1967 Ford Mustang GT — An Auction Car Photography Shoot

Every now and then a car turns up that stops you in your tracks. This stunning 1967 Ford Mustang GT was exactly that. An auction company recently commissioned me to photograph this beautifully restored classic, so I wanted to share a behind-the-scenes look at the shoot. In this post, I will walk you through the car itself, the auction car photography process, and why professional photos matter so much for a classic like this.

The Story Behind The Car

One of my favourite parts of shooting cars like this is meeting the owners, because they are always real car enthusiasts. The owner took on this Mustang when it was only partially completed. Then he finished it to perfection. Now, with the car complete, he was selling it to make way for his next build. Any car enthusiast will instantly relate to that story.

And of course, there was the sound. Nothing compares to the roar of a classic American V8, so hearing this one fire up was an absolute treat. In fact, you simply cannot compare the sound of American muscle to anything else.

Why This Shoot Was For Auction

This Mustang was heading to an online auction, and the auction company commissioned me directly for the shoot. Online auction buyers often cannot physically inspect a car before bidding. As a result, a thorough set of professional photos becomes absolutely essential.

This is especially true for a restored classic. Buyers want to scrutinise the quality of the restoration, so they rely heavily on detailed close-up shots. They need to know the work has been done right and that none of the finer details have been missed. As a result, great auction car photography directly helps these cars attract more confident, competitive bids.

Capturing Every Detail

When it comes to auction car photography, thorough coverage is everything. For this shoot, I photographed the engine bay from every possible angle. I also captured close-ups of individual components, along with any reference codes and numbers on the engine parts. Serious classic buyers want to verify authenticity, so these details really matter.

Furthermore, the shoot needed to cover every area of the car inside and out, in as much detail as possible. After all, there is nothing worse than a buyer trying to get a look at a particular part of the car and finding no good photo of it. As a result, I delivered 75 fully edited photos for this shoot. That goes above and beyond the standard package, but I was happy to do it for a valued new client with ongoing work.

The Creative Approach

I photographed the car at the seller’s beautiful rural property here on the Central Coast. Shooting on site kept the car clean and made the whole process more efficient, so it was the perfect logistical choice. It certainly helped that the property was lovely, with plenty of lush greenery as a backdrop.

I shot the car in the early afternoon. The sunlight made that metallic grey paint really pop. Because the car’s colour was so neutral, it stood out beautifully against the green surroundings. As a result, the images have a clean and timeless feel.

Overcoming The Challenges

Of course, no shoot is without its challenges. The biggest one with this Mustang was the chrome. The car had so much mirror-like chrome that the sun reflected very strongly off it. So it was all about shooting from the right angles to reduce the glare hitting the lens. In some shots I simply could not avoid it entirely. That is exactly where careful post production becomes so important, because it lets me clean up reflections and present every image at its very best.

Why Professional Auction Photography Matters

At the end of the day, a car like this deserves to be presented properly. A mint-condition restored classic represents countless hours of passion and craftsmanship, so the photos need to do that work justice. Furthermore, professional images are the single biggest factor in giving distant buyers the confidence to place a bid.

American muscle is not necessarily my usual cup of tea. However, as a genuine car enthusiast, I can absolutely appreciate a beautifully restored classic like this one. In truth, I just love all cars. Getting to photograph something this special is exactly why I do what I do.

Ready To Book Your Shoot?

At the end of the day, the most important job of professional car photography is to make your car stand out amongst the thousands of others out there — many of which are listed with just a handful of terrible photos. So when your car turns up perfectly prepared, we can create images that genuinely turn heads and get results.

If you are ready to show off your car at its absolute best, take a look at our photography packages and pricing or go ahead and book your shoot today. I would love to help you make your car the one that everybody stops to look at.