Taking high-quality photos has been made accessible to the masses with the advent of smartphones. These days most people’s phones can take pictures that are just as good as those taken with the average digital camera.

This is great news if you’re listing your motorcycle online. Photographs are an excellent tool to get people interested in your bike. Quality photos can be what sets your listing apart from the others. To take advantage of this opportunity, you don’t have to become an expert photographer, just learning a few basic tips can help your listing out immensely.  

Besides, a listing with multiple high-quality photos is going to look a whole lot more appealing to potential buyers than a listing whose pictures look as though they were taken by a chimpanzee who found a camera.

At the end of the day, photos are tools used to convey value to your potential buyers. You need to utilize this tool in order to make your listing as appealing as possible. The truth is that many people don’t take enough time to make sure their photographs on their motorcycle listing are sufficient. Learn how to improve your listing by improving your motorcycle photos!

Why It Matters

Before we go into the details of better photography, here’s why it really does matters to you and your motorcycle listing.

Take the following example: If you went to an online retail site like Amazon or Target.com to buy a new product, would you continue with your purchase if all of the pictures of said product were blurry, out of focus, or too dark to make out?

What if the background of the picture was filled with clutter, making it difficult to distinguish the actual product from the mess in the background? Would you still trust that seller to provide you with a decent, high-quality product? Not likely.

You may not think that the same rules that apply to big-time online retailers like Amazon also apply to you, but you’d be wrong. Most people are actually visually inclined, and as the old adage goes, a picture is worth a thousand words.

If your pictures on your motorcycle listing are less than ideal, it is not going to be going to getting as many leads as it would if you had clear, decent pictures up on your listing. Plain and simple. In the end, it pays to take a little extra time to ensure your photos are going to be working as an asset to your listing, and not a complete turn-off.

Taking Better Photos

Let There Be Light

Lighting is one of the most important factors in photography. Dark photos do nothing for your listing and can turn off potential buyers. If your photos are too dark, people won’t be able to make out any of the important details of your bike.

You wouldn’t buy something online if the pictures were too dark to be legible. So, do yourself a favor and take the appropriate steps to lighten up your photos.

One of the easiest ways to go about this is to take advantage of natural lighting. Try to take your pictures during the day. If the sun is out, even better. Although, shooting at noon may not be ideal, as the sun can be too harsh at this time.

For best results, try to plan your photo shoot sometime in the mid-morning or late afternoon. If you have access to a photo editor like Photoshop, you can use that to help brighten up your pictures. If you have it great, but it’s not necessary. A clear picture taken during the day should be enough.

Get Out of Your Garage

If we could give you one piece of advice it’s this, get your bike out of your garage. Unless you have a brightly lit, immaculately clean garage that is free of any background disarray, get that motorcycle out of there.

Trust us, your yard or driveway will be a much better venue for picture taking. You can even ride the bike out to an open field or empty parking lot to get a decent picture free of background noise.

Whether it be clutter, another vehicle, or even a person, objects in the background of your shots are going to take the focus away from the motorcycle. You’re trying to sell your motorcycle, so it behooves you to make it the sole focus of each and every picture. Buyers don’t want to see what’s happening in the background, they just want to see the bike.

You will be amazed at what a crisp, clean, background can do for your pictures!

Don’t Post Screenshots

Just don’t do it. It looks ridiculous and is almost certainly going to be a red flag to potential buyers.

You don’t need to let people know what your cell phone service provider you use. Just upload the original photo from your phone to whatever device you are using to list your motorcycle. If you are having difficulties, reach out and we can help point you in the right position.

Video

In addition to pictures, you can also add a 30-second video to your listing. Most people who upload videos do a quick 360-degree view of the motorcycle. This allows potential buyers the chance to see the bike in its entirety.

A video is also a great way to improve the “trustworthiness” of your advertisement. Some buyers are skeptical about buying online and appreciate the potential seller’s extra effort into proving their legitimacy. Seeing a video in addition to a few high-quality pictures is usually enough to reassure most buyers that your listing is legitimate.

Picture Perfect

Pictures are your best tools for conveying information about the motorcycle that you are attempting to sell. You can’t just tell people that you have an amazing bike, you have to show them. Make sure that you are using those photos to your full advantage.

Great photos help potential buyers get a better idea of what the bike looks like and also take mental ownership of it. It’s how potential buyers develop their first impressions of the bikes they see online.

If you’re having trouble uploading your pictures to your listing, or have a question related to your pictures, feel free to reach out to us at info@chopperexchange.com or (800) 523-7274 and we will happily help you out.

If you have any tips or comments for others looking to optimize their motorcycle listing photos, leave them in the comments below!