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Photo tips for a car

Overview

Photographs are taken by appointment, with the desk. If you take your own, these notes help.

Equipment

Smartphone Camera

  • Modern smartphones are enough for the set
  • Clean the lens before shooting
  • Use HDR if your phone offers it

Camera

  • A wide enough lens covers the full car
  • A tripod helps in low light
  • A remote shutter keeps longer exposures steady

Lighting

Natural Light

  • Shoot in daylight, out of direct glare
  • Open shade or an overcast day gives even light
  • Avoid harsh midday sun; early morning or late afternoon is easier

Artificial Light

  • Use even light in a workshop or garage
  • Avoid flash: it flattens the paint and leaves hard shadows
  • Don't mix daylight and warm workshop light in one shot

Composition

The Full Car

  • Shoot the front three-quarters and the rear three-quarters
  • Keep the whole car in frame
  • Clean the car first
  • Check the background: other cars, bins and signage distract

Interior and Details

  • Keep the camera level, and shoot from the open door
  • Show the seats, the dash and the odometer
  • Photograph the engine bay
  • Include key details: badges, wheels, trim, service stickers

The Honest Set

  • Photograph any flaw you know of: a mark, a chip, wear on a seat
  • Photograph the chassis plate and the odometer
  • If something is missing, a photograph settles it later

Technical Requirements

File Format

  • JPEG, PNG or WebP
  • Maximum 10MB per photograph
  • Minimum 4 photographs required
  • Photographs are resized in your browser before upload

Image Quality

  • Sharp focus (not blurry)
  • Even exposure (not too dark or bright)
  • Colour that matches the car

Editing

Basic Adjustments

  • Crop and straighten
  • Brightness and contrast
  • Remove minor dust spots

What NOT to Do

  • Don't use heavy filters
  • Don't hide flaws
  • Don't misrepresent the car

Common Mistakes

Avoid

  • Blurry photographs
  • Dark or overexposed shots
  • Cluttered backgrounds
  • A dirty car
  • Other cars or people in the frame
  • Vertical orientation (use landscape)

Do

  • Use daylight
  • Clean the car first
  • Include every angle and the details
  • Use landscape orientation
  • Take several shots of each angle

Mobile Photography

Using offr on Your Phone

  1. Open the car in your dashboard
  2. Use the photo uploader
  3. Take photographs or choose them from your gallery
  4. Upload

Tips

  • Use the grid for straight lines
  • Tap to focus
  • Hold steady, or rest the phone on something
  • Take several shots of each angle

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