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Permalink Reply by Ed Wilczek on December 16, 2011 at 8:43pm

Being a 3rd party contractor for a number of dealership for photos and videos, I would hesitate on investing money for a "green screen" or a similar sort of contraption. Before you spend dime one on it, consider the following:

• How are your cars being photographed? -- Is there a consistent look to the cars in your inventory? Are cars over/underexposed? Photos blurry or crisp-looking? Ideally, this is the one that most dealers don't take into consideration, especially when not doing it in-house. The way the car looks to you online is the way it looks to your customer. If you wouldn't buy it based on the photos, then why would your customer pick up the phone?

• Where are your cars being photographed? -- Most times, the dealer hasn't invested any time considering where the most optimal location for photo-taking can be. If your store shoots outdoors, figure out what's in the background. Is it better to show a lot full of cars, or the dumpster behind the building? If your photos are inside, make sure your background is consistent, lighting is optimal. Shooting inside can be more difficult to get a crisp, clean shot, so make sure that you look at the final work to make sure it is representative of your car.

• How strong is your staff with answering internet leads and getting people in the door? -- You could have the most gorgeous set of photos in the world, but if your staff isn't on their game answering leads, then it doesn't do any good to have beautiful pictures. 

Having sat in all the chairs before I started doing this, I've found that most every store that I walk into end up increasing internet sales because of the QUALITY of the pictures, rather than spending money for a studio or green screen.

Feel free to reach out to me if you have any more questions.

Ed

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Permalink Reply by Pat Kirley on January 28, 2012 at 2:47pm

Hi Katie
I would not use green and I am Irish, I would suggest a white background  as it shows up the cars best. 
Professional quality photos stand out, get some training for the person taking the photos.
All this will help you sell quicker and generate more footfall but market value is the most you can expect so
You need to value the stock carefully

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Permalink Reply by Chris Price on April 28, 2012 at 11:55am

If you want a professional background for your inventory, contact AutoExact for their photo booth. It uses natural light and is an excellent option. Its much less expensive than the green screen and produces better looking photos. Check them out at Autoexact.com.  

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