Setting up a Photo Booth

[ddavis]

There are lots of programs out there that search for edges or differing light conditions, but I have yet to see one that did a batch-job well. Knowing that batch isn't a consistently reliable method I have to assume your person is manually inspecting each image. I wouldn't call that a very scalable business, but that's his problem.

<Disclaimer on next statement>I must admit that I have a trained eye. I am an avid photographer and have years of experience with Photoshop from a photography and graphic design standpoint, so I might be seeing more here than the average person </end Disclaimer> This image looks insanely fake to me. The reflections on the body and in the window lack context so they immediately hurt my eyes when looking at this. The driver's side windows are the ones that really stick out. It just isn't natural.

I must admit there are some pieces that are truly outstanding:
1. The pavement cutoff
2. The smooth edges where the background was cut out on the vehicle

Those are tough things to do and take some time. If he was able to mask the reflective parts of the windows and duplicate the body areas to stop the reflections there, you'd have something very special.

I'm not suggesting that using photoshop is the way to go. My friend is at an urban dealership were space is at a premium. Most of his vehicles are parked on a gravel lot. He is aware that his pictures are not going to look as good as those shot in a booth. He is simply trying to make them presentable. He wants people to focus on the vehicle and not the surroundings and I think that he accomplished that. As far as scalable, these pictures are taken by an employee. He maintains a days to market of under three. Being a person of integrity, he is not going to remove dents, dings or whatever. This is an example of someone being creative in making something work with limited resources.

 

[Alex Snyder]

I'm not suggesting that using photoshop is the way to go. My friend is at an urban dealership were space is at a premium.

Sorry ddavis - I overlooked the "my friend" part in your first post. You have spiked my curiosity on what your friend's lot looks like. I'm now wondering if lot space is the real motivation for doing all that work.

 

[ddavis]

Sorry ddavis - I overlooked the "my friend" part in your first post. You have spiked my curiosity on what your friend's lot looks like. I'm now wondering if lot space is the real motivation for doing all that work.

I have several friends that share the same problem including my previous store. We actually got permission from a hotel next door to take pictures on their lot. Not only did we not have an area to set up a booth, we didn't have a nice area outside. What we had was a desire that our pictures looked presentable.

I know that they sell a lot of cars at my friend's store and they have a very short "days to market". They can not be spending a lot of time editing pictures. There is obviously a way to do this that isn't too time consuming.

I'm jealous of those dealerships that have large facilities and open areas in their service departments to set up booths. I just had to play the cards I was dealt.

 

[Kyle Green]

Thanks alex,

I;ll have to take a look at those links this afternoon. My biggest problem now is with darker cars making the photos too dark and I get a blue reflection on the hood from the back drop. It doesn't blend well with bright red cars. I'm starting to actually enjoy photography though...

 

[joe.pistell]

IMO, best Backdrop = off-white.

 

[flosho]

I'm going to be revamping our current photo area in the next week or so. Right now its simply a tan curtain and a grey painted particle board wall. (I think I posted a few shots in this thread).

Going to redo the long wall with some painters tarp/cloth that is grey or slightly off white, the floor (currently bare cement) is getting a white/speckled coating and the tan curtain is going to stay for now.

I'd also like to hang a white non-reflective and light weight curtain around the photo booth so that the shop doesn't reflect into the sides of the vehicles but I don't think that is going to work.

 

[flosho]

IMO, best Backdrop = off-white.

I would have to agree with this! I especially love the clean look this creates for our interior shots!

 

[ddavis]

Nice!

 

[yagoparamo]

Just on a different note,

We had a Toyota dealer with a nice facility drive their cars next to a fountain and take the photos there. Pretty soon an independent in the area with a facility not even close to Toyota's start taking the cars to the same fountain.

The result is that in the online world as we take the cars out the lot and into this photo areas we lose the individualism of the place that is selling them. The photo staging area levels the field.

Now, isn't this better?: http://www.autobase.com/photos/00800/1106/11066408_001.jpg

Staged but also keeps the dealer's facility (and money) into view.

We made fun of this type of situation in one of our reports Page 7 (if anyone is interesed!) http://www.pgiauto.com/images/resources/workingfield.pdf

 

[Jake L]

Here is my new "studio"... As you can see, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. A learning process to say the least. I'm starting to think the blue backdrop was a bad idea.


I recently got rid of the banner in the back and went with the digital stamp. I also tried a better camera with I think better results...



Alex, I've been reading a lot of your insight on photos and am curious to see what you think.

I think it looks a lot better with the logo. Maybe add some more light on the corner angles of the vehicles, its a little dark near the ends (front and back) and very bright in the middle.

Also, do you have to turn the car around to take a photo of the opposite angle? I think the blue is cool if you keep it because it's something that can be signature and might stick with the consumers. Remember, they have looked at your website and 12 other dealer .coms in your city.

Looks good other than that