By: Peak’s Auctioneer Michael Whitfield
The ABC’s of Taking Pictures of Auction Vehicles
Don’t forget that the vast majority of communication is non-verbal. In 1967, UCLA Professor Albert Mehrabian and colleagues performed groundbreaking research on interpersonal communication. Out of this research came, arguably, the best-known set of numbers within the teaching and communication disciplines: the idea that the total meaning in a message is “7 percent verbal, 38 percent vocal, and 55 percent facial.”
I cannot stress the importance or impact of visual appeal on your auction’s bottom line. These quick and easy tips will have a significant impact on your results.
- TAKE PHOTOS in LANDSCAPE (horizontal) MODE. Peak’s auction software works best when photos are taken in this manner. Portrait (vertical) pics should only be used on extremely tall units such as semi tractors.
- BACK UP and ELIMINATE VISUAL OBSTRUCTIONS – Remove all vegetation or debris around the unit and provide plenty of empty space in the photo frame so the vehicle doesn’t get chopped off. We are able to crop excess white space if needed. You may need to move your unit to a staging area to get the best photos.
- AVOID SUN SPOTS – If possible, take photos on a cloudy day, or orient the cars to take photographs while facing North or South.
- TAKE PLENTY of PHOTOS. Our minimum standard is 6 photos (4 corners, front seat including steering wheel, and engine compartment). The higher the value of the vehicle, the more critical it is to take additional photos such as tire wear, instrument panel, vin plate, etc..
- AVOID USING PHOTOS FROM the INITIAL TOW. These types of photos are visually unappealing and can be an inaccurate representation of the condition of the vehicle. Most of these photos are taken at night which makes them unusable for the auction process.
