As businesses large and small gear up to increase business traffic and sales, reaching the targeted consumer has become a battle not only on the traditional advertising front but on the digital front, as well.

Sales in the auto industry are on a steady upward trajectory and that means more monies are being set aside for adverting in particular in the area of online advertising. According to marketing researchers Borrell Associates, Inc.,

Digital media will account for almost 90 percent of all automotive advertising growth this year as dealers and manufactures drive more spending toward streaming video commercials and targeted social media ads.

As targeted consumers become more accessible and global, the competition in the digital universe becomes more fierce, so the need for high quality images used to garner more customers is a must for maintaining a competitive edge. Having not only a product, but being able to share beautiful images of your product that consumers will want to click on again and again to share or retweet through the digital network is a digital marketing priority.

If your company is planning to gain a bigger share within your targeted market, then taking the time to seek out a media partner, that has the ability to produce an extensive portfolio of top-notch automotive photography, for your clients who are interested in domestic and foreign cars, is worth the time, effort, and cost.

Not convinced? Then don’t just take my word for it, have a look at this slide deck on the Future of Digital from Business Insider Intelligence.

For more information on the automotive image library and services of izmostock, please contact us.

The newest James Bond film “Skyfall” does not disappoint. The film once again features the classic British made Aston Martin DB5.

The Aston Martin was introduced in 1963 by the England based Aston Martin Lagonda Limited company. A convertible version was released in 1965.

The Aston Martin DB5 has appeared in six Bond film’s including Goldfinger, Thunderball, GoldenEye, Tomorrow Never Dies, Casino Royale and the latest Skyfall.

Though one action scene captured an explosive demolition of the famed silver-birched colored sports car, no actual damage to the vintage treasure took place.

According to a recent posting on Gizmodo a 3D replica model produced by Augsburg based Voxeljet was constructed and used a stunt double.

… a massive VX4000 3D printer with 283 cubic feet of space was used to create three 1:3 scale models of the Aston Martin DB5… In order to operate different parts of the car like the hood, doors, and the trunk, the makers constructed replicas from 18 different components. After all the parts were made, they were sent off to Proshop Modelmakers in London to be assembled, finished, lacquered, and chromed to make them look exactly like the original.

See a little pre-release BTS video of the DB5 on set here.

Billed as “the most famous car in the world”, the coveted car featured 15″ wheels, a five-speed transmission, three carburetors, and a 4.0L engine. Still a favorite among vintage car collectors, the Aston Martin can fetch almost a half-million dollars for the lucky owner. According to autoblog, former Beatle, Sir Paul McCarthey, garnered $495,000 earlier this month at auction for his sierra blue colored classic. The car originally sold for less than $12,000 in 1963.

Experts say new technologies that use glasses-free displays are making 3D photography more common and lucrative than ever. Autostereoscopic (glasses-free) flat panels that allow the viewer to move freely around the display, without loosing 3D depth perception, are a massive improvement. Being a critic of traditional 3D I have to admit this is cool, after witnessing the Dolby 3D display this year at NAB.
According to Harvey Jewett, chief marketing officer with ZPartners, Inc:

3D is a new avenue for income and offers an escape from the ‘race to the bottom’ issues facing the 2D industry. The days are early, but growth is beginning to explode in advertising and the deluge of consumer devices has just begun.

Video stock footage content is not missing the 3D train either. I had the pleasure of meeting, with Benjamin Carlu and Morgan David de Lossy, a couple of fine gentleman, at NAB 2012. Together they launched a 3D Stock Footage website called StereoBank.com in 2010. They have some very high quality 3D clips available including cinema 4K 3D clips. And they are actively seeking 3D sport footage.

Tablet and mobile digital publishing is pushing the global demand for 3D and interactive media content higher than ever before. Companies are also looking at marketing 360º stock photos for catalogues, brochures and other forms of advertising. The Czech company Fotorobot is a pioneer in 360º photographic motion control equipment; using a turntable approach to collect dozens of images for a finalized 360º product.

How could I end his piece without a pitch? Here at izmostudio we’ve been producing the largest 360º library of all consumer vehicles, from North America and Europe, for many, many, years. Contact us for more information about the latest developments in interactive stock media.

A typical car brochure usually contains photos showing different points of view. These are usually images placing a consumer in the driver’s seat that attempt to convey the feeling of speed and handling, the feel of the fine luxury leather seat, or even a visual of how an envious pedestrian would look upon the vehicle.

Automotive brochures also feature four types of car photography imagery:

• Images depicting product features such as color choices and engineering cutaways.
• Photos of the car in motion, the driver’s point of view behind the wheel, and other views that show off kinetics.
• Passenger points of view to show off the comfort and luxury of the interior.
• Third-party points of view showing the car on the street and shots emphasizing styling details.

While the actual use cases vary, it does indicate the impact that car photography has of bringing the customer into the dealership. Consumers form an emotional response to photos of the cars in the decision-making process.

According to a marketing research study by Ameritest, the photo attracting the most attention was that of the driver’s point of view in the vehicle. This comes as no surprise since consumers want to imagine themselves behind the wheel of their prospective vehicle. The third-party view, showing reactions of people outside of the car has the second most powerful impact. These types of photos depict the envy of people as they observe the car on the street.

Car shoppers certainly respond to the content of powerful photographs. This is why it is more important than ever that manufacturers and dealers have sharp, dynamic, emotive photos that appeal to the buyer’s senses.

Contact us for more information on our complete line of professional car stock photos, animations, and our studio car photography services.

The video, shot in Borrego Springs, Calif., zooms in on the set of a photo shoot for the 2013 Nissan Sentra. Nissan’s Tim Gallagher is overseeing the production and veteran photographer Bruce Benedict is explaining how he approaches automotive photography:

You start with a pretty car, and you put it in a pretty spot with pretty light — and then you go crazy, basically,” Benedict says with a smile.

His favorite shooting location? At the top of a mountain, about half an hour before sunrise.

As the crew works, the photo tips flow.

Some of the key ones:

• The best natural light comes an hour before sunrise or an hour before sunset.
• Many of the most interesting angles are from down low. So the pros wear kneepads and comfortable clothes — and they don’t mind getting dirty.
• The cleaner the car, the clearer the image. Benedict says he usually takes along a bottle of cleaner and some towels when he packs his gear.
• Avoid gray-sky backgrounds. That’s why Nissan was shooting in the Southern California badlands instead of say … Seattle.

It’s fun to watch Gallagher, Benedict and the others work, and it’s interesting to hear Gallagher say on the video that he often snaps just-for-fun pictures with his iPhone along the way.

But Gallagher is the first to admit that he’s always impressed when the photographers fire up their equipment — because they just don’t make apps that can simulate the thoughtfulness and thoroughness of a professional’s approach.

If you’re looking for pros, contact us.

Rapid Changes in Custom Manufacturing Capabilities

Carpooling, ride sharing, mass transportation, conservation of resources, new fuels for automobiles, and commitments to sustainability and using local food and manufacturing sources promise to ignite revolutionary changes in the car industry over the next several decades. Pcar sharing permits car owners to share the costs of ownership among other drivers, and the popular trend gives consumers more affordable rental options when they need them, which they find through rapidly expanding third-party websites and mobile devices.

Marketing and promotional strategies have changed focus since computers and Internet services have become common. Social media networks and sophisticated marketing plans target consumers incisively, tailoring advertising messages to audiences with greater precision. Automotive manufacturers have moved away from mass production to focus on building vehicles to buyers’ specifications. On-demand manufacturing mirrors these advertising changes, and both industries now custom-design products for targeted demographic segments of the population.

Top Car Industry Changes Caused by P2P Car Sharing

Changes in automotive manufacturing emphasize advanced technology features, fuel efficiency, Internet and third-party service connectivity, and custom desigcustom designs. The car industry constantly reinvents itself, and innovators, investors, inventors, and entrepreneurs keep devising clever ways to exploit changing public attitudes. The trend toward greater P2P car sharing has resulted in the following changes in the automotive industry.

1. P2P Car Sharing Encourages Experimentation

Car sharing has opened the floodgates to an entirely new automotive service that permits car owners who do not need their vehicles at certain times to offer them for rentals to their neighbors by the minute, hour, day or week. These services have thrived, making the new trend an important influence on the automotive service industry.

• Sharing exposes consumers to different vehicles and new technologies such as electric and hybrid transportation.



• Auto manufacturers have leveraged the trend to promote new brands and technology advances.
• Car dealerships have begun creating car sharing programs as part of their advertising strategies to influence buying trends.
• Interacting with social media, consumers extend their influence by publishing their opinions to large audiences.

2. Keyless Entries and Remote Management Make Car Sharing More Attractive

More people share their cars to cut ownership expenses, and third-party services, such as OnStar, offer the abilities to unlock vehicles and start engines remotely, track cars for security purposes, and run diagnostic checks and connect with local dealerships to troubleshoot any kind of mechanical problems people find when sharing cars. Third-party connection services have skyrocketed in popularity due to the safety, convenience and security they offer drivers, companies and families.

• Manufacturers lease or sell vehicles to car-rental companies to get feedback on new models, innovations and safety features.
• Dealers and manufacturers get to build strong relationships with potential customers who might order on-demand custom vehicles in the future.

3. Companies Now Offer Fleet Sharing

Clever entrepreneurs have put together websites where companies can share their commercial fleets. Instead of committing major capital reserves to buy and maintain in-house fleets, companies can choose from a number of locally available rentals from idle fleets.

• Fleet sharing offers a number of logistical benefits, especially for long-distance business transportation.



• Car-rental agencies offer their underutilized vehicles at reduced car-sharing rates.
• Car-rental lots often serve as staging depots for ride-sharing services.

4. Oil Companies Entering the Car-sharing Market

Oil companies, which have hundreds of retail locations, make perfect depots to serve as rental lots for car and fleet-sharing services.

• Oil companies offer maintenance services between rentals to make car sharing more efficient.
• Retail locations serve as point-of-sale depots for fleet sharing and consumer rentals.

5. People Discover Benefits of Electric Vehicles and One-way Car Sharing

Hybrid and electric cars have become more popular, but many consumers fear committing to new technologies that require major cash investments. Car sharing allows consumers to try out the various models in real-world driving situations.

• One-way car sharing works great with vehicles that need recharging.
• Car sharing allows consumers to rent different hybrid models for traveling and return trips.

Peer-to-peer car sharing benefits car owners and consumers by using resources more efficiently, cutting the costs of car ownership, and allowing people to use transportation services only when needed. This kind of person-to-person lending makes vehicles available for shorter periods of time than traditional car rentals. The next decade will likely experience exponential expansions of interactivity, car sharing, and other services that promote greater environmental responsibility.

Forbes recently reported on the campaign:

“What sets ‘Why VW’ apart from other storytelling platforms is the integration of our own content with the real-world experiences of VW owners and fans,” Kevin Mayer, vice president of U.S. marketing, said in a news release. “If someone wants to learn more about Volkswagen performance or a specific model, they will see relevant consumer stories side-by-side with information we provide.”

The campaign incorporates several different components. There is a commercial with people of different ages and ethnicities laughing, with the tagline, “It’s not the miles, it’s how you live them” and a call to action to visit www.whyvw.com.

They also have developed two platforms for acquiring user generated content about their experience with their Volkswagen – a new website and a Facebook platform.

Visitors to their Why VW website can research cars on one side or view stories from other vehicle owners and Volkswagen developed content on the other. When the user clicks on the story page, they enter a page filled with volkswagen photographs and captions inviting the visitor to watch the story.

What is interesting is that they are not using headlines to attract the readers attention. The photographs and captions are doing the work normally reserved for the headline.

It’s been said a picture is worth a thousand words… and, by all accounts, Volkswagen is experiencing a tremendous amount of success with this novel approach.

For more information regarding your own automotive photography needs, please contact us.

And the ads — marketed for younger, hipper car buyers — could bring a bit of a plot twist to European car stock photos.

Blending social-media delivery and participation, celebrity appeal, pulsing music and all the action of a blockbuster adventure film, the spots let viewers “drive” the action and decide the outcome of a flight-of-fancy video.

In the ads, “Top Boy” actor Kane Robinson and actress Wendy Glenn. Robinson plays a young rock star who’s racing through the streets of a Portuguese city, trying to elude the police and make it to a secret show. Glenn’s his accomplice.

Mercedes-Benz then hands the keys to the story to Twitter users, who can participate in the video and feel the thrill of an A-Class ride.

Ultimately, Mercedes-Benz will create an interactive video channel on YouTube, where viewers will be able to view all the alternative story endings, PaddockTalk.com reports.

Part music video, part social-media discussion — the innovative campaign has the advertising world buzzing, and it has the automotive industry’s attention.

No doubt we’ll see more of this sort of approach, and that will likely open some new thinking in car photography and interactive media production.

But as ground-breaking as these ads are, it’s worth noting that perhaps the most important “drivers” here are still the visuals. The actors are attractive, but the cars are beautiful, too — and the images and settings fill in the inviting landscape.

Where will all this go? You just might have to check Twitter to find out. Whatever’s next, though, car photography will likely be on the accelerator.

Read more about “Fusion Marketing” with Frod’s marketing Chief, Jim Farley on AdWeek.

The proof is in the picture quality.

But effective automotive photography isn’t just about snapping a quick digital image and posting it on Facebook. And the images shouldn’t just capture abstract lines that serve an exclusively artistic purpose.

No, good equipment and sound techniques don’t produce successful commercial car photography any more than a palette of paints and some brushes would make you an artist — or a welding torch would make you a welder.

That’s why we have a respectful, good-natured quibble with a recent Gizmodo.com post announcing a photography challenge in which contestants were asked to submit their pictures of cars.

“Cars,” Gizmodo’s Mark Wilson writes, “are remarkably easy to photograph. Why? They’ve been designed by hundreds, sometimes thousands of people to be visually striking. Even the ugliest of cars have interesting lines and curves that you can hone in on in a tightly cropped shot. Cars, at their core, have character. And if you approach the shoot like you would a person’s portrait, you’re sure to have good results.”

He’s right about car design, of course — it’s critical that each model look as appealing as possible. We also like the part about approaching the shot like a portrait and looking for the car’s character.

But our humble hair-split is with the part about cars being easy to photograph.

They’re great subjects if you’re focusing only on producing a great image — they’re pliable and stoic, and they don’t get tired or hungry or cold or grouchy if the shoot goes overtime.

But commercial car photography is much more than seeing the right image. It’s seeing what the car’s creator sees … and what the creator would like the consumer to see.

It’s what makes automotive photography a craft.