Capturing great photos

Podiar keeps your car exactly as you photographed it, so a good capture is the biggest single thing you can do for a good result.

The angles

Each car has eight exterior angles: straight on from the front and the rear, both full sides, and the four corners at about 45°. The app shows your progress as n of 8. You can add interior and detail shots too — dashboard, seats, boot, engine bay and extras.

Line up with the outline

Every exterior angle shows a lime outline of a car. Move until your car sits inside it. The outlines are built into the app, so they work without a signal. Interior and detail shots have no outline.

Set the car (phones with AR)

On phones that support augmented reality, the app measures where the car is so it can steer you:

1. Tap the front of the car, then tap the back of the car — tap the ground just under each bumper.
2. You will see Car set. Check the dots sit under each bumper, then shoot. If it says the tap didn’t measure, tap the ground under the front and back again. Re-set car starts over.

Phones without AR still work: you will see Standard stills — no AR on this phone, and you line the car up with the outline alone.

Follow the steering

Two bars show your Height and Distance. When you are off target a single word tells you what to do — closer, further, higher or lower. When you are on target, hold steady: a ring fills for about three seconds and the photo is taken. If the shutter won’t fire, the message tells you why (for example Set the car first, or Off target — get back in band and let the ring fill).

Light and reflections

Tap Light tips at any time. In short:

• Bright cloud is best. Avoid low sun and hard shadows across the car.
• Park it clear of other cars, lines and buildings — the paint mirrors whatever is around it.
• Got a polarising filter? Clip it on and turn it until the reflections on the doors fade. It is optional, but it is the best fix for reflections.

If the app warns you

The app checks each shot and may ask you to retake it, for example:

• The car is blown out or too dark — shade it, or change the exposure.
• Reflections on the glass/paint — reposition, or wait for softer light.
• Part of the car is out of frame or The car is too small / too large — step back or closer.
• Something is in front of the car — clear the shot.