Photo
Guide

The complete set you need to deliver

Buyers bid on what they can see. A clear, consistent and complete set of media is the single biggest factor in how a car presents, and how confidently people bid. Work through the six blocks below. Counts are minimums: shoot more whenever the car deserves it, never hide a flaw, and capture the paperwork as carefully as the paint. Cars are sold as presented, so the media should tell the whole story.

At a glance

The whole shoot on one page. Work top to bottom and tick each frame as you capture it. Counts are minimums, so add more whenever the car deserves it.

Circle the car and shoot a full lap. Keep the camera at roughly bumper-to-beltline height and the same distance for every frame, so the set reads as one continuous walkaround. Capture the four profiles, the four three-quarters, every wheel, and the undercarriage.

Move in close. Document the roof, every lighting unit and mirror, and, above all, every cosmetic flaw as its own frame. Honesty here protects buyer and seller alike, since the car sells exactly as shown.

Open both front doors and shoot into the cabin from each side first. These are your lead interior frames. Then work through the seats, the controls, and every surface and trim panel, finishing with the centre "hero" frame from between the seats.

The interior close work: open up the glovebox and hidden areas, record any wear, and capture the features that set this car apart.

Paperwork and extras build provenance and trust. Photograph everything that comes with the car. Lay documents flat, fill the frame, keep text legible, and always mask personal data before shooting.