In Part One of this article, we explained how high-quality photos can better entice potential customers to visit your dealership. We shared four initial tips on how to shoot better inventory photos to drive more showroom traffic. Below are four additional tips.
5: Golden Section (the rule of thirds)
The rule of thirds is a general guideline to help in composing visual images. The basic principle behind the rule of thirds is to imagine breaking an image down into thirds so that you have nine parts. This grid identifies four important parts of the image that you should consider placing the vehicle as you frame your image. By using this method it’s possible to produce a higher-quality image that is well balanced and puts the focus on the vehicle.
Keeping the vehicle across the four center points will help compose a better shot.
6. Background
Try and keep distractions to a minimum. Avoid having things in the background that will distract the eye. Things like other vehicles, signage, dumpsters, cracked asphalt and power lines can kill a picture. Remember, the photo should be all about the vehicle you’re selling, nothing else. If you want your dealership’s information with the photo, considering using a custom photo overlay on the first image instead of hanging behind the car.
The bright busy background makes it hard for the SUV to stand out.
The patchy asphalt in this photo is distracting from the vehicle.
7. Reflections and hard shadows
New and reconditioned vehicles often have shiny surfaces. Have a look around at the car to see what is reflecting or casting shadows on its surface. If you can, avoid having your own reflection in the photo. If you can’t avoid a reflection, try putting the camera on a tripod, setting the timer, and moving out of the shot. Nothing ruins a shot like distracting reflections.
The bright reflections distract from vehicle details and even make it hard to tell what color it is.
8: Get away from normal eye-level
Find unique features and then try and shoot them from different angles. Kneel down in front of the car, or try to get a shot from high up. This will allow you to capture multiple angles of the car. Experiment but be careful not to get too “artsy.” Extreme angles can distort the shape of a vehicle and though it might look cool, remember that the purpose of the photo is to clearly show the vehicle’s condition and options to a potential customer in a way that makes them want to come in and see it in person.
The low angle helps show the more rugged features on this Jeep Wrangler.
If you have any questions about taking better inventory photos, feel free to reach out to us at Dealerslink.
