Ducati 999 & 996

[Deanphoto]

Shooting bikes can be mega difficult, especially at midday!

I found lighting the bikes really very different to cars and I struggled getting good compositions (lack of motorcycle knowledge/ignorance maybe?). I would have liked to have done some in the later afternoon on empty roads rather have to stick to the shade of an industrial area, I'm sure I can get some more shots in the future.

I'm really not sure what I think of these so any feedback or recomendations for next time would be great!

1. I think the comp's a tad loose? Be better if the wheel was turned to the left slightly?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2167/2224022348_1a547791f1_o.jpg

2. I couldn't get any lower due to the black just relecting the sun :(
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2225/2226757992_e432e872d8_o.jpg

3. meh
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2415/2226944680_fceee51eaf_o.jpg

4. Good idea, poorly executed..
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2419/2226284597_aafae16870_o.jpg

5.Not nice..
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2046/2226328541_7ed2d68595_o.jpg

6. My fav of those I have posted
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2096/2226791246_f24e16ec57_o.jpg

[dseered]

Look good to me, I am no expert though !

[JustinL]

I think 3 and 5 are the strongest. What don't you like about them Dean? And I'm with you, I'm not too familiar about bikes, so naturally I don't read up on them and don't see how magazines shoot them. Maybe that's it?

[Deanphoto]

What don't you like about them Dean?

I'm not 100% sure to be honest, the lighting is good but I just think the locations suck. They kind of lack emotion, which is what these bikes are about I guess?

I think it's just the fact hey stopped me playing with the Porsche :lol:

[JustinL]

I think it's just the fact hey stopped me playing with the Porsche :lol:

HAHAHHAHAHA! Yea I saw the other thread on this! I'd want to play with the porsche more too, I hear ya!

I think one shot that I've been familiar with in terms of shooting bikes is a profile shot to show how "at speed" the bike is while sitting still. I think you were heading in the right direction with #4, just needed to zoom in a little more.

[DirtyJerzey]

i think the pics came out good

[KenTT]

Hi Dean #3 & #4 are my prefered favs, but I think you could be right about the shoot location in the first 3 shots.

[kekoa]

I personally feel that bikes look best on rear stands..

[CombatCamera13]

I agree about the location. I don't think the photos look bad. Just need to put that bike in a better spot.

[Jules.r]

4 & 5 are my favorites, out of those two it's 4 for me.
I really enjoy looking at your work and I'm looking forward to experimenting with lighting myself very soon, I have two 580's. one regular and one'II'. Don't have a clue how to use them properly so it's going to be a case of 'suck it and see'!

Do you use umbrellas?

[djthemac]

I think the cars in the backgrounds are a tad distracting, but 3-5 are excellent.

[BenJammin]

Don't be so hard on yourself for one thing. I like #3 because of the contrasting colors, but i think you should cut the photo off at the top of the blue things b/c the window is distracting. 4 is neat too. My eyes do wonder a lot on the first couple b/c of the cars in the background. Not bad none the less.

[jeptranport]

Another vote for 3 & 5 if for nothing else they caught my attention.

[PhotosGuy]

They look pretty good to me! They kind of lack emotion, What do you expect from a bike sitting still? If you want emotion on two wheels, a car up on 2 would do it for me? :D

[Angdvl089]

Figures, 3 and 5, the ones you hate the most, I like the most.

[sf1]

I absolutely love bikes - used to own a few and race a bit (back a few years). Seen this post and even though I don't post here, I hope you don't mind if I chime in.

The 996 is the sexiest bike made - it oozes emotion just sitting there.

Your right about the front wheel in shots 1, 2 & 6 - no one usually leaves their wheel pointed straight ahead on the stand because the bike is not as stable, its turned to the left - you also need to turn it all the way to the left to lock the bars. So for me, it kind of looks "off". Turning the front wheel will give everyone a much nicer look at those big front calipers.

Shot 3 is the best of the bunch. The contrasting colors really make the bike pop - very nice shot and great angle. You could crop out the bricks and probably PS out the hot spots on the fairing and blue totes used as the background and frame it - I've seen way worst shots in publication.

I think shot #4 is good as well. I'd crop the bricks out (making it long and thin), add some blur and slight darkening to the foreground and make the bikes colors really come out because its not competing with anything. If your into PS at all, you could also set the blending mode to soft light and adjust the opacity to really make it come out.

Overall your lighting is great - can't wait to see more.

[tomd]

maybe I'm being over critical...in shots #1 and #2 the molding from the car in the background looks like it coming off from the bike. I know it's from the car door, but the perspective makes it look like it's attached to the left side of the bike.

#3 is great!

[rjcanon]

Shot 3 is the best of the bunch. The contrasting colors really make the bike pop - very nice shot and great angle. You could crop out the bricks and probably PS out the hot spots on the fairing and blue totes used as the background and frame it - I've seen way worst shots in publication.

I think shot #4 is good as well. I'd crop the bricks out (making it long and thin), add some blur and slight darkening to the foreground and make the bikes colors really come out because its not competing with anything. If your into PS at all, you could also set the blending mode to soft light and adjust the opacity to really make it come out.

Overall your lighting is great - can't wait to see more.

I agree whole-heartedly... i think the shots are quite nice.. i would have cropped to the top of the blue as mentioned in an earlier post but otherwise i think the shot is great. Are you using any sort of diffusion? I think shot 3 would have benefited from slightly softer light (hotspots).

I love the concept of four, try cropping it to more of a vertical pano as mentioned above i think it will pop a ton more!

[Deanphoto]

I'm looking forward to experimenting with lighting myself very soon, I have two 580's. one regular and one'II'. Don't have a clue how to use them properly so it's going to be a case of 'suck it and see'!

Do you use umbrellas?

Thanks! I haven't yet used any umbrella's although I think I should of used them on the bikes to cut out on the flash hot spots. Lighting's quite simple when you figure out what works and what doesn't, it's all just a case of triall and error.

What I try and do is look at photo's where flashes have been used and try to figure out where they were, the power settings compared to ambient light, if any diffusers were used etc etc. Unfortunately because of 'Strobist' it's becoming quite rare now to find a pic without all this info written in the write-up.

I agree about the location. I don't think the photos look bad. Just need to put that bike in a better spot.

My sentiments exactly.

Don't be so hard on yourself for one thing. I like #3 because of the contrasting colors, but i think you should cut the photo off at the top of the blue things b/c the window is distracting. 4 is neat too. My eyes do wonder a lot on the first couple b/c of the cars in the background. Not bad none the less.

Thanks! I might give this a little crop tonight and see how it comes out, I had burnt the wall a tad in PS but I guess it's always going to visible no matter how dark it is.

They look pretty good to me! What do you expect from a bike sitting still? If you want emotion on two wheels, a car up on 2 would do it for me? :D

Hahaha! :lol::lol:

I absolutely love bikes - used to own a few and race a bit (back a few years). Seen this post and even though I don't post here, I hope you don't mind if I chime in.

The 996 is the sexiest bike made - it oozes emotion just sitting there.

Your right about the front wheel in shots 1, 2 & 6 - no one usually leaves their wheel pointed straight ahead on the stand because the bike is not as stable, its turned to the left - you also need to turn it all the way to the left to lock the bars. So for me, it kind of looks "off". Turning the front wheel will give everyone a much nicer look at those big front calipers.

Shot 3 is the best of the bunch. The contrasting colors really make the bike pop - very nice shot and great angle. You could crop out the bricks and probably PS out the hot spots on the fairing and blue totes used as the background and frame it - I've seen way worst shots in publication.

I think shot #4 is good as well. I'd crop the bricks out (making it long and thin), add some blur and slight darkening to the foreground and make the bikes colors really come out because its not competing with anything. If your into PS at all, you could also set the blending mode to soft light and adjust the opacity to really make it come out.

Overall your lighting is great - can't wait to see more.

I don't mind at all! All points taken on-board and stored in the vast empty space between my ears for future reference. I'm definitely going to have to shoot these bikes again. We couldn't go too far from the guy's home as the roads were wet and salty in the shade, the bikes normally stay tucvked up in the garage until March.



Thanks for the feedback everyone, I love this forum for C&C :cool:

[ryansauce]

whats your lighting set up man? they look fine to me =)

[Deanphoto]

whats your lighting set up man? they look fine to me =)

2x Vivitar 285's remotely fired by pocket wizards. No umbrella's or diffuser's used.

[AlphaChicken]

Nice shots man. I have always wanted a ducati. Had the money for one at a point in time but my parents wouldnt let me buy one, as "motorcycles are too dangerous". Which i agree with. Still though, woulda been rad to have one. :)

[Travisj]

I think you have a good start and you’re right their not the easiest thing to shoot but they can be fun. Here’s my take and please take it with a grain of salt, it’s only my take on it.

I think in 1,2 & 6 the bikes needed to be moved further away from the cars and a more shallow DOF would have helped them stand out a tad bit more.

#2 is just bad positioning, the bike gets lost in the BG and there isn’t any definition on the right hand side of the bike.

3 is probably the best of the series, minus the hot spot, IMO

#4, I agree with you

I’m not a fan of shots like #5 but maybe if you would have moved it over more to the right and used only the brick as the BG it might have turned out a little better.

I hope to see more of these, I love Duc’s.

[BIGTUFFGUY]

excellent lighting. I think you did a great job.

[Over Actor]

3, 5, and 7 are perfectly executed in my eyes, Great photos and the comp is great.

the other I think woul dlook good but if you notice in like #1 and 2. there is a bar that looks like it is growing out of the side of the bike attached to the car in the back ground.

i think if you cloned them out they would all be nice.

Rob

[Fireblade2K7]

Excellent photos and excellent choice of machine also if I may say so!

Stu

[Jules.r]

Thanks! I haven't yet used any umbrella's although I think I should of used them on the bikes to cut out on the flash hot spots. Lighting's quite simple when you figure out what works and what doesn't, it's all just a case of triall and error.

What I try and do is look at photo's where flashes have been used and try to figure out where they were, the power settings compared to ambient light, if any diffusers were used etc etc. Unfortunately because of 'Strobist' it's becoming quite rare now to find a pic without all this info written in the write-up.

This is an excellent thread, I'm really looking forward to playing around with my 2 580's, when I do it's all going to be cars!

Thats good advice about trying to work out where flashes are and how they are used in an image, I have been doing that, and must say i find it quite tricky, I'll keep at it!

May I ask a couple of questions please?, they could well be a bit daft!

How can you get rid of (or reduce) Flash 'Hot Spots', is it a case of where you position/aim your equipment, or maybe a case of turning the power of the flashes down?

Would 'Sto-Fens' help reduce Hot Spots?

Finally, what are the benefits of using a Sekonic meter? Is it worth me getting one?

Thanks!

[Deanphoto]

May I ask a couple of questions please?, they could well be a bit daft!

How can you get rid of (or reduce) Flash 'Hot Spots', is it a case of where you position/aim your equipment, or maybe a case of turning the power of the flashes down?

Would 'Sto-Fens' help reduce Hot Spots?

Finally, what are the benefits of using a Sekonic meter? Is it worth me getting one?

Thanks!

Absolutely -

Try not to fire the flashes straight onto a flat surface, try shooting the flash along the panels, this will help reduce the hot spots. Sto-fens probably would help reduce the hot spots, I have yet to use any though as I prefer the harsher light in urban settings.

I've never used a light meter and I think that with today's DSLR's it's kind of pointless, shoot a photo and look at the histogram, if it's too hot turn the flashes down/move them away!

[TomTomTuning]

Thats bad A$$, i got a shot of a 848 at the car show here the other day

http://www.hbgtuned.com/liveshow/Ducati.jpg

[Jules.r]

Absolutely -

Try not to fire the flashes straight onto a flat surface, try shooting the flash along the panels, this will help reduce the hot spots. Sto-fens probably would help reduce the hot spots, I have yet to use any though as I prefer the harsher light in urban settings.

I've never used a light meter and I think that with today's DSLR's it's kind of pointless, shoot a photo and look at the histogram, if it's too hot turn the flashes down/move them away!

Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions, I found your reply really helpful and now I can't wait to get out there and start experimenting!