Car shots - Help Needed Please

I did these photos for a guy I know who requested photos by me over a car forum that we both use. I am not exactly sure what he was expecting, but I am by no means a professional photographer, I'm an amateur at best.

These are only two that I did as I only did them yesterday evening and didn't have much time to do anything with them. I sent a quick touch-up off to him just to see what he thought. The one I sent him was the B&W picture in front of the barn. I'll let you see what he said and see if you can point me in the right direction.

Him - Looks real good
Him - I like less editing tho

Me - How do you want it?

Him - Color like hdr
Him - Or something

Me - I'll see what I can do

Him - kkkkkk
Him - And like a full size picture

Me - What do you mean by full size?

Him - Like not like that one how the sides are chopped

Me - The sides of the barn?

Him - Yeah
Him - Kinda thing

Me - K... I'll send more off over the next little bit

Him - Kkk
Him - Thxx man
Him - Maybe some rolling ones
Him - I love HDR photos

For anyone who does not what a rolling shot is, it's just when you are in another car driving alongside the subject car and taking pictures of it.

So, apparently he loves HDR photos, but also likes very little editing in his photos; which to me seems counter intuitive. And as far as I know a rolling shot in real HDR would be next to impossible.

I understand why he likes color, many people do. So that's what he'll get along with some B&W. I personally prefer the B&W, but to each their own.

He paid me with a case of beer (~$24), so basically it can be assumed it was like a favor (as the giving of beer in my area generally indicates a favor). I think I'm a little worked up and feeling like I'm not going to be able to please him, but I'm not sure what he was expecting. Photos that are magazine quality? For a 12-pack of beer.

And they all lived happily ever after.

The End *close story book*

So help me out guys and gals!

1

I think the first color one looks really good. The second color, I'm not a fan of this composition, the car is dead center. I don't like none of the B/W.

Also, I know the roof of the barn is not level. In reality the barn is level and the ground is not, so something has to be sloping in the photo. I chose to have the ground level as it was the main focus of the photo.

Should I leave it or change it?

I think the barn is the better backdrop. The other is too busy and detracts from the lines of the car.

I like the barn as well.

Some more

#5

I like the last two color prints. Maybe a little less grass in the forefront of #5, I find it a little distracting.

#6 is looking pretty good, but if there was a bit more of the front end and the front wheels turned in a bit to show the rims. Try to find the lines of the car, and define them.

i like the graffiti wall and the glass windows/building. they seem to fit the feel of the car more.
IMO, a nice car like that clashes in a bad way against an old barn. I'm guessing the other critiques like that contrast about it but i dont. i like the composition of #6 the best.

just my 2 cents worth.

Just too "static" for me...try re-positioning the car so you're just not shooting it straight on broadside. Also, crop out the sky from the barn shot (first color image)...it does absolutely nothing for the image. Unfortunately, as shot and processed, they look "flat" and 'boring' (you may also want to consider using a polarizer to kill the reflections in the glass). Just what type of HDR is he wanting...a real HDR image or a cartoony-looking, over-tonemapped look? If the latter, just create a few exposures from the original RAW file and overcook it. Then he brings up rolling images? Don't know about you, but IMO it seems like a LOT of effort for just beer...and it sounds like he'll never be satisfied.

Every car shot needs a circular polarizing filter. Try it, you will be amazed at what it does. Shots #5 and #6 look to be the best to me. The little broken house in the background in #5 keeps drawing my eye. The others are too "static," I guess I just do not like the straight on shots. Park the car and walk around it shooting from all angles.

What exactly do you mean by "static"? As in the car appears to be too stationary?

Are you recommending try to taking a photo that gives the perception of speed? Is the another way of doing this other than rolling shots?

kevo1586 wrote in post #12452657
What exactly do you mean by "static"? As in the car appears to be too stationary?

Are you recommending try to taking a photo that gives the perception of speed? Is the another way of doing this other than rolling shots?

What I mean is try shooting with the car at different angles...in the first set, its the same thing...broadside shots. Also, try shooting with the camera in different positions as well.

I think shot #6 is the best of them, but mabye have the car more pointed tward the camera to create a more dynamic line. Shot #1 seems underexposed to me. I enjoy the juxtaposition of the curves of the car with the straight lines of the windows in the B/W version of shot #2 but I think the gravel in the forground doesn't add to the shot and should be cropped out.

I 100% agree with the gravel ruining the shots. I didn't really know what he meant by full size photos. So I left it without a crop.