How to photograph your van for faster rental success

Your photographs are the first thing that guests look at when they consider renting your van. Listings with better photos are more attractive, receive more visits and, consequently, more bookings.

The key to taking photos of a caravan, campervan or motorhome is attention to detail, good light, and a little planning. By following this step-by-step guide you are sure to get attractive photos of your van and maximise your bookings.

Before you start photographing your vehicle, prepare yourself.

A common mistake is usually to start photographing your vehicle without thinking about what you want to obtain or how you are going to achieve it. If social media has taught us anything, it is that a good photograph always has a certain preparation behind it, however casual the result may seem.

Prepare your photography gear

Recent smartphones have very good image quality and you can photograph your vehicle without the need for a digital camera. When using your phone, try not to zoom, as images often lose quality. Instead, approach or walk away from what you want to photograph.

There are apps that allow you to adjust white balance, focal length, shutter speed, or depth of field. Use them only if you are an advanced user, in general, you can get good results with the automatic mode of your camera.

Tip: Make sure that your device is configured to take photos with the highest quality. Some of them come by default with a medium quality to save memory.

Make sure your van looks flawless

_ Tidy and clean caravan_ Before you start photographing, take time to clean and tidy up your van. Users are demanding and it is important that your vehicle looks especially clean and cozy. Here you can find a guide on how to thoroughly clean and prepare your vehicle after the quarantine.

When you go to take photos, remove anything that can distract someone who sees your ad. Don't rely on deleting those elements later in Photoshop, it's much easier to put them away to begin with.

Carrying a mobile phone with you and taking some test photos can help you realize details that are not visible to the naked eye.

Tip: Decorate your space, like it is a nice place to spend a few days. You can put some nice towels, flowers or fruit, for example. But remember that your vehicle should look as close as possible to what people find later when renting it.

Get the best lighting

_ Photography with natural lighting_

In photography, light is an essential component. Light shapes objects, highlights their volumes and creates ambience. Unless you have a lot of experience in photography, always take your photos during the day. Avoid backlights or shadows from elements such as buildings or trees that may affect your vehicle and do not allow it to be clearly seen.

For indoors, avoid flash. Instead, plan your session to take advantage of the moment when the sun enters through the windows of your vehicle and illuminates the entire room. You will get much more natural and pleasant lighting. Mid-morning or mid-afternoon is usually a good time.

Open the curtains for maximum light and set the exposure for the interior of the vehicle. When you take the photos, the interior will look correct and the exterior may be a little or very over-exposed, but it doesn't matter. If you need more light, you can also turn on the lights or use some spotlights if you have them.

Tip: To make your interiors look bright and crisp, it is important not to move when taking photos. If you do not have a tripod, try to stabilize your mobile or camera, leaning yourself on some surface to avoid moving your arms.

Considerations when photographing your van

When people rent your van they want to find what they saw in the photos. If there are any changes in the appearance of your vehicle after uploading the photos to Camplify or you have the opportunity to take better photos, you can update them.

It is important that people think that your pictures are real. Avoid using vehicle manufacturer images (stock photos) or excessive photo retouching, they may suggest that you are trying to hide something.

On the other hand, we’ll try to get the most out of our vehicle when photographing it, as we will see below.

Be aware of the background seen around your vehicle

_ Good backgrounds to photograph your van_

A beautiful vehicle photographed in an ugly environment can lose all its appeal. Notice how brands always photograph their vehicles in beautiful places.

Natural environments work especially well because they help tenants imagine the environment in which they will be.

A campsite, a spacious garden or a natural area near your house can be good options. It does not need to be a spectacular landscape, remember that we want your vehicle to stand out.

Tip: Avoid places where people are passing in front of or behind your vehicle. You may not like how they look afterwards and removing them from the photo can be a real nightmare.

Choose the best angle and position for your vehicle

_ Better angles and positions to photograph your vehicle_

When choosing the angles from which to photograph your vehicle you must have two objectives in mind. First, showing its attractiveness, and second, that the people who see your pictures can make a three-dimensional image of your vehicle in their mind.

The best thing is to photograph your vehicle from various angles and then choose the ones that best highlight the beauty and characteristics of your vehicle.

These are the best angles for photographing the exterior of a van:

• Front ¼

• Front ¾

• Frontal

• Side Profile

• Rear ¼

• Rear ¾

• Rear

Tip: show your vehicle from three different angles. For example, a combination of Front ¾, Side Profile and Rear ¾. allows you to clearly understand the shape and size of your vehicle.

Capture the layout and space of your vehicle

_ Motorshome Interior photographed from a corner_ If the space of your vehicle allows it, try to take the interior photos from the corners (open a window and lean in if necessary). From these angles, the width of the space is better captured. Also take photos from the ends, looking straight down the centre; some models look better when the symmetries of their interior design are highlighted.

Keep in mind the rule of thirds when taking your photos so that they are visually balanced. Many cameras and mobiles have the option of viewing these guides while taking photos. Look in your device options.

Tip: Consider including an image of the layout of your vehicle as an extra. This can be a very effective way for people to understand space in relation to your photos.

Don't forget to show the details

_ Detail of a bicycle rack_

Does your vehicle have a very complete kitchen, a portable barbecue, some camping chairs, or a bicycle rack? Be sure to highlight these items in separate photos. instead of trying to show everything in the same photo.

Tip : For dual-use spaces, such as a seating area that transforms into a bed, take a before and after photo. It will help people who are unfamiliar with your vehicle to understand its versatility.