I have a huge opportunity, and I don't want to waste it

[JoePhotoOnline]

There is a guy in my neighbor hood who just finished restoring a 1952 Willy's Jeep to full GI-issued service, Folks, it even has the M1 Garrand mounted on the dashboard and a shovel strapped on outside. It wants the finished military jeep to be photographer out in it's natural element. We are going to take it out to some backroads. Some fields, some mud, some trails, the works.

I'm excited as hell to do this for him, but I don't want to mess it up. Has anybody here photographer something military like this before? Any pointers? Any angles not to miss? Obviously I'll learn as I go, but I'd like some advice going in.

Thanks in advance.

[FlyingPhotog]

Get Good Light...

Since the Jeep is entirely one shade of OD, you'll need either Mother Nature's help or your own lights to get highlights and shadows.

Key in on some details as well.

[JoePhotoOnline]

Thanks. I'll have 3 strobes and umbrellas/softboxes. Any advice as to placement of lights?

[PhotosGuy]

Get Good Light... "Good" doesn't necessarily mean artificial, so for me "Any advice as to placement of lights?" would include placing them in my trunk unless I really needed them. See the links in my Sig, and this thread:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=445185

[btmlinedan]

try and shoot "down" the paint (meaning point the flashes down the line with the lens). if you point them backwards to you, you are going to get more hot spots.

with 3 strobes, i typically shoot from a corner angle with 1 on opposite front bumper, one to my right lighting up front bumper / fender / door, and a third farther down to the right lighting up the rear of the car.

it's honestly BEST to tripod the camera and take 3 shots, one with all three flashes lighting the front of the car, the middle, and rear. here are a few examples of that.

1.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4230340466_455f281fa7.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/4230340466/)

2.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4230337890_79f99b704f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/4230337890/)

3.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2701/4234152263_6deb0e9376.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/4234152263/)

4.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2798/4234139997_39e129e438.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/4234139997/)

5.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4234906640_3954c0636f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/4234906640/)

6.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2582/3902265024_a27662c7a0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/3902265024/)

7.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2661/3902236594_b49c3b6f21.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/3902236594/)

8.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/3902238736_df1747bdc4.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/3902238736/)

[btmlinedan]

9.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2573/3901464841_14be05af9e.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/3901464841/)

10.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2651/3901472077_03ca0f5398.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/3901472077/)

11.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2568/3899420773_6650bbf5b1.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/btmlinedan/3899420773/)

i typically take a shot of the background without strobes and layer in the shots with the strobes to really make the car pop. other times i'll fire the flashes to the ground and edit them seperately (as well as the sky)
if you need any more advice, shoot me an email : btmlinedan@hotmail.com

[Kleppy]

Get "action" shots with rocks/offroad (nothing to endanger the car though). Make sure you display the fact they beat the p*ss out of those jeeps and they kept going. They were tough and rugged.