An ADI’s car is one of the first things that a student will want to see when on the hunt for an instructor – so ensure your car photos pop with Theory Test Pro’s guide.
Capturing a quality image of your car needn’t require the services of a pro photographer. By following these simple, pragmatic steps, you can achieve the right result with a minimum of fuss and cost.
1. What to Shoot
Remember the car is the star – make sure your vehicle is clean, all branding legible (i.e., no worn-out or missing letters), and there’s no damage to the vehicle. The intention of the photo is to not only advertise your services but to instil confidence in the viewer, not trepidation.
2. What To Shoot With
Recent smartphones now feature great cameras – the iPhone 5S, Samsung Galaxy 5, Sony Xperia Z1 and top-end Nokia Lumia models (and recent older variants) can achieve impressive results, suitable for website and online ad use. For the best results though, stick with a high quality compact or better still, a full-blown DSLR (Digital Single-Lens Reflex camera) if you have access to one.
Cameras on phones such as the iPhone 5S offer a viable alternative to traditional compact cameras. Photo: iPhone 5S © Karlis Dambrans
3. What Time to Shoot
Shooting in direct sunlight isn’t ideal – the resulting shadows, reflections and glare can spoil the picture. Alternatively, shooting on an overcast day creates images that can appear dull and washed-out. The best time to shoot is during the ‘Golden Hour’ – early morning or evening when the light is softer and more flattering.
4. Where to Shoot
Keep the location real – shots of your pride and joy on a grassy hill bathed in moonlight isn’t a realistic depiction of how the student will experience your car or lessons! A tidy suburban street is the best option because that’s where you’ll be conducting most of your lessons. While a packed town street is also an accurate reflection of the kinds of environments students will experience, such an image might intimidate a novice driver.
Do… … ensure that there are no distractions in the background such as passersby, animals – or background items that might appear to be ‘growing’ out of the top of your car such as telegraph poles, phone boxes, etc.
Don’t… … let the sky dominate the picture; either the sky will be a flat, distracting mass in the background or the camera will automatically take its exposure reading off the sky, potentially leaving the foreground in darkness. Instead, shoot against a building, hedge or other unassuming backdrop – again, the point here is to make the car the star, not the setting.
A great shot for a new car launch – but not ideal for showing off your branding or the kinds of places you will be teaching pupils.Photo: Car by Sea © NRMA New Cars
5. How to Shoot
Keep the composition simple; the prospective student wants to see your car, not be wowed by, say, a wide-angle low shot that makes your car look ‘cool’. Instead, shoot your pictures from eye level, remembering to show all of the car and its branding clearly. Stick with simple, unfussy shots too – think front and rear corners, front and back straight-ons and side profiles.
If you want to try close-ups or different angles, feel free – but it’s best to get your ‘stock’ shots in place first so you have the basics covered.
Do… … use the highest settings on your camera to ensure you capture the highest quality image possible. It gives you more room for manoeuvre such as being able to crop a photo afterwards without impacting too negatively on its overall quality.
Don’t… … use a standard flash; one, it won’t be powerful enough to provide adequate lighting for your car and two, even if it does, it will invariably create a harsh, amateurish look that is deeply unflattering to your car and brand.
A clean, simple shot – though shooting in the Golden Hour would have produced a less reflective result.
Photo credit: Ford Fiesta © Manoj Prasad.
6. What To Do with the Picture
Your image a little dark? Perhaps the name of your driving school could be highlighted more? Or do you want to crop the image because you’re not happy with the composition? Then use a computer and software such as Adobe Photoshop for a pro finish – the company is offering a free one-month trial at the moment. Alternatively, download freebie art package GIMP to do the heavy lifting.
If you own a tablet, then import the image into an app such as the excellent Snapseed (iOS/Android - free) and manipulate your images with ease.