Studio Car Shots

[Red]

In a couple of weeks I'll be doing my first studio car shots and I'm a little worried about the lighting. Obviously with cars you have the extra problem of reflections.

I imagine softboxes and bouncing are the order of the day, but I'll pretty much be making it up and using trial and error.

Any tips from the pros would be really good.

[charlesu]

Good luck. It's quite an endeavor. One of my cars was used in a Continental Tire ad. The shoot took all day and the car was lit by huge overhead softboxes which had all been connected. It took 5 pops of 5 Speedo 2400 power packs per sheet of film to get the exposure. Amazing!!

[iwatkins]

Red,

You do realise that you can't actually get a car into my studio ? :)

Seriously, I would suggest we look at bouncing flash power off the ceiling and walls in the workshop. The walls and ceiling are white. Even so, would suggest you shoot RAW so that WB can be fixed afterwards as it is bound to shift some.

If you are bringing up your Bowens kit, I can supplement that with my three elinchroms, pointing the whole lot up at the ceiling should give you a big softbox effect for the overhead shots of the car. For other shots, direct flash through physical softboxes would be the order of the day or better still bounce flash off a wall and back at the car.

Of course, if the weather is good, we can shoot outside in daylight. I've several reflectors and a large (1m x 2m) diffuser.

Don't worry, I'm sure between us we will be able to sort something out.

Cheers

Ian

[Red]

What are you talking about you wuss? It's only a staircase, roll-up your sleeves and stop whineing :lol:

Add some lights and the workshop becomes a studio.

Everything you've said is where I was at. Good to know we're in sync. Apart from the outside shots. I'm planning on using the inside control while I have it. But you never know. Some long exposures or light painting could be fun. Hmmm, got me thinking now

[Digital Prophet]

You know I was at Barnes and Noble the other day and I saw a couple of books on this topic. So I went to Amazon and found you two links:

How to Photograph Cars (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0760312435/qid=1112791087/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/102-8551292-8072162?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)
and
How to Photograph Cars: The Enthusiasts Guide to Equipment and Techniques (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1859608558/qid=1112791087/sr=8-2/ref=pd_csp_2/102-8551292-8072162?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

Hope that helps you out some.

- Digital Prophet -

[PhotosGuy]

"bouncing IS the order of the day" but, maybe a bit of direct light on just the tires to bring the tread up to the overall level of light. Hint: don't clean the tread - the dust helps here. Other than that, we almost never used direct light on the car.
We used huge 15X30' frames (on casters) covered with cloth to reflect into the car. Some were hung as overhead flats. These were lit with 20K lights. Smaller, highlighting reflections were lit with 750's. Check out the studio here:
http://www.stage3.com/webrootfolder/studioinfoht/studioinfo.html

The shot below was done using a 4X8' piece of plywood painted white at the camera. (This was my 1st real "Car shot", as in paid for by a manufacturer) ;-)

Try a few shots with the cars lights on for part of the exposure.

If you're doing interiors, start with some light bounced off the headliner. We would put a 30X40 white card up there & hold it in place with those "S" hooks they use for hanging curtains.

An alternative/addition to studio would be to shoot outside if it's overcast & the sky becomes an overhead flat. Just after sunset is great! You'll need a BIG, uncluttered area like a BIG parking lot behind you to minimize crap reflecting into the car.
http://photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/

If you don't have an assistant, get one for this shoot or you'll go nuts trying to move lighting & running back to see what it looks like. (If you already have one, then get TWO!) You might want to practice beforehand with another car so that this won't be your first car!
Good luck. ;)

[Red]

3 hours and already a number of very useful replies. What a forum :D
Frank, Ian will be my lighting tech/assistant, and there should be a number of people hanging about who can manage the complex task of holding a reflector. Probably too many hanging about actually lol

The only time I'll have to practice "in-studio" will be before the shoot, so I think I may get there even earlier than planned now so hopefully we'll get off a few test shots.

We'll have 5 lights, and a few reflectors. I think we could do with more reflectors by the sounds of it. Or white paint and a brush.

Thanks for the book links. I've had a quick look and may buy one or both of them.

Keep the tips coming guys. I'll share some of the results afterwards. There's a certain amount of secrecy about this shoot :twisted:

[PhotosGuy]

Oh, doing any engine shots? Be sure to have lots of cleaning rags on hand. (No, don't rely on rolls of paper for that. It will tear & leave bits behind)
You won't believe the conditon some of those cars arrive in! ;-)

[andygrif]

Sorry to resurrect this thread (hey, at least I'm using the search function!).

How did you get on Red? And can we see the results please?

A more pertinent point for me, as I am trying to specify the kit needed to do this on the cheap for an online car dealer, what gear did the studio you used have? What heads were they using? Where were the boxes positioned? What about backgrounds and lighting them?

These and many more questions......

[PhotosGuy]

I've updated this a few times, A few Car Lighting Tips (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=70290), so it's time to resurrect this thread & ask Red, "Did you ever post the results from this shoot. And if you didn't put them in Transportation, then just where are they?"

[PAS Photography]

If your shooting autos outside make sure to shoot earlier or later in the day, shoot some in the shade, and most of all use a Circular Polarizer and dial in the glare on the windows and paint with it. Ive got some images of a 69 Pontaic GTO Judge you could take a look at on my website for ideas.

[PhotosGuy]

Ive got some images of a 69 Pontaic GTO Judge you could take a look at on my website for ideas. A better link would be nice?
make sure to shoot earlier or later in the day, YES! shoot some in the shade, Maybe. and most of all use a Circular Polarizer and dial in the glare on the windows and paint with it. Never use them myself.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6987566&postcount=6

[PAS Photography]

http://www.pasphotography.com/images/600_collage_copy.jpg
Ill have to upload a better image so you can see the effects of using a polarizer and not using one on this car. Made a night and day difference, from a usable image to a "why'd I even take the photo without it".

If you dont use a polarizer for outdoor shots you are missing out on getting deeper blue skys, reflections, and more dramtic colors.
I think my circular polarizers are my most valuable piece of equipment for outdoor photos. I have one for each filter size of the lenses I own. Thats just my opinion, but Im sure there are alot of people here that feel the same way.

[PhotosGuy]

Nice Judge! Here's my fav red car shot. No polarizer.
From the thread: Blown '37 Willys - A Beauty with a Beast! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82861)
;)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/37-Willys_RT_013.jpg

[PAS Photography]

Awesome car. I like the background fades. Ive shot a simliar car. http://www.pasphotography.com/images/600_web_collage_copy.jpg

[PhotosGuy]

Is there some reason that you shoot in bright sunlight?

[PAS Photography]

The red car was shot on an overcast day late in the afternoon an hour or two before sunset. I didnt think it was too bright out, there arent any blown out parts of the images. The Judge was shot late afternoon as well, roughly 2 hours before sunset.

[PhotosGuy]

The Judge was shot late afternoon as well, roughly 2 hours before unset. Pretty strong shadows for that late in the day.

[PAS Photography]

Yeah, the shadows will be darker if your metering on a very bright subject making them under exposed. Plus there is some PP that I have done contrastwise and with levels slightly.
The side view photograph of the GTO you can see the sun was directly behind my on the front fender just before it went behind the trees before sunset. The circular polarizer got rid of all the the glare and white/hot spots on the cars paint except for the actual sun itselfs reflection. If a car is Red or orange or black it should be that color, not half white because of the sun, hence having to use the polarizer. Shooting in the studio you dont have this issue but most of us dont have a studio that big... I wish I did tho,
I saw your gallery, you have some very nice images and some cars that are top notch.

[PhotosGuy]

Shooting in the studio you dont have this issue but most of us dont have a studio that big... I wish I did tho, Well, you do is what I've been saying. Did you look at the link in post #14? They were all shot in a parking lot. ;)

[PAS Photography]

True, I do shoot outdoors, but to get an even lighting on the surface of the car as you do in the studio... the circular polarizer is a tool to achieve this. Not really much else to what I was tryin to explain. Everyone has their own style and method for achieving their photos. I was adding how I felt to have professional and magazine quality images without having a studio, the polarizer was a neccesity for outdoor shoots. Most of the photographers/editors that I have worked with at Primemedia Publishing recommend it in their Tech sheets and photo specification sheets. Also Buckaroo Publishing has simliar guidelines.Photography is like art and everyone has their own style and technique tahtas what makes everyones work different.