360 photos are now a standard way to showcase vehicles online. It allows potential buyers to explore the exterior and interior of the cars, which wouldn’t have been possible with traditional images. Hence, whether you’re a dealership or a private seller, you must start providing 360-degree photos.
Now, the question is, how to take 360 photos of cars?
Start by positioning the car in a clean area so that you get proper exterior shots. Keep the camera at a fixed height and distance. Maintain consistent camera positioning, even lighting, and spacing between each shot. Capture as many images as needed, and edit and stitch them for a smooth 360 view.
Stay with us as we give you a step-by-step guide for getting the perfect 360 images. We have included both exterior and interior shots for complete support. So, let’s get right into it!
3 Must-Have Tools To Take 360 Photos Of Cars
Before diving straight into how to take 360 photos of cars, allow us to introduce you to all the tools you will require. Consider this as a part of your pre-shoot preparation and assemble everything that you might need.
Here is a list of things we usually recommend for 360 vehicle photography.
1. Proper Cameras
High-resolution mirrorless cameras like the Nikon Z9 or 360-degree cameras like the GoPro are usually ideal. However, smartphones with high-quality cameras are just fine as well.
2. Additional Gears Or Accessories
Here are all the gears or accessories we recommend keeping nearby. However, some are optional depending on the type of pictures you’re taking.
- A sturdy tripod
- Lighting equipment (if shot indoors)
- Reflector (optional)
- Manual or motorized turntable ( for spin shots)
- Cleaning equipment
3. Software for Editing And Stitching
Every picture needs a little bit of extra adjustment to help it all come together. Start with a proper 360 software to help you with the stitching. A good software ensures an interactive spin as well as optimizes for size and loading speed.
How To Take 360 Photos Of Cars (Exterior): Step-By-Step Guide
Once you’ve assembled the tools as per your needs, we can jump to work now! Remember, 360 photos don’t only include the exterior, we will also tell you all about capturing the interiors.
However, to begin with, here is a step-by-step guide on how to take 360 photos of cars – exterior.
Step 1: Prepare The Background And The CaR
If you’re taking the pictures outdoors, take the location and weather into consideration. Take the pictures when the sun isn’t too harsh.
Regardless of an indoor or outdoor shoot, make sure to have enough space when parking the car. The tires should be aligned. More importantly, make sure to clean the exterior properly.
Step 2: Camera Setup
Once you’ve decided the type of device you want to shoot with, take out your tripod. You must set it up the right way, or the vehicle looks short and distorted.
You want to create a balanced, eye-level view that feels natural. Hence, place the tripod at the midline of the vehicle. Keep the tripod at the same level for all the shots. This is especially important if you plan on stitching the photos.
Moreover, maintain a consistent distance between the car and the camera. You can mark and measure the distance for better consistency. However, make sure the camera isn’t too close, as it can make the car look too wide.
Lastly, adjust the Exposure and White balance as needed. Also, set the manual shutter speed. Don’t rely on auto-adjusting features, or the lighting in the final run-down of the 360 pictures won’t seem coherent. If needed, you can use a reflector at this step.
Step 3: Capture the Exterior
You can manually take the pictures by circling around the vehicle. Just maintain a consistent distance using ground markers.
Many professional dealerships prefer using a motorized turntable. It saves time and ensures proper spacing automatically. However, if you have a limited budget, you can opt for a manual turntable as well.
Also, before you get started, try to roughly estimate the total number of pictures you want. Then, when capturing, maintain equal intervals throughout the different angles. Furthermore, don’t stand too close to the car. Adjust yourself in a way to avoid capturing yourself in reflections.
Step 4: Editing
It’s better if you can arrange the photos in a proper sequence and then transfer them to the editing software you want to use. If you’re using a regular photo-editing software, adjust the lighting and enhance clarity. However, don’t go over-board with it, keep it natural.
Alternatively, for 360-stitching, you can opt for popular tools like Insta360 Studio or SpinCar. Just maintain the right sequence of the images for a smooth rotation.
Step-By-Step Guide: How To Take 360 Car Photos (Interior)
Once you’re done with the exterior images, it’s time to capture the interior as well. Follow the steps mentioned below to get just the perfect images of your vehicle.
Step 1: Prepare the interior
If you’re selling pre-owned vehicles, start by removing all your personal items. Clean out everything, including the dashboard, seats, and infotainment area. If needed, consider getting professional help for this.
Moreover, open all the doors or at least roll down the windows for proper lighting. If that isn’t sufficient, you can even use LED panels or speedlights by placing them outside the vehicle.
Step 2: Camera Placement
Use a slim tripod and place it at the center of the cabin. The height should be maintained nearly at the head level of an average seated passenger.
However, don’t be too rigid about this setup, you have to be a little more flexible in the case of the interior. You might not even always need a tripod. You will have to take close-up shots of the dashboard or other parts that provide important information to the clients.
Step 3: Capture A 360-Degree View
For the interior, you can directly opt for a 360 panorama single picture with your desired camera. Just make sure to use HDR mode for darker interiors.
However, you can also go in manually. Take individual shots from different positions, just remember to maintain the consistency in angles and lighting. Focus on individual parts as well, such dashboard, infotainment, and seats.
Step 4: Editing
Lastly, finish it up with some final editing. Remove any reflections, such as of yourself or the tripod. Try to adjust the lighting, enhance clarity, and reduce noise. And, that’s all!
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10 Common Mistakes To Avoid When Taking 360 Car Photos
That’s pretty much everything you need to know about how to take 360 car photos. If you can precisely follow the steps we mention, you’re good to go.
However, the room for error is quite prominent here, especially if you’re just starting out. So, we have compiled a list of common mistakes that dealerships usually make with their pictures. So that you know what to avoid.
- Shooting in direct sunlight.
- Having a distracting or dirty background.
- Not considering the symmetry before capturing the picture.
- Taking blurry or crooked shots.
- Using wide-angle lenses from a small distance.
- Using different distances between photos.
- Not including close-up shots.
- Not locking the exposure when taking the pictures.
- Leaving doors half-open during the exterior shots.
- Not maintaining transparency and overly editing the pictures.
FAQ
Q. How do 360 car images improve lead generation and customer engagement for dealerships?
360 images are essential for creating an interactive digital showroom experience. Such images create transparency and allow buyers to make solid decisions, increasing conversion rates and the sales cycle.
Q. How do I avoid reflections when shooting cars?
Adjust your positioning while keeping the angle intact, and wear darker clothes to avoid being too prominent. Also, try getting the shot during the golden hour or in slightly warm lights as it reduces the harshness. If nothing works, you can use Photoshop to eliminate the reflections during editing.
Q. How many images are typically stitched for a 360 car photo?
It’s safe to take anywhere between 18 to 36 images for seamless stitching, especially for the exterior photos.
Conclusion
360 vehicle photos are essential for any dealership or private seller. They are the key to engaging with buyers, developing trust with them, and speeding up their decision-making process. So, it is important that you know how to take 360 photos of cars.
You don’t need to rely on professional photographers or costly photography tools for this. In fact, you can do it with your smartphone as long as it has high resolution. Just remember to maintain proper angles and lighting from every position. Finish it up with a 360 stitch or edit the images as needed. That’s all!
