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How to shoot your motorcycle for an ad
(Jan 2024, Guy 'Guido' Allen)
Good pics can make a big difference when it comes to
selling a motorcycle. Here's how to get them...
Maybe it's time to trade in the old dear for something
shinier. Whatever the reason, shooting your motorcycle for
an advertisement isn't rocket surgery, if you follow a few
basic principles.
And they are:
1. A clean uncluttered shot with the bike as the hero;
2. Lots of them;
3. Allow plenty of time to do the job properly.
As for equipment, a phone camera is just fine. However
use a real camera if you have one, as the difference in
image quality is noticeable.
Here's our quick guide to what you need to do.
Go for a clear 'hero' shot as your
opener. Get the camera low, headlight level or lower. A
front three-quarter like this is a good place to start.
Cover the basics: Get a clear shot of
both sides. Close-ups of both sides of the fuel tank and
any major panels are worthwhile.
Get both sides of the engine, if it's
exposed.
Get both wheels – and in the case of
the rear, get both sides to show the drive and the
brake.
Instruments can be tricky thanks to
reflections, but it's worth getting it right. If we're
shooting digital/TFT screens, consider getting a couple
of different displays to show off the system and
demonstrate it's working.
Highlight any interesting detail, such as this fuel gauge...
...and in this case the storage hidden
under the fuel panel...
...and maybe a badge or two.
An overhead shot can provide a lot of
useful info for the buyer.
A decent rear three-quarter rear shot
rounds out the package.
If you have a collection of manuals and paperwork, get some shots of them as well. For a serious buyer, there is no such thing as too much info.
Winners:
Plain background – make the bike the hero;
Good light – overcast days can work really well,
otherwise try early morning or late afternoon. Whatever
the case, the area you're shooting needs to be
illuminated;
Shoot with your phone/camera horizontal – landscape
pictures work best;
Be prepared to shuffle the bike around to get the angle
and background right;
If in doubt, take plenty of shots and cull them later.
Losers:
Never, ever, shoot on grass – it buggers up the colours
and looks ridiculous;
Watch out for your own shadow encroaching on the image;
Don't shoot under trees or in dappled light;
No wheelie bins or other background clutter.
Decent pictures get you eyeballs and
engender a sense of confidence – keep in mind that
buyers need clarity ahead of art. Good luck with it!
---
Ed's note: In case you were
wondering, these pics were used for an ad for this 1975
Gold Wing, which sold quickly at a good price. We've
since regretted the decision and replaced it with
another!
See our Honda
GL1000 Gold Wing profile.
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