I did some shootings with my new camera.

40D with 18-55mm IS kit lens

Please tell me what I did wrong guys! So I can learn and get better...

Please don't be too harsh.. I know I'm a super noob at this. I just love taking pictures, that's all.

 

do you have a tripod? when getting stilled pics, use the timer. for best results.

 

The first thing to start with is finding a good location. Parked nose-in to a cement wall in a parking lot on an overcast day is just not going to make an interesting photo. Take pick up any car magazine and take note of what they do for their car photos. Start by trying to mimic them as much as possible, then build on it by adding your own influence.

We can work with you on the exposure and technical details, but you've got to start by creating the scene. Think about what you want the final image to look like before you leave the house.

 

nice car! i like how the new ms3 looks!

 

wash the car first.

 

^ Not really. You can take interesting photos of beading on a car.

 

OP, who said you did anything wrong?

You very successfully documented your car in a parking space. I can clearly see the car, the make and model, and the relative location, and all are in focus.

Was there something else you wanted the pictures to "do"?

If you are looking for the artistic element, you may want to get a phew photography books from the library or Amazon, and also look at other car photos (if that subject matter interests you) and at first just try to emulate what you see. Then, once you understand the basics of shutter speed, aperture, focal length, lighting, ISO, etc., decide what you want to add to your photos in terms of artistic elements.

 

this.

thats what i did and am doing.

 

so.. i got tokina 11-16mm yesterday.. tried shooting some at my apartment parking structure..









i luv this lens..

please give me some advice. i'm ready to learn!

 

Nice!

 

Rule of thumb

1. If you're taking an angled (in perspective) shot of your car, wheels face forward, not tires.



Your front tire is facing the camera, turn our wheel so that the wheel is facing the camera. Same applies if you're taking a picture from the front angle.

2. If you take a picture like this and angle it like this, I will personally come to Cali myself an kick you in the balls hyung.



No photo needs a focking 45+ degree angle to make it more aesthetically pleasing. A simplistic/moderate angle is good enough.

Have fun with the UWA lens.

I took this back in Spring 09



Experiment experiment and experiment.

 

^--- agreed...and agreed. i'll drive you to Cali myself.

 

lol

or i can kick him myself for you guys

 

okay no 45 angles. got it.

Thanks for the advice guys..

please give me more advice!

i'm a skinny asian guy but has thick skin.

 

forgot these. took these last night as well.

 

Nice! Pics are looking better!

 

aaron all your pictures are coming out to dark, oh and use a tripod some of your shots look to be oof

 

thanks! any advise!?

oooh forgot to mention that I don't have a flash nor a tripod yet.. Which tripod is good for beginners?

 

Thomas I actually like the effect. It's almost like Aaron was focusing on the background instead of the car. It could be a just a tad lighter though.

.Get a hold of Tim and go on a shoot with him. He'd probably want to play with your Tok.

I have a Manfrotto 190XB, fairly inexpensive. I love mine.

 

don't buy the ones from best buy for 40 bucks. save your money and buy it once. I think Dan Martin has the links for some good tripods. i would like to see a longer exposure one some of those darker pictures.

 

 

Underexposed, but if that's what you were going for...

Camera metered mainly off car, white object, that means camera thought too much bright and lowered your exposure to get to 18% grey.

Kinda of like shooting in snow, you have to compromise for it and add at least one stop.

 

Thanks for the input.

Yes, the original image is a bit more brighter but i was playing with LR and this was the result.

And I didn't know about that camera metering on the white object.. thanks for the tip. I'll keep that in mind for sure.

here are the rest of images that i took yesterday

]







The sky had some interesting colors and patterns, but I just couldn't figure out a way to capture them as they looked. Some of the great looking automotive images pretty much always have some awesome looking sky patterns and colors.. is it a result of post processing? or the shooting itself?

 

IMO try starting by going to a park on a sunny day and taking random pictures of whatever inspires you.

cars are fun, we are on a car forum.... but you're taking a black or white car in gloomy weather with no lighting equipment... black cars are the hardest to capture IMO.

 

^ Thanks.

Yeah, this weekend I'm planning to go to a park or something to take some pictures.

 

some pictures from last weekend.. was just having fun..






look at my driver side rear wheel, lol it was completely off the ground

 

 

hello from potn

 

Hi VorteC

 

am i getting any better??

 

yes you are, i like the colours. white cars are easier to shoot too!

 

^ thanks!

yeah i know! i hate taking pictures of my black ms3, so i just decided to shoot my gf's car. lol

Here are the rest. Please C&C for me!

 

I like that first picture a lot.

 

#1 is sweeeeeeeeeeet. generally, you don't want trees growing out of your subject cars though! keep that in mind for next time, position the car where theres no tree growing out of it. apply rule of thirds (like you did here nicely) and you will have a banging photo! nice colours and mood.

 

Thanks.

That picture was actually my favorite. I just wanted to add more lighting on the car itself to pop out a little, but I've never worked on photoshop... sucks.. i need to find some good tutorial haha

hellooooo

first, thanks alot

and yeah about the trees growing out of the car, i thought about it while i was shooting it, but why am i so lazy??? I regret not moving the car though, it's my favorite photo of that day.

i'll read on and study the rule of thirds tonight. i didn't know about it til today.

but really, thanks for the comments. it means alot to me!

 

it was really really dark in the store..

 

a fast lens and/or a better flash (not the built-in one) would help with indoor shooting.

but, you could adjust the settings on the RAW file and add some 'fill flash' to your shots. or at least 'dodge' the darker areas to lighten them up...or a thousand other things in photoshop...

 

This isn't my shot. I stole from POTN.


How do I shot something like this? I really want to do the similar thing but don't know how to do it..

 

a dark room with a couple lights in front of your model should do the trick. i don't have too much experience with anything but a bigger flash, so let someone else answer the lighting set up situation.

and if the room isn't dark enough, you can use the tools in PS (gradient mask brush, etc.) to give the appearance of a dark background and keep your subject(s) lit up.

or...maybe there's a really bright skylight in the roof of where this shot was taken...

 

jinu, you are definitely getting better...