One picture of my daily driver

[DNut]

I had an hour or so of free time over the weekend in the late afternoon, so I thought I'd drive around and try to find some new spots to take photos.

Here's a quick one of my daily driver in winter mode (Which is really just swapping on winter wheels and tires).

I had to move the car around a few times trying to avoid striping of light and shadow on the car from between the columns, and it's actually three exposures merged together.

Let me know what you think so I know what to improve on for next time.

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/SSninja/photography/_DSC1703_5_7editedWebSigned.jpg

[Raginl3ull]

I see what you were trying to do, but the composition doesn't work for me. Location is also questionable, but I can see it being interesting with the proper composition.

[DNut]

I see what you were trying to do, but the composition doesn't work for me. Location is also questionable, but I can see it being interesting with the proper composition.


Yeah, there honestly isn’t too much around me for interesting scenery, so I’ve got to make due I guess.

What would you suggest for a change in composition?

[Raginl3ull]

Yeah, there honestly isn’t too much around me for interesting scenery, so I’ve got to make due I guess.

What would you suggest for a change in composition?


If I were there, maybe shoot even further back. Way back so that you can really see the BG. Do a rule of thirds and placed the car so it's better illuminated fully. I think the shadow is also throwing me off, but again I see what you were trying to do.

Maybe even use a wider aperture to get the BG out of focus. Everything in the shot is in focus, no real separation of subject to BG.

[DNut]

If I were there, maybe shoot even further back. Way back so that you can really see the BG. Do a rule of thirds and placed the car so it's better illuminated fully. I think the shadow is also throwing me off, but again I see what you were trying to do.

Maybe even use a wider aperture to get the BG out of focus. Everything in the shot is in focus, no real separation of subject to BG.


I agree about the rule of thirds, and I should have been thinking about that when I took the photo…

I had an idea in my head with the shadows, but like you mentioned, I really didn’t pull it off as planned. Something to work on for next time.

I was using a 50mm prime at f2.8; I guess I should have gone to f1.8, but I was afraid of throwing the whole back of the car out of focus.


Oh, and I know I should have washed the car, but it was really cold out. :)

[DNut]

Oh, and here's a quick crop I did...any better?

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y277/SSninja/photography/_DSC1703_5_7editedWebSignedCropped.jpg

[jacuff]

Oh, and here's a quick crop I did...any better?

The crop still doesn't fix the shadow problem. Another thing that is troublesome comes from the fact you used 3 exposures. The sky is very uneven between the one pair of columns and the next. (One is much darker than the other.)

To fix the shadow problem, either wait for an overcast day, or move your location or car so that the car is illuminated more evenly. If it is overcast and the sky will look bad, don't include it by shooting tighter on the car, or from a higher position.

[DNut]

The crop still doesn't fix the shadow problem. Another thing that is troublesome comes from the fact you used 3 exposures. The sky is very uneven between the one pair of columns and the next. (One is much darker than the other.)

To fix the shadow problem, either wait for an overcast day, or move your location or car so that the car is illuminated more evenly. If it is overcast and the sky will look bad, don't include it by shooting tighter on the car, or from a higher position.

Oh, I knew it wouldn't fix the shadow problem..not much I can do about that now. :lol:

I was hoping that it would at least be composed a little better with the crop.


I for some reason didn't even notice the problem with the sky until you mentioned it, but now I can't help but look at it! Guess I need to pay more attention to that as well.

[Subicon]

Nice Scoob. Bad shot. Partial shade is rarely a good thing.

[pickupman92]

Yeah I agree.. the shade is killing you on this. What kind of flash do you have? It might have been worth it on at least one of the exposures to use it.

is it possible to drive up on the embankment and take a longer exposure at night? is there any kind of light under there? maybe with the headlights on etc?

Also... maybe use the pillars as a "natural" frame.

[Roy Mathers]

I'm afraid that, to me, this is just a snapshot of a car - there's not much more you can say about it.