How Long Does A Professional Car Photoshoot Take?

If you are thinking about booking a professional car photoshoot, one of the first questions you probably have is simple — how long is it going to take? It is a fair question, and the honest answer is that car photoshoot time depends on a few different factors. Because I have photographed hundreds of cars over the years, I can give you a realistic idea of what to expect, both on the day and behind the scenes. So in this post, I will break down exactly how long a professional car photoshoot really takes.

The Real Work Happens In Editing

Here is something most people do not realise — the time on location is only the tip of the iceberg. Because the editing and post production phase is where a huge amount of the work happens, the finished images take far longer to produce than the shoot itself.

I promise to have your photos ready within two to three business days, regardless of which package you choose. In reality, the editing does not actually take that long — but the buffer ensures that even when I have other shoots booked, I never end up delivering late. Furthermore, if you need your photos in a hurry, I offer a rush 24 hour turnaround for an additional $50.

So how long does the editing actually take? For a 12 image shoot, I can usually get through the full set in around two to three hours. However, I am very particular about how I present the finished images. Because interior shots in particular require so much attention, I remove every single dust spot and make sure all of the details come out as well as they possibly can. As a result, some individual images can take up to 30 minutes each to perfect.

What Can Affect The Length Of A Shoot?

Several things can influence how long a shoot takes on the day. For example, I take full advantage of having the car’s owner with me. Because they can continuously move the car into different positions while I adjust my angles, the whole process runs much more efficiently. However, some clients prefer to simply hand over the keys and let me move the car myself, which does take a little more time. 

The weather can also slow things down. Because I like to keep the lighting consistent across the entire set, a day where the sun keeps disappearing behind the clouds can be tricky. So I will often wait for consistent light rather than shoot some images in bright sun and others in shade. Furthermore, I rarely line up shoots at sunset, because the light changes far too quickly to work with reliably.

How Preparation Affects Timing

Here is a tip that will genuinely help your shoot run faster — turn up with a well prepared car. Because I expect the car to be cleaned and detailed before the shoot, arriving with an unprepared car will definitely hold things up. So when a client turns up with a beautifully prepped car and is ready to help move it around, the shoot runs smoothly and efficiently from start to finish.

The Best Time Of Day To Shoot

People often ask when the best time to shoot is. Personally, I like shooting in the afternoon. However, I quite often line up shoots for mid morning through to lunchtime, because the light during that window is usually very consistent. As a result, I can keep the entire set looking cohesive, which is exactly what you want in a professional gallery of images.

Different Shoots, Different Timeframes

Of course, the length of a shoot also depends on the type of job. For example, my auction package takes a bit longer — around two hours. Because consistency is so important for auction listings, I tend to keep everything at one location rather than moving around.

Commercial work, on the other hand, is very different. Because it really comes down to what the business needs, the location and time of day depend entirely on the particular look or style the client is after. Finally, car meets and events have preset times, so it is a matter of turning up and capturing what is happening — the mood, the excitement, and the atmosphere of the event as it unfolds.

What Should You Plan For?

So if you are booking a shoot, what should you actually set aside? As a general rule, allow for at least one hour on site for a standard shoot, and around two hours for the larger packages. Because I always let my clients know in advance roughly how long to put aside, you will never be left guessing on the day.

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.