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Selling your car , Travel and everyday · Updated 2026-10-18

Photos that help your car sell

In an online ad, the photos are the first thing a buyer looks at and often the only reason they open the ad at all. Good pictures do not need a camera or any skill. A recent phone, some patience and a bit of planning are enough. The goal is not to make the car look better than it is, but to show it clearly, so serious buyers contact you and others do not waste your time.

Prepare the car first

Photos show every smudge. Wash the car and clean the inside before you take anything. Empty the cabin and boot of personal items, bags, child seats and rubbish. Remove stickers and air fresheners hanging from the mirror. If you have not yet cleaned the car, our guide on how to prepare your car for sale has the full routine.

Choose the place and the light

A calm background keeps attention on the car. A quiet car park, an empty street or a plain wall works better than a crowded yard, other cars or a messy garage. Avoid bright backgrounds that make the car look dark.

• Best light is soft: early morning, late afternoon or an evenly cloudy day.
• Avoid harsh midday sun, which creates glare and deep shadows.
• Avoid shooting in the rain or when the car is wet, since drops hide marks and look untidy.
• Do not stand with the sun directly behind the car, or the car turns into a silhouette.

Get the phone settings right

Clean the camera lens with a soft cloth first, since fingerprints cause hazy pictures. Hold the phone sideways, in landscape, because most ad sites show wide pictures. Turn off filters and heavy editing. Keep the phone level, at about the height of the car's side mirrors, and avoid tilting it up or down. Leave some space around the car instead of cropping tightly.

The shots buyers expect

Think of a simple set that tells the whole story, taking pictures in the same order every time:

1. Front three-quarter view, from a corner of the car. This is usually the main photo.
2. Side view of the whole car, left and right.
3. Rear three-quarter view.
4. Front and rear straight on.
5. Dashboard and steering wheel, with the ignition on if you can show the mileage and no warning lights.
6. Front seats and rear seats.
7. Boot, open and empty.
8. Engine bay, clean and with the bonnet open.
9. Each wheel and tyre, or at least one that shows the tread.
10. Extra equipment: screen, navigation, climate control, sunroof, roof rails, spare wheel.

Between 15 and 25 pictures is a good range for most ads. More than that tends to be repetitive.

Be honest about flaws

Photograph visible scratches, dents, stone chips, worn seats and any other faults, with a close-up and a short mention in your text. This feels counterintuitive, but it works in your favour. Buyers who see a flaw in the picture and read about it in advance do not feel tricked at the viewing, and they are less likely to bargain hard over it afterwards. Hiding a fault in the photos usually only moves the argument to the meeting, and may cost you the sale.

Never edit photos to remove damage, change colour or add equipment. Besides being dishonest, it can lead to disputes or claims after the sale. Light adjustment of brightness is fine, but nothing more.

Protect your privacy

Before you upload, check each picture for details you do not want public. Cover or blur the number plate if you prefer not to show it, and make sure the picture does not show your house number, street name, documents, keys or the vehicle identification number. Sharing a VIN publicly is not necessary; you can give it to serious buyers directly. Our guide on reading a VIN explains why buyers ask for it. Many phones also store location in the file, so check that setting if you do not want to share where you live.

Match photos with your ad

Put the best, clearest picture first. Make sure the order tells a story, from outside to inside. Each picture should agree with the description, and the written text should mention anything the photos cannot show. When you are ready to write the text, see writing a good ad.

What to remember

• Wash the car and remove personal items first.
• Use soft daylight and a plain background.
• Take a consistent set of 15 to 25 landscape photos.
• Show flaws honestly and do not edit them out.
• Check that no private details are visible before uploading.

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