General Auto Photo Questions

How do magazines get photos of cars that are so good? And does anyone have a picture of the setup they use? Like the suction cups and stuff?

And how do people take photos like this? What is the lighting/lens/filter setup? Or is it all PP

http://www.bullpublish​ing.com …gi?page=311b.ht​ml&cart_id=

Help would be great

lighting plays a bit part in these photos, looks like a full bigtime studio setup to me, which may be hard to emulate. i would guess they used a polarizer, as it seems the trend in these photos and as for lens - not sure, if it was canon probably an L series lens.

Ok thanks, I'd really like to specialise in Auto photography, but have no idea really what I would need.

Right now, I'm looking at a basic SLR set-up plus a circular polariser, but being 15 I don't have anywhere near the money for a full studio setup.

Thanks

Lighting (Careful placement to avoid reflections, and inan enclosed space so all light is controllable) is the biggest one. Also background control is another huge aspect.

Hey man, I know where you're coming from. My love photography started with my love to photograph cars. First start shooting them as much as you can.

Of course, dont just go shooting for no reason. Read up on lighting and so on first. I strongly believe that it is probably the most important thing you can learn - lights and how they affect your pictures.

I have not taken any classes before, but I just kept shooting. I started with a crappy still shot feature on a camcorder my parents bought for the family, moved on to a point and shoot, then an old school film slr (which got expensive, really fast), and I finally now invested in a full on dSLR.

Don't worry if you don't think your equipment is good enough. First get down the basics; lighting, technique, etc... Then you can worry about it looking professional. You will eventually get there, just put your heart into it, and don't give up until you're satisfied.

I very seldom use one for cars. Have you seen this? A few Car Lighting Tips

just don't go overboard on Post Processing (photoshop)

Here's one I took in Santa Monica...any CC?
about 7:00am...so the light wasn't very harsh...

It's not that optically my Sony isn't good enough, it's just painfully slow, and in low light won't focus well.I'm happy with it other than that, oh and the fact that I get lots of noise at ISO64...?

Thanks for the help ArenGh, and photos guy I hadn't seen that, I'm reading it now.

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looks ok but you blew out the highlights quite a bit on the bonnet and slightly on the side, maybe if you had moved it and shot in the opposite direction (away from what appears to be the sun), you'd have got less harsh highlights?. maybe a little fake nd grad would have been good to, to correctly expose the sky.

Fake ND grad? as in in PS?

Alright there, the sky wasn't very bright, but the street had a canopy of trees, so I had to expose for the car, not the sky, because it was much darker. Not an excuse just telling you.

lighting is the most important pat of photography.... after all it translates into painting with light!

as for shooting car... practice. and read these forums, and practice, and talk to as many auto photographers you can. and practice.

and those images in that link are done in serious studios, with huge light sources and plenty of post work! most car ads you see today have lots of post work!

As stated, in a nut shell, lighting is the major MAJOR factor in automotive photography.

Your best bet is to shoot at sundown and your circular polarizer will help out with reflections off of the glass.

Thanks guys. Now I just need an oppertunity to shoot