A few Car Lighting Tips

[PhotosGuy]

Stick with me. Things have been added which have made my original thread become pretty disorganized!

As in anything else, there's no one way to take a good looking shot of a car. Some guys like grungy garage pics. Others put it in 20% of the frame in what looks more like a landscape shot. Neither are "Wrong" if you get the results that you wanted, but I'd still like to see one shot in a series that makes the car/bike/etc. look as good as possible.

More about "as good as possible."
An "AWESOME" car does not make a great shot.
An "AWESOME" background does not make a great shot.
An "AWESOME" car in a "AWESOME" background does not make a great shot.
LIGHT that highlights the shape of the body & lets us appreciate the styling is what can help make a great shot.
A background that works to help put our attention on the car is what can help make a great shot.

Need an example? Here's a shot of a "plain Jane" Malibu (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=10864786&postcount=30) in a parking lot. If you've got an "AWESOME" car, it shouldn't be all that hard to come up with one "AWESOME" image out of the eight that you can post in Transportation, right?

What I'm going to address here is mostly using the natural light that everyone has access to to make the car itself look as good as possible, without having to buy extra equipment for lighting. So think about starting with exciting light. Then throw out everything that doesn't make the image better. Results like these aren't all that difficult. Here's how to get them.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/Selection-Tut.jpg

NOTE:
1. In most of these examples, read through the whole thread. In many cases, there are some things that I didn't put in the first post.
2. Keep in mind that, if you haven't calibrated your monitor (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=296149) & used a color managed browser (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1161676), then what you're seeing isn't what most of the rest of us are seeing?

Cars are huge, curved mirrors that reflect everything in sight including you, the pole/tree behind you, & the people in the white t-shirts walking by 50 feet away. But reflections help to define the contour of the body & the sky is your friend if you don’t have the opportunity to get them in a studio where you can light with flats. Check out the studio here:
http://www.1880studios.com/

Note the rolling flat in image #4 used to bounce some light into the front. Without a studio, I might use a convenient building to do that.
2007 Chevy HHR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=227752)

We used huge 15' X 30' frames (on casters) covered with cloth to reflect into the sides of the car. Some were hung as overhead flats. These were lit with 20K watt lights. Smaller, highlighting reflections were lit with 750's.
Maybe a bit of direct light was used on just the tires to bring the tread up to the overall level of light, or we’d put a bit into the wheels/hubcaps to give them a little “pop”. Hint: don't clean the tread - the dust helps here. Other than that, we almost never used direct light on the car.

Here's an example of a black 300 in a studio posted by spot9 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9285903&postcount=100) in The automotive strobist setup pic thread.

This is why I keep telling you guys to rethink lighting cars in garages. This gives you an idea of what you have to do inside to even start to make a car look good, & it's why I keep telling you to take it outside & wait for the right light on them.
ProPhotoLife Video - '57 Chevy in a small studio. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZyJuwK269FI&feature=channel_page)

One option is: Painting with Light, a 'How to Guide' for car photography (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1081970)

More: Shooting cars inside a warehouse / indoors? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=502102)
Car Studio Shots (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=462365)

In our case where we're shooting cars at meets in parking lots and we usually can't move it, wait for the late light, WALK AROUND & LOOK at what the light is doing! (I shouldn't have to say that, right?) ;) Here's an example of what I usually have to work with. Which ones look better to you?

Image #2
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/Walk-Around_comp.jpg?t=1188659358

While we have one brain, we're given two eyes, so maybe that's a clue to look twice before we shoot?
LOOK at what is growing out of the body! Poles, signs, heads...

LOOK at what is reflecting in the body! Trees, people, other cars, buildings... (I shouldn't have to say those either, right?)
More on this here where I had the option of moving my Malibu: MOVE YOUR FEET! A <rant> of sorts. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=536323)
& in Post #41 on page 2 of this thread.

Background: It makes a big difference. Look how the dark background makes the bike pop out here:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/Valvoline-Bike_Black-BKG_006-02.jpg?t=1272638899

Same with the #8 "Beast" shot: UBNXOUS Beast! part #2. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=747170)

Advantages to "Wait for the late light":
The car will look it's best. Use the reflections in the body to show off the contours of the design. Look at the hood of this Malibu as an example:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/Chevelle-Hood-contours_0169.jpg?t=1275140312

Doesn't that look nice? Can you get that effect using only strobes? Yes, but you'll have to put the light on something else that will reflect in the body, & it's going to be a PITA to get it right. You can certainly do it in a studio or a garage with light colored ceilings & walls that will reflect in the body without adding other conflicting reflections, but until you can get something as nice as this I think you're wasting your time when the sky is free & easy to use.
Should you do it in a garage as a lighting exercise & learning process? Sure, go for it! Just remember what end result you should be working toward.

This is a recent shoot using only "late light". No strobes, no circular polarizer (CP), and minimal post processing (PP):
UBNXOUS Beast! part #2. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=747170)

Even air shows can benefit from dramatic late light: Pensacola NAS 2009 Twilight Airshow (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=783125)

But I was thinking more of Jay's shot #8 of "Paradise By The Taxiway Lights" here: (Air) Great Light and a Nice Mix (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1120071)

Then there's just one thread of Nigels' shots: Eagle dawn (aviation) (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1148015)

How about using it on a boat? Queen Victoria - Adelaide arrival (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=831775)
Actually, these were "Early light". We used to shoot dawn & dusk. Daytime was reserved for location hunting.

Need more drama? Try even later light: Malibu in the snow. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=620283)

NOTE: I prefer to not use a CP (Circular Polarizer) for these. More here. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6987566&postcount=6)

Disadvantages of "late light":
The perfect light may only last for 5 minutes, & usually comes after you've put the cam away. So keep shooting!
The good light may only last for 10-15 minutes.
Acceptable light may last for an hour, & sometimes like in this series A "GREAT car": '69 Plymouth Road Runner 440 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=323643), a building will shade the hot light off the car so you can shoot earlier than you expect.

Sadly, sometimes you just have to shoot before the light is right. If you can't move the car, then move yourself & try some different angles. Here, the late, but not late enough (for me) sunlit ones look pretty good.
'40 Fords - Three of 'em! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=371101)

"Hot" Sunlight: Cars in sunlight don't have to look terrible (to me), but it helps if you can move it to promote the reflections that you want to see in it. Sometimes you don't have a choice, & here you can see that some angles work better than others.
'65 Mustang "Best of Show"! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=1276266)
Silver cars in sunlight look good almost anytime: Post #52 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6129597&postcount=52)
Notice how the shots of the shady side are more interesting? The ones in direct sunlight have little contrast & look flat in comparison:
Photoshoot with a GT500 Shelby Super Snake (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=695785)

Sometimes we have to shoot even though the sun is shining, & we have the option to move the car. If you can find the shade of a building, hopefully one painted white, it will act like a white flat. Some of these were shot that way.
2007 Chevy HHR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=227752)

Another in the shade example: '33 Ford Pro-Street 3 Window Coupe 454 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=381615)

The alternative to the studio, but not my first choice, would be to shoot outside if it's overcast & the sky becomes an overhead flat. The problem with cloudy days is that the clouds can make uneven reflections in the car. See the hood in this one: Patrick's Camaro (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/Patrick_Camaro_Final.jpg)

My personal favorite is just after sunset with a clear, blue sky, as I like the warm, low contrast quality of the light. Just before sunset works best if there are some low laying clouds or haze to filter the direct sunlight. It works well without the "cloud filter" too, but the highlights in the body are stronger. Sometimes a distant low building will give the same effect of filtering/blocking the hot sun, but still keeping the brighter sky to reflect in the body.

Sunrise gives similar results to "late light", except that the car will be cold & you’ll have condensation problems, so you’ll need a lot of towels!
Preferably, you'll have a BIG, uncluttered area like a BIG parking lot behind you to minimize crap reflecting into the car. That wasn’t the case in the 1st pic below. It was a parking lot, but we’d get 100+ cars all parked together & they’d reflect into each other. So, after sunset worked well here, cause hopefully the cars on either side of the one you wanted to shoot might have left.

Image #3 was taken at 8:10 PM on August 26, 2004
300D, RAW, Kit lens @ 37mm, f/11, 1/10 sec., ISO 100.
The final PS shows it with some of the reflections in the side & hood cleaned up.

8919

What seems to be the hardest part of the changes to the 1st pic would be the selection of the car before removing the background. It doesn’t have to be. Try out the “Selecting areas in PhotoShop” example I put here.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39994

Here's a final treatment of that shot using the hood as a background: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Samples%20-%20Rides/55_Chevy_L_FIL-HOOD_0021.jpg?t=1275406703

These were all shot in a parking lot:

UBNXOUS Beast! part #2. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=747170)

Blown '37 Willys - A Beauty with a Beast! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82861)
Shown in the frame in post #17:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=970537&postcount=17

Patrick's Camaro (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=106223)

Jammin' Jerry's '67 Mustang. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=663693) - 1st shots/thread.

Mike's '55 Chevy proof (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=107497)

HDR
Three HDRs that work for me: Sweet Chopper (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=514405)

And this thread: Reno Air Races F-7F Tigercat HDR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1094840)

ScubaDude's My car in HDR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1129144)

And an especially nice bike "portrait" with out HDR: JCP's shot of a friends Vincent. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=11061756&postcount=95)

Some shots of Jim's '68 AMX (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=393917): See post #39 for other background ideas and some minor retouching.

Turning the lights on can add visual interest:
2007 Chevy HHR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=227752)

Links to Black cars, Red cars, + a sliver car in sunlight example: Silver cars in sunlight look good almost anytime: Post #52 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6129597&postcount=52)
Note: This link is duplicated in the "Hot" Sunlight topic above.
===============================================

Image #4 was shot in a studio on 4” X 5” film, but there’s no reason that you can’t do a similar shot outside. The main lighting was light bounced on a white painted 4’ X 8’ sheet of plywood at the tripod angled toward the front of the bumper. This could be simulated by a white building behind you. Or even late light from the sky.
The cove background could be white paper extended horizontally & taped to a wall. Or a garage door.
Google Search: photography "background paper" for a lot of links.

Note that the "good highlights" that I keep talking about aren't seen in this shot. That was because I had to show the paint as much as possible for the client. To spice it up a little, I did have the parking lights on in one shot, but couldn't find it 40 years later. ; (

8920

Try a few shots with the cars lights on for part of the exposure. Use a tripod & don’t be afraid of long exposures. It makes it easier to get the proper partial exposure of the lights.
Malibu in the snow. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=620283)

If you're doing interiors, start with some light bounced off the headliner. We would put a 30” X 40” white card up there & hold it in place with those "S" hooks they use for hanging curtains. Maybe put a card against the seat back to reflect some light into the dash. Art board with gray on one side & white on the other side gives you options for the amount of light you're bouncing in.
OTOH, in the Malibu link above, I just let the automatic interior lights fade out during the shot.

I you’re doing a side shot (profile), you might place a 30” X 40” white card on the ground to reflect into the wheels. Be careful that it doesn’t reflect into the sides. That can be controlled by putting a black card over part of the white card. It's easier to try the Layer Mask work in PS in the link below, & it's much easier to control. I usually use a longer focal length lens for these when I have the room.

Rear shots, especially of cars with huge tires, look awful with a wide angle lens. Try to get back as far as possible.

Finally, if you can, shoot RAW. It makes post processing SO much easier if you're working the highest quality file. And it can save your butt if you screw up! :D
Why I love RAW - '53 Ford Sunliner (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=43761)

This should be enough to get you started. For more ideas, go to your local auto dealer & pick up some brochures, or check out the Ad's in the better car magazines.
Cropping/framing: Keep in mind that they often use a crop that doesn't make the car shot look good, because they need space for text. They also crop tighter to fit a small image on a page. Some examples of crops are in this thread: MOVE YOUR FEET! A <rant> of sorts. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=536323)
If you want your car shot to look good, try to leave more room at the front for it to "move into."
Have fun, & let us see your results. ;)

A few other things I learned relating to exposure:
I don't want the cam to do anything I didn't tell it to do, & I don't trust the programming geek at Canon to set the exposure where I want it. Here's what started out as one reason to use manual settings & I learned how highlights affect digital metering:
Gray card: Why your meter may be lying to you! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=54281) I started out to check one thing & learned about another.
Also, see why Auto WB (White Balance) is something I don't use in the gray card (last) example of the 2nd image. An "incorrect" WB can allow one channel to be blown out & you're going to have a heck of a time trying to correct it in processing. This might not be a big deal shooting a car at sunset where the "correct" WB is whatever you want it to be, but what if you're shooting portraits?
The quick answer is in "How the subject affects the exposure & why manual keeps me worry free:" Post #47 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=5191658&postcount=47)

Film "tricks" for exposure:
Here's a good starting point for exposure. Pick the aperture and shutter speed you want & set them in "M". Then you only need to adjust the ISO to get the exposure that you need.
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

EDIT: White balance

Reality isn't everything. Would we try to make a sunset neutral? The "Correct" WB may not be the "Right" WB for a image. Remember, you're the judge of your own image. We used to use gels to add "romance" to our car shots for ad agencies.
More in post #12.

Gray Card…White Paper. What’s best? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=58677)

EDIT: Take a look at this thread for how to use a Layer Mask to selectivly lighten/darken part of a pic: Airport runway shoot (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=117950)
More here: You can level out the exposure using a selection & a Layer mask. See post #9; PS Elements in Post # 14
A question about sky (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=338140)

EDIT:
In the middle of this thread I posted the Layers Palette showing the "workflow"that I used in PS7.
'48 Chevy (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=78489)

EDIT:
I've added a workflow using Layer Masks to replace a background here:
Need to remove a background from something? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82876)

EDIT: Red's question on Studio Car Shots. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=66319)

There's a lot of good info in Car Photography for Dummies. (http://www.automotivetraveler.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=289&Itemid=124&limit=1&limitstart=1) Be sure to check out his Catching the Eye of an Editor links. too.

EDIT: Lambocars offered up 16 good tutorials here.
Car Photography Tutorials - OVERVIEW (http://www.carphototutorials.com/tutorials.php)
Note: Mark likes to use a CP (Circular Polarizer). I don't use them. I'd rather find the right location & angle on the car. But that doesn't mean that you can't try one. It's just personal preference, except that I find that when I remove the bad reflections, & also lose some of the good ones. And polarizers usually make the late model headlight plastic covers show a "rainbow", and I can do without that.

EDIT: I don't agree with everything he says in here, but I'm posting the link if you want another opinion for info:
Popular Hot Rodding - Car pic tips. (http://popularhotrodding.com/features/0506phr_pix/index.html)

Garage shots: See post #40

Adding a feeling of motion when shooting moving cars at night: The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise threads: (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6129546&postcount=51)
Post #51

Trucks OTR. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=897294)

EDIT: There's a comparison of two shots of a '34 Coupe in late, & even later light, added a few posts below.
I hope that it helps you out.
;)

Good light vs. Bad Light (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=900788)

[Vetteography]

This is really cool and a great idea, thanks! Post more car tips anytime you like!

[luckyart60]

Thank you for sharing, Wow great work

[KurtKuhn]

Frank-

Thanks for posting.

How many hours did you spend in PS on the Chevy?

-KK

[Persian-Rice]

That second one is fantastic. Im a European car fan, but that fish is something else.

[andygrif]

:cool:

[PhotosGuy]

How many hours did you spend in PS on the Chevy? About 10 minutes to outline it. Probably another 20 minutes to get the view through the windows to look OK.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39994
For the clean-up of the front & side reflections, maybe 3 hours, but I was watching TV at the same time. ;-)
I'm glad you guys liked the tips. "Car season" is here now, so let's see some of your work! (This stuff ain't all that hard!) ;-)

[mr.photoguy]

Great tips... I will be trying this soon.
I have so many Car images that I never post.. lol..

[PhotosGuy]

Here's a comparison of two shots of a '34 Coupe. The 1st was taken (as a backup in case it rained) at 5:22 PM in low sun, but not low enough! The shadows are still pretty harsh.

The 2nd pic was taken at 7:32 PM & the sun was partly hidden in haze above the horizon & all the cars look much better.

High Island Reservoir, HK - how light changes during the golden hour. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=430233)

16645

16647

[chakras]

Thanks Frank. That was really useful stuff. Nice reading.

[KurtKuhn]

Frank-

1st off, let me say thanks for your white balance threads. I used this technique and it works great.

So now that I'm a "custom white balance convert," please tell me about your white balance settings for both '34 coupe shots. Do you do new white balance settings during the day as the sun takes different positions in the sky. Or, is it more of a "set it & forget it" throughout the day?

Thanks.

-KK

[PhotosGuy]

Thanks, Kurt. OK, now a confession. I mostly use Custom WB indoors, or under wierd conditions, like the football pics in the evening with stadium lights. That gets me close so I start with something reasonably close for RSE.

Outside for the coupe I used the CloudyWB preset because the pic in the warmer late light looks more like what I'd get from film. I like it. If I did a custom WB, I'd still tweak it a bit warmer in RSE!
In the first shot of the coupe, the sun was low, but shining. The 2nd shot it was filtered by some low haze/cloud, so the light was softer & cooler.

A sunset shot would work well with CloudyWB, too. Why try to neutralize those great colors?
The "correct" WB isn't always the "right" Wb for me. I used to carry a lot of 80 & 81 Kodak Wratten filters with me to make the light suit my vision on transparencies, so playing with the WB is much easier now.

If I was shooting through the day, I'd use the Sunlight WB preset most of the time if the sun was shining. Unless I suspected that a building was bouncing in some off color light. Or in the shade under a tree where I'd expect to be getting a lot of green bounce.
When I copied some B&W prints that were yellowed, I balanced from the yellowed print, & the yellow was gone without having to get rid of it in PS!

I guess it's a case of, "Learn the rules & learn when to break them"! It helps a lot that RSE is so easy to work with, too.
Hope this helps. ;)

[blundar]

If I shoot a car indoors in a large showroom (usually in the cold of winter) I use studio lights shot through large diffusion panels. They are 5ft x 5-1/2ft & 3ft x 5ft self-standing panels made from 3/4" PVC pipe and white nylon ripstop.

I also use my 6ft x 4ft collapsible reflector, a 45" round collapsible reflector, and 45" umbrella box for fill.

Outdoor shots are generally shot in wide open spaces at the "golden light" hour.

Check out this website where I regularly post samples of my work:
http://www.automotivephoto.com/

[Ragtime]

Hi Frank,
Was searching your posts and came across this one loaded with a wealth of valuable info! It answered alot of my questions!

Thanks Frank for your hard work!

Bill

[PhotosGuy]

I think it's time to bump this thread back to page one so new people can find it. I've had a lot of questions lately. ;-)

[kilowat]

frank love your car shots, because most of the cars are from the 60's!!!! i joined the navy in 65 so you got my age. i'm about to get the rebel xt but i don't know what lens to start with i take lot of car shots mostly out side and some of the grand-daughter ???????????? thanks

[PhotosGuy]

LENSES:

I guess it depends on your needs & budget. For the first year I used the kit lens & it's not bad at f/8 & above. The car did most of the work in this one:
Blown '37 Willys - A Beauty with a Beast! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82861)
You find yourself needing a tripod for 1sec sunset shots & I should have used one for that shot.

I also used a 20mm Nikkor (Shelby GT). (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=108555) A shorter lens would be better for those "extreme" shots, or when it's a crowded car meet with a lot of people in the way.

Now the 28-70 f/2.8 L is my main "walk-around" lens, but it's a bit high priced & sometimes not quite wide enough. 28mm is a bit long but not bad for cars, except for profile shots where 50-70mm gives a better perspective. One advantage is that, with the hood, it's big & fat, & people give me some respect & move out of my way. ;) It doesn't hurt that the rig is more impressive than the owner's P&S, too.

When you have room, use a longer focal length for rear shots, especially when there is big rubber on the car. Otherwise, it's not going to look very good. See the last image here:
A "GREAT car": '69 Plymouth Road Runner 440 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=323643)

Look in the Canon Lenses threads & see what will work for you. There's a lot of info there. For half the price, I'd suggest the 17-40mm f/4, or maybe the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM.

For "People portraits", something in the 50-100mm range would work well, depending on the distance & crop (head vs head to waist). I usually work with the 70-200 f/4.

Good luck. You're going to have a lot of fun with the XT. ;-)

[robertwgross]

Leave it to some guy in S. E. Michigan to know what he is doing with cars.

---Bob Gross---

[PhotosGuy]

:D Thanks, Bob, but as I said somewhere above, "This stuff ain't all that hard!" ;) What you do is WAY harder!

[mrclark321]

Frank you should set up a PS course! I would attend for sure.

Great shots as usual!!

Dan

PS: I tried some framing in PS elements tonight on a few pics, if you get a chance have alook and tell me how I could improve!!!

[robertwgross]

PhotosGuy, the Barracuda appears to be an E-body from the 1970-1974 era. Is that correct?

Lots of us were Mopar fans back in those days, B.C.

(B.C. means before Canon)

---Bob Gross---

[PhotosGuy]

Dan, all my "secrets" are already in the "Sticky"s!
Framing: which area did you put them in?

Bob, always room for another Mopar guy! It was a early '70 one-off built by Chrysler for the "Rapid Transit System (http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/mopar/70rapi/70rapi.html)" ads. It came with a 'chute! Click the top-right image twice to read the text.
(Excuse the crappy dupe from a 4X5" transparency)
;)

This thing was a bear to shoot. The "normal" highlights we put in the body would hide the paint details, like the 440, so it was a case of trying to find a happy compromise.

25125

[PhotosGuy]

There are a few shots taken with a 20mm prime here. They could easily have been taken with the kit lens, too.
'66 Ford Shelby GT-350 clone *9 shots* (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=108555)

[Oaklandathletic]

Thanks for sharing all your tips of the trade. Being new to SLR I need all the help I can get....

Paul

[PhotosGuy]

It's all in the light, Paul. And we can all use some help sometimes, too! ;)

Edit: Late light works for trains, too: Sunset on the east coast main line. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=862438)

[tsaros]

Dan, all my "secrets" are already in the "Sticky"s! Framing: which area did you put them in?

Bob, always room for another Mopar guy! It was a early '70 one-off built by Chrysler for the "Rapid Transit System" ads. It came with a 'chute!
(Excuse the crappy dupe from a 4X5" transparency)
;)


Im sorry to bring up such an old post, but it was interesting and its refering to and old thread that i am unable to find :(

Could someone please point me in the right direction?
"Sticky"s! Framing: which area did you put them in?" is the thread im looking for :)

[PhotosGuy]

Could someone please point me in the right direction?
"Sticky"s! Framing: which area did you put them in?" is the thread im looking for
EDIT: That should have been "Dan, all my "secrets" are already in the "Sticky"s!
Framing: which area did you put them in?"
See post #30.

It might be in here: Canon Digital Photography Forums > 'Sharing Knowhow' section > RAW, Post processing and printing
-= FAQ & IMPORTANT LINKS =- (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138533)

Or try looking in the "Sticky"s in "Talk about". An Advanced Search of thread titles for frame rings up this link, but it won't be active for very long...
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/search.php?searchid=1543912

[tsaros]

It might be in here: Canon Digital Photography Forums > 'Sharing Knowhow' section > RAW, Post processing and printing
-= FAQ & IMPORTANT LINKS =- (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138533)

Or try looking in the "Sticky"s in "Talk about". An Advanced Search of thread titles for frame rings up this link, but it won't be active for very long...
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/search.php?searchid=1543912

I did use the advanced search and searched both for the entire thread title and just framing but i could not locate the thread.
Then i thought that you where the Original poster of the thread and went throu all of your new posts and still could not find it, so i did actually bother quite a bit before posting :)

On the good side i have done some very interesting reading today :)

Still not finding it under any section or FAQ, maybe its lost somewhere?

Best wishes from Andreas.

[PhotosGuy]

Still not finding it under any section or FAQ, maybe its lost somewhere? Sorry, I should have made it look like this:
Dan, all my "secrets" are already in the "Sticky"s! (Meaning the "Sticky"s at the top of various different Share sections. Then...

Framing: which area did you put them in? As in "Where did Dan put the thread he refers to when he said, "if you get a chance have alook and tell me how I could improve!!!"
I didn't find it. Still not finding it under any section or FAQ, maybe its lost somewhere? Look in the "RAW, Post processing and printing" (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=138533)Stickys.

[PhotosGuy]

Just as a point of interest, did you know that the matt, or frame around the pic, or background, like a bright sky, can make the subject look lighter or darker?

The gray bar at the center is the same density all the way across.

131531

Doesn't the Willys pop out from the mat?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/Frame_0479.jpg?t=1293902602

[Jonmorgan]

some good tips here...

[Zilly]

frank dont think your 37 willys is a 37 as a 37 has droop lights sat on top of the fenders and a pinched nose with grill on the popable bonnet not on the lower bumper

this is a orginal 37 (http://www.gerlecreek.com/abedrosian37a.jpg)

what you have there is a 40/41 willys the lights tell me that its more likly a 41

great tips tho

[pyrocars]

frank dont think your 37 willys is a 37 as a 37 has droop lights sat on top of the fenders and a pinched nose with grill on the popable bonnet not on the lower bumper

this is a orginal 37 (http://www.gerlecreek.com/abedrosian37a.jpg)

what you have there is a 40/41 willys the lights tell me that its more likly a 41


A lot of guys swapped 40/41 doghouse onto the 37/39 Willys coupes, sedans, and pickups. The bodies were pretty much the same but a lot of guys liked the later front ends better. Besides they could buy fiberglass 40/41 front ends and saved a lot weight off a race car. Now you can buy a complete glass body.

[Zilly]

yeh woudnt make sense with it being a glass front end as its split with it being a race spec engine there are a few other bits that are diffrent but i carnt remember off the top for my head

[PhotosGuy]

frank dont think your 37 willys is a 37 as a... I learned to not guess & just write down what they tell me. :D

[wrxflame]

Thanks for the bump, I have volenteered to do a shoot next Sunday for the Evolution Club here is Adelaide. I have qualified myself as a amature but it seems people are still willing to spend the hours cleaning amd prepping so I guess I should learn as much as I can before hand.

Cheers
Andrew

[KRM]

good info! Thanks!

[juejaimon]

Thanks for sharing Frank!

[PhotosGuy]

Some backgrounds we considered after I shot Jim's '68 AMX:

Some shots of Jim's '68 AMX (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=393917)

In the 2nd pic, you can also see some of the retouching I did in the side, hood, windows, and bumper.

========

And for those who don't find their way to page 2: A few words on SHARPENING are in post # 57 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=6232485&postcount=57)

[PhotosGuy]

Again, this is why I like early & late light: Nice sunrise shots from v35skyline: I hate waking up at 5AM for photo shoots. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=451385)

Almost night: Vegasboy's Corvette shots. Just a nit to pick; I think it would be better if the background were much darker than the car which would have made the 'Vette pop out more. But the light on it & the reflections in it just don't get much better than this.
Red C6 Z06 rolling black wheels (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=463193)

And finally, Carsofabq's 30sec night shots of a Riviera. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=993374)

But if you must shoot under different conditions, here are a few links:

Strobes

As a benchmark for comparison, look at turbodude's Miata shoot. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=464421)
The light defines the contour of the car & the body isn't just a black hole against a background that's more interesting than the car is.

Brasher posted a set-up pic for some shots of a Toyota MR2 using 3 strobes. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=402532)

Now some examples from The automotive strobist setup pic thread (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=774069)
There's a nice animation in post #2048 showing the use of one strobe in multiple exposures.

Here's an example of late light + strobe. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9283627&postcount=98) The body looks pretty good, but I could do without all that light on the ground.

The combination of both types of light work in photogsam's shot, (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9642481&postcount=193) but the ground is still a bit too bright for me.

Aridan did a great job making this shot look natural. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9736377&postcount=233)
Note: The set-up shot was taken 20 minutes later (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9754724&postcount=245) than the #2 image in that post.

xknowonex has a great thread here showing a subtle use of strobe: Bugatti Veyron @ Cars and Coffee Meet. Experimented with Flash Techniques (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=443549)
Let me temper that with a quote from one of the earlier links: One of my editors, Brad Bowling from Cars and Parts, has made it clear that he has a real pet peeve. “If I can tell you used a flash, the photo goes in the trash.”

Light painting
Light painting a C5 ZO6 Corvette by //Cory Varcoe using a fluorescent tube: C5 ZO6 Corvette (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=852170)
See the link to his gallery of light painted vehicles in post #12.
Light painting questions... (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=947095)

Blair Bunting: Chimera &/or softbox on a stick near the end of the video.
Scott Dorman on retouching.
How to photograph and light cars in the studio with the Lamborghini (http://www.photographytalk.com/forum/tips-and-taking-photos/215709-how-to-photography-tip-how-to-photog)

In #2048 of the "The automotive strobist setup pic" thread, O3DigitalBath shows his painting technique. The end result is great, but personally, I think the light he had before he painted it was better. ;)
Post #2048 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=13542554&postcount=2048)

raph-and-light-cars-in-the-studio-with-the-lamborghini?utm_source=PhotographyTalk.com+Web+Sig nup&utm_ca

mpaign=a72483837c-PhotographyTalk_Newsletter__50_011612&utm_medium=email

EricWilliamCurry: Painting With Light : T- Bird (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN2VY5xWGp4&NR=1)

See the link in: Painting with Light, a 'How to Guide' for car photography (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1081970)

Light painting illustrated: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=13389131&postcount=1966

What Lights Do You Use for Light Paints? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1126103)

Painting with Light (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=724130)

Creating A Miracle: The Light Painting Photography Technique (http://www.readyphotosite.com/blog/tutorials/light-painting-photography-technique/)


Garage shots: (Something I usually hate because you guys obsess about the cool location & forget about making the car look good, which IMO should be your first consideration!) ;) Some of the better ones:

I like the mood in the Porsche shots in a garage (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=10503603&postcount=413) from StE823.

chixwithtrix - "available light for a 2-4 second exposure; no flash or anything."
Subaru love (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=460769)

Light painting a C5 ZO6 Corvette by //Cory Varcoe using a fluorescent tube: C5 ZO6 Corvette (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=852170)

ChrisLUM - "We used the ceiling. There were ledges that had made it someone hard to control some of the lighting, due to blocking light. 1 AB400 and 1 AB800 shooting were used. Shot straight into the 90degree angle of the ledge. Helped being that they were white."
Audi's and a few others... (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=442255)

kyleturbo's Hayabusa shot: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9065289&postcount=1

VorteC's BMW 135i - Selective Colouring (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=861746)

MORE INFO ON PAGE #2 --->

[PhotosGuy]

Reflections
I took some shots of Van's Cuda in a poor location. Crappy reflections, even in later lighting. You guys do this all the time when you shoot your own car, or a friends car, & then make crappy excuses for a crappy shot.

Solution? MOVE the car to a better location.

WAIT for the light & then shoot it. More on that here: MOVE YOUR FEET! A <rant> of sorts. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=536323)

<End of rant> ;)

Any questions?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/71-Plymouth_Cuda-360-Van_62.jpg?t=1194450878


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/71-Plymouth_Cuda-360-Van_63.jpg?t=1194450896


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/PhotosGuy/Forum%20Junk/68-Plymouth-RoadRunner-409-Kevin_89.jpg?t=1194450913

[89AKurt]

Just posting to bookmark.

[ALaS]

Awesome tips!

[Ed 718]

subsribed......

[Sonic Infidel]

Thanks for the tips! I'm planning to shoot a bike for a friend, and I was kind of nervous about it.

To recap:
-Soft, indirect lighting is best.
-Bad reflections can ruin a good shot.
-Shoot all sorts of angles, and keep shooting.

Did I miss anything?

[PhotosGuy]

-Bad backgrounds can ruin a good shot. -Shoot all sorts of angles, and keep shooting. Think about what angles would be best, & concentrate on those during the short period of the best light.
Take along some 30X40" white art board in case you need to put a reflection where you need it. Did I miss anything? Shoot RAW if you can. And, get the exposure right.
First set the f-stop & shutter speed you need. Then adjust the ISO. Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

How the subject affects the exposure & why manual keeps me worry free: Post #47 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=5191658&postcount=47)

Good luck!

[Sonic Infidel]

Great info! Thanks!

[PhotosGuy]

Which reminds me, I just added this bike under a white, translucent canopy in post # 18.

Valvoline bike by Orange County Choppers. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=172681)

[Sonic Infidel]

Nice bike! That gives me a good idea of what to shoot for. (no pun intended)

Thanks for all the great links and whatnot. You've been a big help.

[Flamby]

this thread is so useful, thank you for sharing all the tips :)

[PhotosGuy]

When you're shooting panning/rolling/rig shots, you still need to pay attention to the backgrounds & highlights in the cars. #1 works for me in togish1's 08 civic si and sarah (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1071658)

Look at SF David's rolling shot in #3 here. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1186957) The light & reflections in the body are great, & the background doesn't compete with the car for attention. And yes, the rear is a bit OOF, but that doesn't bother me at all.

Adding a feeling of motion when shooting moving cars at night - The 2008 Woodward Dream Cruise threads:

Warming up for the Dream Cruise. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=552733)

More on-the-road Dream Cruise shots from Thursday nite. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=553433)

Dream Cruise cont'd - Friday (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=553795)

The official Dream Cruise - Saturday (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=554646)

And a few left over shots:
Add your Dream Crusin' thoughts & images. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=554455)

2009: Working up to some motion blur on Tuesday: "Nightmare Cruise" with a happy ending. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=737189)

More links to my 2009 cruise threads are in:
Dream Cruise at the Athens Coney Island (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=740443)

Faces in the Dream Cruise 2010 - Friday (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=920276)

Dream Cruise 2010 - Sitting on the curb... (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=920630)

2011:
Dream Cruise Tuesday 2011 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1081420)

Wednesday Dream Cruise 2011 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1081854)

Dream Cruise 2011 Wrap Up (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1084132)

[PhotosGuy]

Lazy photographers take note:
You can almost always get a good shot of a silver car in sunlight or with strobes.
You'll have to work much harder with black cars to make them look good. See the difference?

297908

SF David has an excellent series with all three car colors here. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1165740)

This one in sunlight looks pretty good. Note which side of the car the sunlight was coming from.
Black car in sunlight: A friend's EVO VIII (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=479534)

And these, too: Out to get the groceries and back in a flash! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=611220)

Carsofabq's 30sec night shots of a Riviera. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=993374)

So "RULES" are just a starting point. You really need to connect your eyes to your brain & really SEE what's going on in the viewfinder, right?
Then, MOVE YOUR FEET! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=536323)

My latest ride: 2011 Chevy Cruze Sedan LS (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1017337)

Black car hiding from the sunlight in images #2-5: 2007 Chevy HHR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=227752)

Make the light & reflections work for you:

A "GREAT car": '69 Plymouth Road Runner 440 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=323643)

'50 Merc Sedan (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=44795)

Ok... black miata, 2nd attempt. C+C please... (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=464421)

Doc Fluty's pickup (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=933732)

Doc Fluty's black pickup again: New take on an old favorite (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1085690)

Another pickup in nice light: 4x4 F-150 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1165870)

My baby (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=464264)

SF David's "postercar" shots that are actually worth putting on a poster!: The late 80s/early 90s postercar: Ferrari Testarossa (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1122577)

Hecks's shoot of black/blue/white cars: Car Show At Airport (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1104673)

1013mm's Ferrari looks pretty good for a black car in sunlight: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=13707608#post13707608

int2str's "Winter" shoot - BMW 135i (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=13742701#post13742701)

salleen's thread: Mercedes - E Classe Cabrio 2011 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1074787)

And in case you missed it in the first post, here's an example of a black 300 in a studio posted by spot9 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=9285903&postcount=100) in The automotive strobist setup pic thread.

An "Arrest-me-now-Orange" Beast!

'83 Camaro Z28 Pro Street 502 Part #1 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=744083)

UBNXOUS Beast! part #2. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=747170)

Agnu's GT-500 shoot: Super Snake! It's Orange, too... (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1104852)

RED cars:

SF David's Red 911 SC (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1186957)

Some shots of Jim's '68 AMX (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=393917)

Blown '37 Willys - A Beauty with a Beast! (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82861)

'70 Mustang Fastback (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=112352)

'40 Ford Deluxe Coupe - "TAPDOUT" (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=47414)

Fat Buff Guy's red 56 GMC (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1115103)

bjammmin's Viper GTS ACR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1071389) shots.

White cars:

MHO's shot: Photochoped Audi S5 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=753614)

VisualEchos Last Light (GTR content) (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=952808)

WireWess's shot of a white Renault Megane RS http://www.wephoto.nl/publicaties/meganeRS2.jpg

CallMeJag's shot: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=10937726&postcount=7

jeremycliff's Matte Pearl White E46 BMW 330i + Sunset (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1140563)

VisualEchos's white Nissan 240 shots. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=937412)

vegasboy's white BMW: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=12915609#post12915609

It's not just for cars. Jay has some great light on #8 here: (Air) Great Light and a Nice Mix (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1120071)

Not so hot show shots:
'66 Ford Shelby GT-350 clone (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=108555)

'37 Ford Roadster kit 305 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=637585)

'37 Chevy 350 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=641194)

====== Misc:

BarrySchwartz's shot of a silver Mazdaspeed 3 in late light. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/barryschwartz/4694773438/sizes/l/)

A very nice & clean shot by cbjetboy: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1096837

Scott's (TheReal7) thread: NO paint at all! Even a "Rat" can look GREAT in late light! Bare It All (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=748138)

Silver car in the evening with strobe: quickster's thread. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=657230)

.

[claybuster]

Frank,
I read this thread before going out to the dream cruise this past Friday and Saturday. I only had the afternoons free to be there and had a heck of a time taking static shots. I had to deal with reflections ,shadows, bad backgrounds,people sitting next to or standing by their cars. I put my Tokina 12-24 on my 40D and got in close and filled the frame.What I ended up with was some wierd views and angles and not a whole lot of distracting backgrounds. I am happy with a few of the shots but just not sure if I filled the frame too much. If I could I would like to post a couple to see what you think.
Mike

[PhotosGuy]

Hi, Mike. I had to deal with reflections ,shadows, bad backgrounds,people sitting next to or standing by their cars. The last two days were a real zoo out there, weren't they? Next year I'll start at least the week before!

I missed your comment when you posted it 2 days ago. Why not start a thread of your images & post the links to it here? Explain the problems out there & how you solved them & see what comments you get.
I think it will be a good addition to this thread.

[mikeb540]

great info, im hoping to shoot a friends mini before the summers over,, but the site i have in mind is my flying site, which is atop a land fill. this means i will have blue sky for backround and nothing to block the sun, i was thinking as it gets dark to shoot, any tips on setting for use with only tripod and pop up flash? thanks
mike

[PhotosGuy]

nother to block the sun, ? If you mean "nothing", then you need low clouds or haze or wait 'till the sun sets.
I didn't use a flash for any of the cars in this thread. As for exposure, this is what I use:
For a good starting point, first set the f-stop & shutter speed you need. Then adjust the ISO.
Need an exposure crutch? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=89123)

Since exposure can be "iffy" the first times you try to use that in low light, I suggest that you shoot a few frames, without moving the cam/tripod, above & below the reading you get. Then you'll have the option to blend in different exposures in post processing if you need to.
Level out the exposure using a selection & a Layer Mask. PS, see post #9; PS Elements in Post # 14
A question about sky (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=338140) and the Airport runway shoot link in my post.

[PhotosGuy]

A few words on SHARPENING:

There's no rule that says that you have to sharpen all of an image?

Sometimes selecting just the most important thing is the way to go. One benefit is that it puts more attention on the car instead of the background. Another is that you get a smaller file size.

I like the Polygonal Lasso Tool for that, feathered about 20px & used at a distance just around the outside of the important parts after resizing for the web.

I used USM @ 100, 0.8, 1 for this example:

302114

Sticky: Sharpening Tips & Tricks, Tutorials, and FAQ (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=466333)

More on Understanding Unsharp Mask (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=617683)

More selection links: Selecting areas in PS. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39994)

.

[mikeb540]

cool thanks! if the car is there tonight i may test a few setting tho if this overcasting haze doesnt go away.. blaaaa
mike

[PhotosGuy]

Sometimes that overcast breaks just enough at sunset, so don't give up until it's too dark to shoot.

And if it is too dark, then try something like this:
Malibu in the snow. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=620283)

[Mack1time]

Wow thanks for the techniques
Very Interesting!

[r.morales]

Thanks , some very good tips - for me anyway .

[denMAR]

Yeah this is awesome, I had to shoot a car a few months ago and I was not pleased with the results. This could of helped me quite a bit. Thanks again.

[GBRandy]

Excellent resource. Thanks fro compiling all of this.

[PhotosGuy]

You're welcome. There's nothing in this thread that everyone couldn't figure out on their own if they just sat down & thought about it. But cars are like your kids; we just don't really "see" beyond the "image" we have of them in our brain. ;)

[spotlightkid]

Great Stuff .... I really like the whole story on car shoots. And an amazing studio at "1880".
Example http://www.redbubble.com/people/spotlightkid/art/1341402-2-hummer-h3-branded
Shot RAW under Tungsten and slight PS/Lightroom mods. Great studio, a big crowded when shooting 'large' vehicles.

[PhotosGuy]

And an amazing studio at "1880". Back in the "good old days", we had two that size that were big enough to drive a semi into to unload cars that the public & paparazzi weren't supposed to see yet. We had 3 more smaller ones for detail & set-up shots like the one in the gallery (http://www.redbubble.com/groups/modified-imports-and-street-racers) of the Viper. (http://www.redbubble.com/people/cmyname/art/1608977-4-dodge-viper)

That Hummer would be BIG in Detroit! ;) Is that studio yours?

[51OAU]

ive just sat here for over 1 hr and learnt alot that i would never ever think about when taking pics, ive just recently purchased a canon 50d with a 50mm f/1.8 lens and a canon 17-85mm IS USM lens, i can't wait to get out and take some pics of cars.

What is your opinion on taking pics of cars interiors during the day with a white sheet thrown over the windows? So u get that nice studio look out in the open with sun creating the light?

[PhotosGuy]

What is your opinion on taking pics of cars interiors during the day with a white sheet thrown over the windows? So u get that nice studio look out in the open with sun creating the light? I'd say that you should try it & see how you like the effect? I might put a white card, or another sheet over the seat back to bounce some light into the dash, too.
In the 2007 Chevy HHR (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=227752) shots, I used a building to bounce light into the dash in #3.
You could add some light by bouncing a strobe off the headliner, too. Whatever works for the shot.

[PhotosGuy]

I was PMed with some questions about exposure & WB. I'm putting them here so that they might help other people who have similar questions.
Im having trouble understanding is setting the white balance with the paper or your palm,... First you have to separate WB from exposure. I don't set white balance using my palm. WB is set from the paper on-the-meter exposure. My palm sets the overall exposure for the shot.
The way i see it is, u take a picture of a white peice of paper with the meter in the middle...use this as your custom WB pic? Yes. I'd try to fill the frame as much as I could, & the paper doesn't need to be sharp. Now to bump the exposure up so the histogram is to the right? do u adjust the ISO, shutter or aperture? and take pics. Depends on what you're shooting, doesn't it? What is most important for that subject? As I said, "First set the f-stop OR shutter speed you need for the effect you want. Then the other parameter: shutter speed or f-stop. Then adjust the ISO."
But if I were shooting a car with a tripod, I don't have to worry about it moving, so 1st I'd set ISO 100 for the best noise free quality.
Then the f-stop for the depth of field that would keep the car sharp & maybe blur the background a bit.
Then whatever shutter speed works with those settings. Chimping is just where u adjust the shutter speed, aperture or ISO so the picture becomes brighter so it thinks it is over exposed? In a sense, yes. In the example above, I want the chrome to have some highlights that aren't blown out, so I put the peak from the white paper at the right end of the histogram. This insures that any white in the same light as my palm in that shot will be properly exposed, & any other colors should be correct, too. Some of the reflections in the chrome will be blown out, but that's natural & I don't mind.
For any shot you take, you need to decide what is important, & what isn't. If I were shooting a chrome wheel, I probably wouldn't go all the way to the right, but I shoot RAW & so I can tweak the final exposure when I convert the file for processing.
And let's not forget that "film" is cheap? If there's any question in your mind about what exposure is best, why not take three; One ON, one over, & one under.
Maybe even one 2X under+ one 3X under if you have a bright sky & you want to retain detail in it. Then you can blend the best of those exposures in Photoshop for the final image.
You say and set in manual mode? What mode do u take the pic in then?
I take it in manual. If I used any other mode, the camera would want to "correct" the exposure that I set, unless I wanted to use exposure compensation to bring what it thinks is correct into line with what I think is correct. I'm not saying that I'd never do that, but it would be only in a very special case, so don't worry about that right now.

[PhotosGuy]

Some dufus spammed my thread! How smart was that! :D

Thanks for reporting it.

[sandro9mm]

I will send this to my boss, I was telling him about golden hours of light since day one... no one listens... all they care is Fast FAST Faaast

[SonicZoom]

You are very consistent PhotosGuy

[Andy0o0o]

Thanks for the tips

[5x5 photography]

Excellent advice. I love photographing cars. Though I am not as proficient as you here are a few I done using natural light and bounce flash at a local car show.
I would like your opinion and advice.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Grill57cruisein-44.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Grill57cruisein-23.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Grill57cruisein-20.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Grill57cruisein-13.jpg


http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Grill57cruisein-7.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Grill57cruisein-5.jpg

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h264/Hunter1911/Grill57cruisein-11.jpg

[SamFrench]

Very nice!

[PhotosGuy]

Excellent advice. I love photographing cars. Though I am not as proficient as you here are a few I done using natural light and bounce flash at a local car show.
I would like your opinion and advice. #1 needs to be closer. It's a parking lot & building shot with a car in it now. And you have halos at both ends. If you have to darken just part of a image, it's easier if you select it first: Selecting areas in PS. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=39994)

The first motor shot looks OK, but the contrast is a little high in all of them.
There's not too much that I can tell you about making them look good in a daytime car show except what I already put in this thread.

[Maxxum5]

Awesome information! That first 57 Chevy warehouse video was great! Great tutorials on lighting, especially the angle son a car. I never been too critical on myself because photography is a hobby and not amoney-maker for me. I do it for fun. However, when I retire (within 5-7 years) I am going to pick up photography a little more serious. Thanks for all the links and tutorials! Well worth my time.

[ALaS]

I love cars with FLARE!
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7144/6793804879_938ac7cb36_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alas26/6793804879/in/photostream/)

If only that penguin looking dude wasn't in my reflection..

[PhotosGuy]

Not a pool player, are you Ericson? Unless someone else took the shot or you used a tripod, that penguin can't possibly be your reflection at that angle to the fender? The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
I do it for fun. However, when I retire (within 5-7 years) I am going to pick up photography a little more serious. "Fun" is good, but it's never too early to start?

[Quattrorocket]

This is just awesome stuff, I cant wait for the weather to improve so I can start trying out some techniques on my whip !

[ALaS]

Not a pool player, are you Ericson? Unless someone else took the shot or you used a tripod, that penguin can't possibly be your reflection at that angle to the fender? The angle of incidence equals the angle of reflection.
"Fun" is good, but it's never too early to start?

I actually am pretty good at pool.

And, I don't really know what to say to that; do you really think I'd edit in that penguin looking guy...?

/confused.

Wait - you think that reflection is me? Were did you get that idea from? I'm behind the camera, dude.

[ALaS]

I need your guys' advice:

Which edit is cooler?
1)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7016/6805778211_4a0fd72509_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alas26/6805778211/in/photostream/lightbox/)

2)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7023/6805779795_828624f778_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alas26/6805779795/in/photostream/lightbox/)

3)
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7161/6805846443_c9f97e32a9_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alas26/6805846443/in/photostream/lightbox/)

[HLxDrummer]

I like the top one the best.

How do you get those so sharp!?

[ALaS]

I like the top one the best.

How do you get those so sharp!?

Hmm, for the top one I did a little bit of an unsharp mask, but I only applied it to the lights and some of the grille.

The other two I think I reduced sharpness.

I shot it with the 50L which isn't bad in sharpness..

[PhotosGuy]

Wait - you think that reflection is me? Were did you get that idea from? I'm behind the camera, dude. Yes, I got the idea from you, "If only that penguin looking dude wasn't in my reflection..", where "my reflection" would be you in the shot? Maybe if you'd said, "the reflection", or "in the fender", or some other variation. No big deal, as I'm often confused around here as you'll see below...
I need your guys' advice:
Which edit is cooler? Did you mean "cool" as in warmer/colder, or "COOL!", as in better?
#1 seems to have more blue in it.

[ALaS]

Yes, I got the idea from you, "If only that penguin looking dude wasn't in my reflection..", where "my reflection" would be you in the shot? Maybe if you'd said, "the reflection", or "in the fender", or some other variation. No big deal, as I'm often confused around here as you'll see below...
Did you mean "cool" as in warmer/colder, or "COOL!", as in better?
#1 seems to have more blue in it.

Lol, you smart ass.

Which edit do you "like more"? ...haha.

[PhotosGuy]

Overall, I like #1 best, but the CB of the yellow light & it's reflection in #3 looks better to me. Try using the masks in Adjustment Layers to make changes to only part of an image:
A small tutorial - Adjustment Layer Masks (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=610792)

[sigma pi]

#1 looks good to me

[sigma pi]

I love FLARE with.. cars

fixed :)

[ALaS]

Overall, I like #1 best, but the CB of the yellow light & it's reflection in #3 looks better to me. Try using the masks in Adjustment Layers to make changes to only part of an image:
A small tutorial - Adjustment Layer Masks (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=610792)

Thanks! I do actually do masks to only focused parts of an image. I did these as two completely separate edits.

[ALaS]

fixed :)

..LOL

[ALaS]

@ 50mm f/1.6

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7220/7041211219_2e3f38f3ba_c.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/alas26/7041211219/lightbox/)

Grey and overcast.

[sigma pi]

:lol: You are a glutton for punishment. I hate shooting black cars.

[ALaS]

Haha. This is a dark blueish grey color.