Help with car pictures needed

[Garry Spight]

Hi everyone I'm new on here.

Im a car detailer by trade and got into photography to get some picks to start on my website.

All the shots I take are usually outside customers houses, I cant change the background so I have to work with what I have.

Also they need to be shot with natural light.

Here is a shot that I quite like what do you lot think?

Am I heading in the right direction/

What can I do to improve the shot or shots I take like this?

Many thanks Garry

[Hannya]

Hi Garry.
this one has a strong color cast, I guess its meant to be black? you could fix that in Elements or Photoshop. Also, you might use a polarising filter to get rid of the reflections in the windscreen/windows. Try and avoid strong reflections from nearby buildings if possible (rhs bonnet).

Best wishes

[Garry Spight]

I was using a polarising filter on it by could not get rid of all the reflections. I got the worse ones off the side, but it still left them in the windows,

As for positioning I cant really take the cars to shoot anywhere, so I have to make do the best I can with the scene that is there.

I have tried to takre the colour down a bit

is this any better?

[PhotosGuy]

Im a car detailer by trade and got into photography to get some picks to start on my website. What are you trying to show with them? High-end clients? Nice wash job? ;) All the shots I take are usually outside customers houses, I cant change the background so I have to work with what I have. Can you move the car at all? Even to the end of the driveway?
Also they need to be shot with natural light. No complaint from me. That's the best light you can get. See the links in my SIg. Here is a shot that I quite like what do you lot think? Way too many tree reflections in it for me. I'd like to see a bit more room in the front than the back. Try to leave more room at the front for it to "move into". Am I heading in the right direction/ It's an OK snapshot. Not great, not terrible to most who will see it. What can I do to improve the shot or shots I take like this? Leave it off the front of your website later? If/when you get better ones, just let it go to the back of the line.
How many shots do you need, anyway? Two or three that kick butt should be enough, no?

[Garry Spight]

What are you trying to show with them? High-end clients? Nice wash job?

The idea is to show a Nice clean car, Ideally before and after. Doesnt matter about the car too much i do a range of cars from cheap to uber expensive.


Can you move the car at all? Even to the end of the driveway?

I dont Know what the situation for space is like where you live but in this pic the end of the drive was about 6 inches away from the bottom of the photo. We are all crambed in in london.


No complaint from me. That's the best light you can get. See the links in my SIg.

I have been having a read thru them very useful. Sometimes the light is midday light.



What can I do to improve the shot or shots I take like this?

Leave it off the front of your website later? If/when you get better ones, just let it go to the back of the line.

That isnt really giving me any hints on how to improve is it?


__________________

[Garry Spight]

Here is another one it may be a bit better than the last

[PhotosGuy]

That isnt really giving me any hints on how to improve is it? With the trees so close to it, I don't see any way to make it better, unless you put your own advertising plate over the blank one, & maybe turned on the parking lights. Here is another one it may be a bit better than the last It's much better, & I'd lead with that one on your site. Can you move the car at all? So it looks as if you could use a different location at times? If you could have moved it farther from the building, the highlights in the hood would look a bit better.
As for "We are all crambed in in london.", I'll bet you could find a better location to make the cars look as good as possible within a mile of two if you just took the time to look for it. As long as the car looked great, you could always tone down the background, or remove it entirely if that would work for your purposes.
Need to remove a background from something? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=82876)
If you understand the process, this could also be used to just tone down the background.

[Garry Spight]

Sorry What i meant to say on location is that im a mobile detailing service so i go to peoples houses the second pic was taken at somone elses house. if you get what I mean

Thanks for your help so far

[PhotosGuy]

so i go to peoples houses The only alternative I can see is to pick the shots you use, then. Unless you can charm the owner into moving it for you.

[Garry Spight]

I can move the cars around while I am there. Alto taking the car for a drive to take some shots is taking the p**s a bit. What Do I have to look for while taking shots at the house.

I do by best to have nothing growing out the car, How far should I try to position the car away from the wall?

[Hannya]

Hi. I think the color is still off. Here's my attempt. I think cars always look more dynamic if you shoot from a low angle, rather than from above, unless you want to show the roof.

[PhotosGuy]

How far should I try to position the car away from the wall? All things being equal, farther is better. See the DOF calculator at the bottom.
Depth of field and aperture selection question. (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=2407876)