Who else doesn`t do their best with pictures?

**Jean-Claude** · 09-05-2011, 12:17 AM

I have become so jaded when it comes to taking photos of my work. It just takes forever to take shots that really tell a story....upload, resize, add a watermark, upload, post, write story....

This is horrible on my part. As everyone here knows, when you offer a specialized service as pretty much all of us do, you need to be able to show it off. Why did I buy this nice camera again? I forgot.

Forget the actual shots I do have that are sitting on a memory card! I need someone to handle this crap for me.

Who`s with me?

**imported_dfazekas** · 09-05-2011, 02:06 AM

I have yet to figure out how people spare time to take 100+ photography-esque

pics and pump out more than one car on a daily basis...I know I sure haven`t been able

to do it. Every now and then I`ll snag a good pic with my phone, but thats about it. Its hard for me

to find time to fool with camera settings, lighting, tripods, editing, etc...Maybe I`ll

hire an employee as a photographer

**gigondaz** · 09-05-2011, 07:17 AM

It all boils down to your working style and the kind of jobs you undertake.

For me, if I`m working alone on an huge job, I certainly won`t hv that "frame of mind" to stop work, set up my equipment, play around with lighting, and spend time to take quality pics. I`d be 100% concerned to finish up the job properly within the agreed time frame. That`s my ONLY concern.

My customers pay for my work time.....and they certainly won`t like it if they see me stopping at every stage to take pics.

In my shop, I take short videos of PROCESSES.

This is to highlight to the customer what he`s paying for, and what the job entailed. The videos are taken by my staff, and this is shown on my wall-mounted flat screen TV to the customer when he/she collects the vehicle.

**TedFred** · 09-05-2011, 08:13 AM

Originally Posted by gigondaz

It all boils down to your working style and the kind of jobs you undertake.

In my shop, I take short videos of PROCESSES.

This is to highlight to the customer what he`s paying for, and what the job entailed. The videos are taken by my staff, and this is shown on my wall-mounted flat screen TV to the customer when he/she collects the vehicle.

Nice touch. That extra step lets the client know that you are proud of your work.

**Jean-Claude** · 09-05-2011, 09:26 AM

I am starting to go the route of videos rather than pictures myself. I can walk around a car and film it with a droid x in 5 minutes and spend another 5 at the end and boom I am done.

Let me be clear that I am not knocking anyone who takes awesome shots of their work! I am just noting that I can barely stand doing it myself now.

Originally Posted by gigondaz

It all boils down to your working style and the kind of jobs you undertake.

For me, if I`m working alone on an huge job, I certainly won`t hv that "frame of mind" to stop work, set up my equipment, play around with lighting, and spend time to take quality pics. I`d be 100% concerned to finish up the job properly within the agreed time frame. That`s my ONLY concern.

My customers pay for my work time.....and they certainly won`t like it if they see me stopping at every stage to take pics.

In my shop, I take short videos of PROCESSES.

This is to highlight to the customer what he`s paying for, and what the job entailed. The videos are taken by my staff, and this is shown on my wall-mounted flat screen TV to the customer when he/she collects the vehicle.

**imported_sal329** · 09-05-2011, 11:57 AM

I usually take a few before a couple during and some afters nothing special. I use a simple Point and Shoot and do not edit not even crop

**SpoolinNoMore** · 09-05-2011, 12:28 PM

I always have struggled with before/after shots in getting the same angle so you can tell its the same panel. I think 50/50 shots with a point-and-click camera are really the best route to go when it comes to time-budgeting. However, I feel having a vast portfolio of your work is very beneficial down the line for future business, even though it may cost you a few minutes here and there. While I don`t own, much less know how to use a DSLR camera to more accurately capture my work, I can definitely appreciate the value of documentation of your hard work/passion.

**Nth Degree** · 09-05-2011, 01:23 PM

I look at photos, editing, etc. as an advertising cost. On big jobs I take lots of photos before. This is not just for myself, but also to document any damage so that the owner can`t claim I did it. I take a few shots during, usually 50/50, just to show the progress. I do spend a fair amount of time taking after photos. I load the before photos to my laptop, then go through them one by one and try to duplicate the angle and lighting to show the dramatic difference. After several cars I learned a basic pattern to make it easy. I then crop them to create a great slideshow. I provide the customer with all the original photos as well as a full write up so that they can appreciate the work put in and show their friends (potential customers). Many have commented on it being a nice touch and one recent customer said it made him appreciate how good his car looks after seeing the dramatic before and after photos.

Yes. It is time consuming, but it does pay off when done right. I carry some small books with me to car shows. It sets me apart from all the other "detailers" handing out flyers.

**imported_DetailDan** · 09-05-2011, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by SpoolinNoMore

I always have struggled with before/after shots in getting the same angle so you can tell its the same panel.

Get a tripod.

**Jean-Claude** · 09-05-2011, 03:46 PM

Once you set it up you can also use painter`s tape on the floor to mark the location of the tripod.

Originally Posted by D&D Auto Detail

Get a tripod.

**SpoolinNoMore** · 09-05-2011, 04:30 PM

Originally Posted by D&D Auto Detail

Get a tripod.

Then I`d have to justify using a camera on a tripod with a camera nicer than the 4 year old 8mp canon point and shoot I own :-P

**MirrorDetailing** · 09-06-2011, 10:48 AM

Yeah, I just do not find the time to take detailed pictures of the work. I prefer to catch the befores and everything you need to show the cars before condition. Then, maybe a few during shots if I am taking a break and find something interesting to take a picture of or test areas. Then all the final pictures. I am just not great at coming up with tons of pictures to be able to tell a story. To me, those who can, just have that gift of gab. They are the people who are born speakers and can translate that into writen word.

**WAS** · 09-06-2011, 01:08 PM

I try to take detailed pictures, but often I just don`t have the time. Especially in our busy season when there`s many cars in our shop at once that need to finished and moved out for the next cars waiting in line.

**Nth Degree** · 09-06-2011, 01:21 PM

I don`t understand how someone can spend 5+ hours on a detail but not be able to take 5 minutes to take a few photos. I understand when it is a typical DD detail, but a full correction or great turn around should be documented. How much do you spend on advertising? 5 minutes of photos and 10 minutes of editing can do more than all the signs and mailings you could ever create. If you make $60/hour then your cost is $15 for such an effective form of advertising. If you show someone a flyer for detailing for one company and show them some before and after photos of a great turn around for another and simply provide a phone # which do you think gets the greater return?