Selling your car online? Get tips from a pro

Andy Seuberth has a cool job. He gets paid to take pictures of cars. The 30-year-old entrepreneur is the co-founder of Auto Imaging Solutions, an Internet marketing company he runs out of his home in New Jersey. Used car dealers hire Andy to come to their lots once or twice a week and take photos of new inventory. He’ll then host the images online, until the dealer makes a sale.

Once on a lot, Andy will pull each new vehicle out, position it facing the sun for dramatic effect, then take 20 to 25 shots of the interior and exterior. “The biggest mistake people make when they post photos of their cars is that they’re not thorough enough,” he said. “They either won’t take enough pics, the pics will all be on one side of the car, or there won’t be any shots of the interior. Dealers are as guilty of this as anyone.”

He recommends photographing all four sides of a car’s exterior, its engine and trunk, shooting the interior through open doors and then going inside the car to shoot the center console. Andy will also take a shot of any special features, such as a sun roof or special rims. He’ll shoot the odometer so buyers know mileage, the VIN number so they can research the vehicle’s history, and will also get a shot of the front driver’s wheel while they’re turned, to show thread condition.

Andy demonstrates how to shoot a car's front seats.

The condition of used vehicles can vary widely, so Andy’s goal is to use images to provide full disclosure. “Everyone has seen cars where the driver’s seat is shot to hell, but the back looks brand new, or a car that’s pristine on one side, and messed up on the other,” he explained. “Shoppers feel more confident when they see the whole car.”

Andy doesn’t use any special equipment, just a point-and-shoot digital camera. “You’re trying to sell a car, not get in a museum,” he joked. “Just make sure the vehicle is clean inside and out. Position it in good light (he recommends taking shots in mid-day, so long as it isn’t too bright) and make sure there’s nothing distracting in the background.”