoot after 10am or before 4pm (if outside).
Go look at some good photos of cars on this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
And pick some you would like to try and replicate then tell us which
Buy a cheap slr, it can be a 8 year old one, with a kit lens. Get a tripod for it.
Dont shoot after 10am or before 4pm (if outside).
Go look at some good photos of cars on this thread:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
And pick some you would like to try and replicate then tell us which
Don't buy an old DSLR, buy a new half decent bridge camera that has wifi so you can transfer directly to the iPad.
Also between 10am and 4pm? So in January shoot when it's dark? I see what you're saying but obviously lighting shifts all the time, you have to work with it, and learn when to shoot. Strong direct sunlight you'll generally want to avoid.
Also between 10am and 4pm? So in January shoot when it's dark? I see what you're saying but obviously lighting shifts all the time, you have to work with it, and learn when to shoot. Strong direct sunlight you'll generally want to avoid.
Mikedknight said:
I'd love to pay someone to shoot the cars however my stuff is at the lower end of the market so it would need to be cheap! I guess I could put the word out on Facebook in my local area and see if I get any response
Sales is sales; ultimately you've got to balance any outgoings against any potential profit you stand to make and decide whether it's worth it. That much is true whether you're selling tshirts, cars or houses. Only you can really do that.What I will say is that it doesn't need to be expensive, think of it as an investment per car. So let's say you're expecting to make £1000 profit on a particular car. Investing £50-100 on having it photographed will likely generate more leads, selling the car more quickly. It may even allow you to advertise the car at a higher price, which would cover your costs off anyway.
For the photographer, the key to making money is shooting in bulk and so going for the cheapest option on your photographer may actually be counter-productive. An amateur might charge you the same money, might even be less. But they'll likely have a lower hit-rate, taking more images per car to find ten that are suitable for your advert. They'll be both slower to shoot and edit, then the end result will likely have less impact. Of course you can look locally, but you don't necessarily have to restrict yourself. For example if someone can shoot ten cars in a day at £100 each, then they're likely to make the trip.
The key with any business decision I guess is to think about it logically. You're potentially going to invest in equipment, a location and then spend the time to learn how to use it. Then you're going to spend time shooting cars, editing them and making sure they're suitable for online ads. There's nothing wrong with doing that, but that's time you could potentially use more effectively elsewhere in your business.
I know this might sound like a sales pitch with a vested interest and I apologise if that's how it comes across, but ultimately this is generic advice that comes from experience and applies to a multitude of industries at all levels. It is as equally true for selling Fiestas as it is Ferraris.
Some good advice, thanks all. I like buying, selling and tinkering. I find myself becoming frustrated by photography. Sometimes I get lucky and get half decent photos but most of the time I am disappointed. I'm in the DE11 area of Derbyshire if anyone knows of someone localish that would like to earn a few quid.
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