Best flash setup for shooting a car at night ?

[Banbert]

Hi, I usually live in the wedding photography forum but this is deffo a thread best suited to here. :)

My sis in law works at aston martin and is bringing a Roadster home to show me this evening so as usual I will get my camera out, but unfortunately it will be dark by the time she comes over.

I have at least 2 flashes (maybe 4 if my wedding shooter partner comes over) so with a 580 on the camera and a 430 remote (I have a light stand to get it high as well) what would be the best setup, I also have a tripod for the camera.

Any ideas for flash setups and positions would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

[newton]

Lucky girl!

I usually shoot cars at night without the flash. Slow the shutter and play with the ISO?

[PhotosGuy]

Personally, I'd take her to a pub & raise a few, & forget the pics. ;)
A few Car Lighting Tips (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=70290)

Some other guys will give you some ideas.

[zeddy]

Have fun! I cant wait to see your results

[poah]

easy. tripod and long exposure then walk round car with flash on manual setting it off a few times. check image for light spread and histogram for exposure then redo to correct it. unless you are using large studio flashes not really worth doing IMHO

was in a very dark car park

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/1103/8169sxs8.jpg

[Caster]

easy. tripod and long exposure then walk round car with flash on manual setting it off a few times. check image for light spread and histogram for exposure then redo to correct it. unless you are using large studio flashes not really worth doing IMHO


I don't know about the studio flashes, but I once helped my cousin take some great pictures in some really foggy weather (and pretty dark), and we set the camera on the tripod for a good 3-7 seconds for each shot, while firing away with a flash (not on the camera). It was a pretty cool idea and the shots came out pretty nicely.

My friend uses strobes when taking pics at night of cars, but I don't know anything about strobes or how she does that, but the pics come out pretty cool. I think setting the camera on a tripod for some long exposure will turn out pretty nicely. I've seen some great night shots with just long exposures...

[zeddy]

we set the camera on the tripod for a good 3-7 seconds for each shot, while firing away with a flash (not on the camera). It was a pretty cool idea and the shots came out pretty nicely.

This sounds like quite a good technique.

Ive heard that some crime scene photogs use this kind of technique to get shots at night, particularly when they need to take something like a shot of a road traffic accident when traffic needs to be back and moving quickly.