The Barn Finds photo guide is divided into exterior, interior, engine bay, and underside photos. We’ve found that’s the most straightforward order to take the images in, but feel free to take them in whatever order is easiest for you. The pictures in this guide are meant to give you an idea of what areas to photograph and the best angles to take them from. Auctions that do the best have at least 75 photos. We don’t limit the number of pictures that can be included in an auction—the more, the better!

Equipment

It’s best to use a DSLR camera, but a modern smartphone can also capture quality images. If you have a DSLR, a flash and a wide-angle lens can come in handy while taking underside and interior photos. If you are using a phone, make sure to set the camera to an aspect ratio of 4:3 or 3:2 and set the resolution to its largest size. Also, be sure to hold your phone so it’s oriented such that the photos are wider than they are tall.

Exterior – Overview

You should provide at least 12 exterior photos that give an overall view of the vehicle. Still, we recommend taking additional pictures at various angles to give bidders the best look at your car.

Front 3/4 View (Both Sides)

Front Rear 

Left Side Right Side

Rear 3/4 View (Both Sides) 

All Four Wheels    

Interior Photos

Overview – Be sure to take shots that provide a comprehensive view of the front and rear seats, the dash, and the floors.

Interior Close-ups – Take close-up shots of each seat

Door Panels

Dash – Include shots of the climate controls, stereo, and glovebox

Gauge Cluster – Make sure the odometer is visible and readable in at least one of the photos of the guages.

Trunk – Be sure to take photos that give a full look at the trunk, the underside of the trunk lid, and the spare wheel well if your vehicle has one.

Engine Bay

Capture at least 3 overview photos of your engine, one from each side and one straight on. Also take pictures of any trim tags, stickers, or numbers you can see in the engine bay or on the fenders.

Underside

Holding your camera as close to the ground as possible, aim towards the car’s center and try to capture photos from each corner, end and side of the vehicle. If you have a wide-angle lens for your camera or your phone has a wide-angle camera mode, be sure to use it for these photos, as it allows you to capture as much of the underside at once as possible.

Problem Areas – Take close-ups of any problem areas your car might have. If there are areas known to have issues, take pictures of these areas, even if yours doesn’t have them. Common problem areas might be quarter panels, truck beds, cab corners, or bottoms of door edges.

Paperwork

Additional Photos—You may also want to capture pictures of any special features, brightwork (chrome bumpers or trim), or your vehicle’s badges. The photo gallery below contains examples of all of the above, plus many extra angles you may want to include.