Creative Photos of Emergency Vehicles?

Medic Mark · 15th of October 2011 (Sat)

I'd like to take some creative photos of my Ambulance at night with my lightbar activated. We use LED strobes. What settings would you recommend?

lettershop · 15th of October 2011 (Sat)

HDR otherwise the LEDs may underexpose everything else

Medic Mark · 15th of October 2011 (Sat)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lettershop

HDR otherwise the LEDs may underexpose everything else

HDR? Sorry, I'm new to the lingo.

FlyingPhotog · 15th of October 2011 (Sat)

If you expose specifically for the light bar, it will severely underexpose everything else so you need to shoot a series of bracketed exposures from a point at which the lights are correct up to whatever EV level gives you a good exposure on the rig itself.

You then blend the images in post processing using only the parts of each shot that are properly exposed.

Put your camera on a tripod so all the shots remain registered (aligned the same), use the self timer so you don't have to touch the camera too much, choose an aperture (f/stop) that will give you sufficient depth of field to keep the entire truck in focus and walk your shutter speed up from relatively slow (exposing the truck) to relatively fast (capturing the lights at a good level.)

You'll probably have to do several shots at the last setting so you capture the lights the way you want them.

Medic Mark · 20th of October 2011 (Thu)

I finally took my camera to work because the last few shifts have been really slow. So, of course, I was ran to death today. I only had time to take 2 very crappy photos before I got sent on another run. So here are my very first shots:

I am going to build on this and I can't wait to show you guys something decent. You see that violet light shooting out of the top of the unit? What is that called and how do I compensate for it?

FlyingPhotog · 20th of October 2011 (Thu)

Filter on your lens?

If so, remove it...

15th of October 2011 (Sat)	#1
Medic Mark Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 36	Creative Photos of Emergency Vehicles? I'd like to take some creative photos of my Ambulance at night with my lightbar activated. We use LED strobes. What settings would you recommend? __________________ If it's wet, sticky & not yours... don't touch it!

15th of October 2011 (Sat)	#2
lettershop A lame title from the TF Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Fairport NY Posts: 957	Re: Creative Photos of Emergency Vehicles? HDR otherwise the LEDs may underexpose everything else __________________ 1DX, Gripped 60D,10-22mm, 18-135mm, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS, 24-70L, TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II, 100mm f2.8 Macro, 50mm f/1.4, 60mm 2/2.8 Macro, 580ex, 430EXII, Pocketwizards, Softbox, Tamron 1.4X TC, Canon 2x TC, GT3541LS, BH-55

15th of October 2011 (Sat)	#4
FlyingPhotog Cream of the "Prop" Join Date: May 2007 Location: Probably Chasing Aircraft Posts: 57,303	Re: Creative Photos of Emergency Vehicles? If you expose specifically for the light bar, it will severely underexpose everything else so you need to shoot a series of bracketed exposures from a point at which the lights are correct up to whatever EV level gives you a good exposure on the rig itself. You then blend the images in post processing using only the parts of each shot that are properly exposed. Put your camera on a tripod so all the shots remain registered (aligned the same), use the self timer so you don't have to touch the camera too much, choose an aperture (f/stop) that will give you sufficient depth of field to keep the entire truck in focus and walk your shutter speed up from relatively slow (exposing the truck) to relatively fast (capturing the lights at a good level.) You'll probably have to do several shots at the last setting so you capture the lights the way you want them. __________________ Jay Crosswind Images *Facebook Fan Page* "If you aren't getting extraordinary images from today's dSLRs, regardless of brand, it's not the camera!" - Bill Fortney, Nikon Corp.

20th of October 2011 (Thu)	#5
Medic Mark Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 36	Re: Creative Photos of Emergency Vehicles? I finally took my camera to work because the last few shifts have been really slow. So, of course, I was ran to death today. I only had time to take 2 very crappy photos before I got sent on another run. So here are my very first shots: I am going to build on this and I can't wait to show you guys something decent. You see that violet light shooting out of the top of the unit? What is that called and how do I compensate for it? __________________ If it's wet, sticky & not yours... don't touch it!

20th of October 2011 (Thu)	#6
FlyingPhotog Cream of the "Prop" Join Date: May 2007 Location: Probably Chasing Aircraft Posts: 57,303	Re: Creative Photos of Emergency Vehicles? Filter on your lens? If so, remove it... __________________ Jay Crosswind Images *Facebook Fan Page* "If you aren't getting extraordinary images from today's dSLRs, regardless of brand, it's not the camera!" - Bill Fortney, Nikon Corp.

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