Help Shooting Cars!

Hi - First try at shooting my car yesterday. Just not as sharp as I would like and I am wondering if that's because it's too reflective a surface. What's the best way to light this. I just shot in natural light and without a tripod. Any help or suggestions on any aspects of this shoot would be appreciated. Thoughts? Comments? Suggestions?

whats your settings

Hey Adam: First of all I like what you have done here! I think your composition is good along with your prospective angles. The only thing IMO would have done differently was with your background which is a bit busy with the plywood over the doors. The brick works well in the color an B&W by its self. (DOF and Sharpness seem good to me)

Good Stuff: Brady

Nice ride.

No, these don't look that bad, but usually it's because you didn't focus on something that wasn't a reflection of something dozens of feet away.

I told you three weeks ago?

Frank, thanks. You posted some very helpful hints in your sig. Back then I had posted about an abandoned car shot which was a totally different process than this. I am glad you reposted as now I can find your link again!

Not sure what you mean by sharp as they look sharp to me. What is lacking (what you think is light) is your WB and exposure. Open them in Photoshop (whatever has histogram) and set your white point using the license plate and set your black point using the black inside the wheel well. You don't have "edit on" so I can't show you the result but you will get reflections/midtones on your bottom panels. - and BTW it looks great! They are all great shots..last one not so much
I would also tone down the brick reds and blur them a bit if you want less DOF and reduce your big logo or move it to a non-contrast area like in #3

Took your advice. Yes, much better on the white balance. I am not so sure about the blur on the wall now but I appreciate your help! Feel free to edit anytime!

Good job Adam - you could also try and open some of the midtones (levels again) a bit more to get more detail showing esp the grill area. I desaturated the wall a bit and blurred it a bit - sharpened the car (only) a bit. Note that the gravel reflection looks like noise - but it isn't of course.
A cropping hint BTW for cars is to allow more room to show in FRONT of the car - not the back.

1.

I think they look nice and sharp! Love the B&W ones tho...

Is it just me or do most of these images look tilted? Then again some people shoot tilted on purpose. I am willing to admit that I am one of the "old school" type people that like horizons, cars, etc. level.

Hawks Feather wrote in post #12410268
=Hawk's Feather;12410268]Is it just me or do most of these images look tilted? Then again some people shoot tilted on purpose. I am willing to admit that I am one of the "old school" type people that like horizons, cars, etc. level.

Tilted on purpose. I like that skewed look with cars. BTW, used to live in Lima!

Years back I lived there too. Taught at Horace Mann and then an assistant principal at Garfield. Small world.

Hawks Feather wrote in post #12414403
=Hawk's Feather;12414403]Years back I lived there too. Taught at Horace Mann and then an assistant principal at Garfield. Small world.

I put a radio station on the air there back in '90, WBUK 106.3. I really enjoyed my time in Ohio.

You are off to a good start on the car pix, but In my opinion, the front wheel should be facing the camera if your shooting broad side and have any control over the vehicle. Maybe in your shots, only slightly, but I just like that better.

Otherwise, they look nice to me.

The only suggestion I would offer is this: IF that's your real plate Id either edit it out or remove it for any shoot you post online. Just my .02