How to take car photos that sell, with your phone

Before you shoot

• Clean it inside and out. Dust on the dashboard shows in every photo.
• Pick the spot. An open area of the lot, no other vehicles behind, no garbage bins, no power lines across the roof.
• Pick the time. Cloudy days and the hour after sunrise or before sunset give soft light without harsh reflections.
• Wipe the lens. A greasy phone lens makes every photo look foggy.

Phone settings

• Use the main camera, not the ultra-wide, for the outside shots. Wide lenses stretch vehicles.
• Shoot horizontal for listings, vertical for stories and TikTok.
• Turn on the grid to keep the horizon straight.
• Never use digital zoom: walk closer instead.

The 20 shots, in order

1. Front three-quarter (your cover photo)
2. Front
3. Driver side
4. Rear three-quarter
5. Rear
6. Passenger side
7. Wheels and tires, with the tread visible
8. Driver's seat from the open door
9. Dashboard and steering wheel
10. Odometer showing the mileage
11. Center screen and controls
12. Front seats
13. Rear seats
14. Cargo area or truck bed
15. Engine
16. Keys
17. Special features: sunroof, tow hitch, third row
18. Any scratch, dent or wear, up close
19. Window sticker or service records, if you have them
20. A final wide shot of the vehicle on your lot

Shooting in the same order every time makes your listings consistent and much faster to post.

Mistakes that cost you messages

• Stock photos. Buyers want the vehicle they'll drive home.
• Dark or blurry photos. They make buyers wonder what you're hiding.
• Hiding the flaws. A buyer who finds a scratch you didn't show is a buyer who leaves.
• Busy backgrounds. The vehicle should be the only thing to look at.

Then add a video

Photos get the click; a 30- to 60-second walkaround answers the questions. How to film a car walkaround video with your phone

Drive Good puts your vehicles on Marketplace with the right photos in the right order, adds a video created by DriveGood AI and answers every buyer. Book a demo →