Photography for car dealerships: a system for everyday stock, special content for special cars

It is what we always tell the dealerships we work with: everyday cars get photographed in-house, with a system of your own. Only special cars call for special content. A dealership with dozens of cars coming and going every month does not need a photographer for each one. It needs a spot, a list, and someone who follows it the same way every time. This article is that list, and an explanation of when it is worth doing more.

Why photos matter so much for a used car

People who buy a used car online decide largely on the photos. The most-quoted numbers are American and a few years old, but they all point the same way. In 2018, Cox Automotive measured, for new cars, that a listing with several photos of the actual car got 99% more views than one with no photos, and that a single real photo did 36% better than a catalogue shot. In another Cox study, around 40% of consumers said they would buy based on the online images without seeing the car, and used-car shoppers named the odometer photo as the most important.

In Europe, AutoScout24 says high-quality listings get up to four times more enquiries than weak ones. That is the portal's own figure, but the direction is the same.

The system: the same photos, in the same order

The secret of stock that looks good is not that every photo is excellent. It is that they all match: a buyer scrolls through the listings and every car is presented the same way. This is the list we use as a base, built on the recommendations of Standvirtual and AutoScout24's photo guide:

• Exterior: front three-quarter, steered so the rim faces the camera rather than the tyre tread (this is the cover photo); front; side; rear; rear three-quarter.
• Details: a wheel and tyre, the engine, the open boot.
• Interior: the front cabin, with the wheel straight, the seats aligned and the screen on; the rear seats; the dashboard with the odometer lit and readable.
• Proof: the service book, the spare keys, and the extras that make a difference to the price.
• Defects: scratches, dents and wear, photographed close up. More on this below.

Standvirtual, Portugal's main used-car portal, accepts up to 24 images per listing, according to the portal itself; this list fits with room to spare. The order matters too: the first photo is the one shown in the search results, and it decides whether anyone opens the listing.

To make it easier, we put all of this on one A4 sheet, with the camera positions around the car, the list and the rules. Print it and pin it where you shoot.

The spot: one corner of the dealership, always the same

You don't need a studio. You need a spot that doesn't change:

• a clean, neutral background, with no other cars, people or boxes in view;
• constant light: a covered, well-lit space, or always the same time of day and the same side, in shade;
• marks on the floor for the car and for the photographer, so the distance and height are always the same;
• a dedicated camera, if there is budget for it: it is the best option, and it can stay set up on site, always on the same settings. A phone will do to start, but in principle it doesn't stay there: it lives in someone's pocket, with different settings and a different lens each time. What spoils photos is rarely the camera; it is rushing.

With the spot set up and the list printed, anyone on the team can photograph a car in minutes, and the whole stock ends up looking the same.

The rules that aren't up for debate

The car in the photo is the car for sale. No catalogue photos, no photos of another identical car. Portugal's law on unfair commercial practices, Decree-Law 57/2008, treats as misleading any practice that, even with factually correct information, misleads the consumer through its overall presentation about the main characteristics of the product. The law does not mention photos, but an image that doesn't show the car being sold is hard to defend.

Show the defects. A scratch photographed in the listing is a conversation that doesn't happen on the forecourt, and a buyer who arrives knowing what to expect trusts everything else.

Careful with AI. Cleaning up a photo is image editing. Using AI to make the car look like something it isn't is another matter, and the EU AI Act, in force on this point since August 2026, requires AI-manipulated images that pass as real to be disclosed. When in doubt, don't.

No text on top. AutoScout24's guide asks for photos without logos, phone numbers or other overlaid information. Contact details go in the listing, not in the image.

The number plate. We found no rule requiring it to be covered in a sale listing, but the plate identifies the previous owner, and covering it is the prudent practice.

When special content is worth it

The system serves everyday stock. For some cars it isn't enough:

• special cars: classics, sports cars, limited editions, high-end models, where the photography is part of the price;
• launches and campaigns: a new brand arriving, a dealership opening, a campaign that runs for months;
• formats that need skill: location photography, video, aerial footage, or a 360° tour of the interior.

In those cases it makes sense to bring in people who do this every day, as we did for Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and Hyundai. And some cars are hard by nature: we explain how to photograph a silver car.

The other time a professional is worth it is when setting up the system: choosing the spot, the light, the list and the order, and training the team once. After that, the dealership runs it on its own. If you run a dealership and want to set up your system, or have a special car to show, talk to us.

FAQ

How many photos should a used-car listing have?

Standvirtual accepts up to 24 images, according to the portal. A good base is 15 to 20: the exterior from several angles, the details, the interior, the odometer, the service book and the defects.

Can I use catalogue photos of the model?

It is not a good idea. In Cox Automotive's data for new cars, a single real photo got 36% more views than a catalogue one, and showing a car that isn't the one for sale can mislead the buyer.

Do I have to cover the number plate in the photos?

We found no specific legal obligation for sale listings, but the plate identifies the owner, and covering it is the most prudent practice.