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VEHICLE REFERENCE IMAGES

Contributor Guidelines

You shoot it. We sell it.

Welcome to VRI. Buyers come here for one reason: reference images detailed enough to actually work from. These vehicle reference image guidelines cover exactly what buyers need to see before you upload. That means close-up, high-resolution shots of the specific parts of a vehicle a 3D artist, illustrator, or restorer needs to see clearly, not just attractive photos of the vehicle as a whole.

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This page is the standard every submission is measured against. Read the section for your vehicle type before you shoot, and check the good vs. generic examples below so you know exactly what we mean by "detail."

THE GOLDEN RULE

Detail Over Coverage

A wide, attractive shot of a whole vehicle tells a buyer what it looks like. It doesn't tell them how the panel gap sits, how the badge is mounted, what the switchgear looks like up close, or how light falls across a curved surface. That second kind of information is what buyers are actually paying credits for.

If you take nothing else from this page: for every wide or three-quarter shot you take, plan to take five to ten close-ups of specific components. Wide shots provide context. Close-ups are the product.

✓ GOOD — Exterior detail

Classic car headlight assembly close-up, chrome bezel and lens detail — reference photography example

✗ AVOID — Exterior detail

Full car three-quarter angle in car park, lacking close-up detail — example to avoid in reference submissions

✓ GOOD — Interior detail

Car interior switchgear and stitching close-up, even lighting — reference photography example

✗ AVOID — Interior detail

Wide car interior shot from back seat, dashboard small and underexposed — example to avoid in reference submissions

✓ GOOD — Wheels

Car wheel and brake caliper close-up, alloy texture visible — reference photography example

✗ AVOID — Wheels

Full car side profile with wheel barely visible — example to avoid in reference submissions

Technical Checklist

Every image submitted to VRI must meet the following. Submissions that don't will be sent back for correction before review.

Requirement

Minimum resolution 

File format

Maximum file size

Orientation

Focus & sharpness

Lighting

Editing

Reflections

Identifying details

Rights

Standard

20 megapixels. For close-up detail shots, aim higher, 24MP+ preserves texture and edge sharpness when buyers zoom in.

JPEG preferred. Other common formats accepted, but JPEG is reviewed fastest.

15MB per image.

Landscape or portrait, whichever best fits the subject. Prioritise showing the detail clearly over matching a standard ratio.

Tack sharp on the subject. Soft or blurred images are rejected regardless of composition.

Even, natural light. Avoid harsh midday sun outdoors and mixed colour-temperature light indoors.

Natural colour correction and cropping only. No filters, vignettes, grain, lens flare effects, or heavy stylisation.

No visible photographer, camera, or studio equipment in reflective surfaces — glass, paintwork, chrome, screens.

Number plates, VINs, and any personal or identifying information must be removed or edited out before upload.

Only your own images. You must have the vehicle owner's permission to photograph and submit.

Shot Lists by Vehicle Type

These are priority lists, not exhaustive ones. If you spot a detail worth capturing that isn't listed, shoot it — thorough coverage of unlisted details is always welcome.

Cars & Land Vehicles

Exterior — priority shots:

  • Front and rear badges/logos, close crop

  • Each headlight and taillight individually, close crop

  • Front and rear wheels — full wheel and brake caliper visible

  • Grille and front bumper detail

  • Panel gaps and shut lines (doors, bonnet, boot)

  • Wing mirrors, close crop

  • Engine bay, wide and detail shots of key components

  • Undercarriage / exhaust, if accessible

  • Roof detail — sunroof, rails, aerial

  • Any decals, liveries, or unique trim

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Interior — priority shots:

  • Dashboard — driver-side and passenger-side wide shots

  • Gauge cluster / instrument panel, straight-on

  • Steering wheel, head-on, showing controls

  • Centre console, shifter, and infotainment screen

  • Seat material and stitching, close-up

  • Door panel detail and switchgear

  • Footwells and pedals

  • Boot/trunk space, open

  • Any unique features — cup holders, charging pads, ambient lighting

Motorcycles

Exterior — priority shots:

  • Front and rear badges/logos, close crop

  • Headlight and taillight assemblies, close crop

  • Front and rear wheel, including brake and suspension detail

  • Fuel tank — full and close-up of any graphics or cap detail

  • Engine, close-up of block, exhaust, and visible mechanicals

  • Handlebars, controls, and mirrors

  • Seat, close-up of material and stitching

  • Exhaust system, full length and close-up of the outlet

  • Chain, sprocket, and swingarm detail

 

Interior — priority shots:

  • Instrument cluster, straight-on

  • Switchgear on both handlebar clusters

Aircraft

Exterior — priority shots:

  • Nose and cockpit windows, front-on

  • Full side profile — length, window line, wing and engine placement

  • Tail and empennage, including any livery or logo

  • Engine(s), close-up of intake and cowling detail

  • Wing detail — flaps, control surfaces, and any visible mechanisms

  • Undercarriage and landing gear, extended if possible

  • Fuselage panel and rivet detail

  • Rotor detail (helicopters) — main rotor and tail rotor close-ups

 

Interior — priority shots:

  • Cockpit wide shot — full instrument panel and controls

  • Individual instruments and displays, close-up

  • Yokes/sticks and pedals

  • Overhead panel and switches

  • Cabin wide shot, if applicable

  • Individual seats — cushion, controls, legroom

  • Emergency and safety equipment detail

Boats & Marine

Exterior — priority shots:

  • Bow and stern, straight-on

  • Full port and starboard profiles

  • Hull detail, including any visible underwater section

  • Deck gear close-ups — winches, cleats, anchors

  • Mast and rigging detail, if applicable

  • Superstructure and window/porthole line

  • Any name, home port, or livery detail

 

Interior — priority shots:

  • Helm station / wheelhouse, wide and detail shots

  • Cabin and living quarters, if accessible

  • Engine room, wide and close-up of key machinery

  • Upholstery and material close-ups

  • Navigation instruments and controls

What Gets Rejected

The most common reasons a submission is sent back:

  • Only wide or three-quarter shots submitted, with no close-up detail coverage

  • Soft focus or visible camera shake

  • Number plates, VINs, or other identifying details left visible

  • Heavy filtering, vignetting, or added grain

  • Visible reflections of the photographer or equipment

  • Images below the minimum resolution or over the file size limit

 

If your first submission is sent back, that's normal — it's feedback on fit for VRI's specific standard, not a comment on your photography. Every rejection message tells you exactly what to reshoot or resubmit.

Titles, Tags & Submitting

Clear metadata helps buyers find your images and helps them sell. For each image:

  • Title: be specific. "Rear Wheel & Caliper — Porsche 911 (992)" rather than "Car wheel."

  • Description: one or two sentences naming the vehicle, trim, and what the image shows.

  • Tags: include make, model, year, vehicle type, and the specific component shown.

 

Once your images are ready: go to Upload, select up to 30 images at once, complete the metadata for each, then submit for review.

Questions?

Browse the live image library to see published examples of the standard in practice, or get in touch — support@vehicle-referenceimages.com

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Want the full shot-by-shot breakdown in slide form? Download the original Contributor Guide

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