The 12 photos every used vehicle listing needs

A buyer scrolling a marketplace decides in a second or two whether to open a listing, and once they are in, the photos do most of the selling. They cannot walk around the vehicle, so the photos have to do it for them.

Most dealerships know this, but the photos still vary from one vehicle to the next because they depend on who took them and how busy the day was. A fixed shot list fixes that. Here is the one we built Motorstudio around: eight photos outside and four inside, always in the same order.

The eight outside

Walk around the vehicle once, clockwise, starting at the front right corner.

1. Front right. The three-quarter view from the front corner. This is the photo most marketplaces show first, so it is the one that has to make someone stop scrolling. Stand far enough back to get the whole vehicle with a little space around it, with the front wheels turned slightly so the face of the wheel shows.
2. Front. Straight on, at the height of the headlights. It shows the grille and the badge, and any chips on the hood or a cracked license plate.
3. Front left. The other front corner. Buyers compare both sides for mismatched paint or a panel that sits differently.
4. Left side. Square on, from the middle of the vehicle. It shows the length, the wheelbase and the condition of the rocker panels.
5. Rear left. The three-quarter view from the back corner.
6. Rear. Straight on, at the height of the rear lights. It shows the exhaust, the bumper and the condition of the trunk lid.
7. Rear right. The last back corner.
8. Right side. Square on again, which brings you back to where you started.

Two habits make these eight look like a set rather than eight separate photos. Take every one from the same height, about chest height, so the vehicle sits the same way in every frame. And keep the same distance, so the vehicle fills the same share of the photo each time. Lined up in a listing, a matching set looks like a business that takes care over its inventory.

The four inside

9. Dashboard. From the driver’s door or the middle of the back seat, showing the instruments, the screen and the steering wheel. Turn the ignition on first so the dash is lit and the mileage is readable, which answers the question many buyers would otherwise phone to ask.
10. Front seats. From the open door, showing wear on the driver’s bolster, which is the first place a seat shows its age.
11. Rear seats. From an open back door. Family buyers look closely at this one.
12. Trunk. With the cargo cover in place or removed, but tidy. Take out anything that is not sold with the vehicle.

Add what is particular to the vehicle

The 12 are the minimum, not the whole listing. After them, photograph whatever a buyer would want to see before making the trip:

• Wheels and tires, especially alloy wheels that are in good condition or new tires.
• Optional extras such as a panoramic roof, upgraded seats or a tow hitch.
• Any damage, close up and honestly. A buyer who has already seen a scuff in the photos is far less likely to walk away when they see it in person.
• The service records and the spare key, if the vehicle has them.

Why the order matters

Keeping to one order is not about being tidy. When every listing starts with the front right corner and ends with the trunk, a buyer comparing three of your vehicles can click between them and compare like with like. And whoever takes the photos never has to think about what comes next, so nothing gets missed.

It also makes training easy. A new member of the team can follow the list on the first day.

How Motorstudio helps

The Motorstudio app is built around exactly these 12 angles. An outline on the screen shows where to stand for each one, a level keeps the phone straight and at the right height, and the app moves on to the next angle by itself. Each photo comes back on a clean studio background with your logo, so the whole set matches whoever took it.