Tips On Taking Good Photos Of Your Car

[Peter_D]

Have a read of this.

Please add your own tips/tutorials also. And list what you consider to be good locations.

I took most of ours just down from the Redland Bay pub.

http://ozvr4.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2183&stc=1&d=1231568714

Then we went to this location.

http://ozvr4.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2184&stc=1&d=1231568952

 

[ygoslo]

My favourites are usually in industrial/urban settings. I especially like photos taken amongst scenes of urban decay etc. I like the contract between the rough background and the clean lines of the car.

But that's probably more about my visual tastes and stuff than anything else...

 

[dimi_108]

My ideal backdrop is industrial, railway and old buildings. Sunset brings the best light. Especially having the sun facing the part of the car which you mostly want to take a photo of eg. front.

 

[Guest]

anywhere just as long as i get to take another picture of my monster. but the best place is when the speeding cameras get u when u dont no they are there. burn them all

 

[Hotwire]

Personally I prefer industrial, here in Adelaide there is a Road in Mile End, London Rd. Here is a coule of pics of my SP23 (haven't been able to take the legnum there yet)

 

[Hotwire]

Alternatively, getting down low to the road, shooting up and using the road & clouds can give nice effect to (my previous R31)

 

[Guest]

I find that with a black car that reflects everything you need to be near something other than road or dirt - such as grass or water. There is an awesome picture in the Members Photos thread of a car parked under a tree and all you can see are the hundreds of branches perfectly reflected. That's a great shot IMO.

I agree with Dimi, sunset is great light if you can use it.

And a GOOD CAMERA!

 

[mookers]

I find that with a black car that reflects everything you need to be near something other than road or dirt - such as grass or water. There is an awesome picture in the Members Photos thread of a car parked under a tree and all you can see are the hundreds of branches perfectly reflected. That's a great shot IMO.

hee hee, it's not black, and it's not the whole car, but I think this came out cool:

 

[damian]

I know the pictures themselves aren't good but these do show the reflections well on a clean black car.

 

[Hotwire]

Ummm - I dont understand why you'd want reflections on a black car? Surely you want the detail of the lines of the car, not for it to be messed up by reflections of stuff in the background? (maybe just my personal opinion)

 

[damian]

I dont normally want relections, but in this instance I took the shots to show a friend the before and after of a hand polish. I was getting rid of the massive "LOL" that someone wrote on my bonnet through the dust, if I find who it was they wont feel like LOLing when I open a can of whoop ass on them!

I agree with Lee on reflections mucking up the lines of the car..... especially a few rose bushes in full bloom and a brick wall.

 

[dimi_108]

Hey Damo,
Just a quick pointer, that last shot of the car from the side/behind is too "cramped" in the picture. It loses the depth and makes the picture feel suffocated. Try taking the picture a bit lower to include the ground underneath a bit more as that photo looks like the car is being "squeezed" into a 1024 x 768 frame.

Here's are two places in Sydney that are useful for taking interesting photos with that "urban" feel to it.
The below examples are pretty poor efforts as the quality is not very good and the angles are bodged but just to give you a feel of what you can create with the backdrop colours.

Night time is good at North Strathfield, on George Street.

Night is also good here at May Lane, St Peters but day time is even better. The day time enhances the art on the wall. Different art is painted on the wall every few months.

 

[Tom]

*cracks knuckles*

Hooray, okay, let's waste some time at work hehe..

I'll supply Google Map links instead of screenshots of the maps, mostly because I'm feeling a touch lazy!

For more examples of pics that are taken at the following locations, visit my gallery site:
http://www.omgtom.net/mazpics

Macquarie Hospital
tiny off road bit behind one of the buildings.. Just drive up where the A is offroad driveway haha..
Map Here

Optus Building - North Ryde
In the map, it is still underconstruction.. But yeah, as you can see from the pics.. It is complete and looking schmick for a nice modern photoshoot
Map Here

West Portland Rd Quarry..
Not sure if that is the real name or whatever, but it is a old quarry (or still used, no idea) on West Portland Rd.. Used to drive passed it a lot as a kid on the way to my grandparents old house in Lower Portland, just on the Colo River.. Went exploring that way one day, figured I'd pull over and do a mini shoot
Map Here

Wheelbarrow Ridge Rd
The street my grandparents live off of, just, waaaay further up.. Full of potholes, just one lane wide at some points (I ended up face to face with a big 4WD LOL), no phone reception, and cliff/trees alot of the time..
Photo 1 was taken at B on the way up
Photo 2 was taken at C on the way back
I left the spot from the last link on there so you can see how to get there (for whatever curious reasons you may have LOL)
Map Here

Some wreckers wall (Northern Rd)
Again, driven passed it a few times going from Windsor to Penrith and such.. Went out for a morning drive from my mates place in Penrith, pulled over took some shots!
Map Here

Just near Starcity Casino
Can have modern apartments, harbour bridge, or the city as your backdrop here.. Lots more modern apartments around the streets there to use aswell!
Map Here

Bowman St - Pyrmont
Spotted this exploring
Map Here

 

[Tom]

And of course you can't go passed

Mt. Panorama - Bathurst
Haha, we all know it.. And don't our cars look great on it?
Map Here

High St, Newcastle
Newcastle is full of nice water/beachy spots As well as lots of industrial area, old style buildings, etc etc

This place here is high up, doesnt look it from a map but it is and has water behind it!
Map Here

Dont have any pics of cars with the view in the background LOL

I also know of a place that is really high up, with 360 views of Newcastle, but I can't remember where it is Went there on a MazdaClub cruise a few years ago.. Haven't been back to Newcastle properly since!

Follow Memorial Dr, and there'll prob be some other spots to pull over and take some photos
Map Here
There is another carpark along there near the edge that I took some more shots at..


Wollongong Lighthouse
Popular location for cruises to end up at.. Nice spot to hang out and get some shots! Great spot for group shots too if you can own the carpark
Map Here

 

[Tom]

Okay, now that I've flooded this topic and given away all my locations.. Some tips on what I do:

1) Location ISN'T always what makes it, sure it helps A LOT.. But also, you have to think about the composure.. Don't chuck a big fuss if you're trying to think of a location, sometimes it is the simplest places that can be the best..
You could have the nicest location, but it may not match the car/suit the theme, it may not be as great as you think, or it may make your photo crowded or cluttered..
Spend less time worrying about your location, spend more time thinking of new ideas or what you want to try out next..
Sure I often hear "Do it once, do it right".. That can be the case when time is an issue, the 'money shot' that will earn you your weeks pay is on the cards..
But when doing it just for fun or as a hobby, I say experimentation is the key..

2) PEOPLE.. Try and avoid having people in the background or in the frame if you can, unless if that is what you meant to have.. (posing/model shots, crowd shots, busy shots, city shots, etc etc)
It can be annoying, you're out with mates, decide to take some shots, and you have them wondering around in the background..
It can totally throw off a photo, plus, it is strange when cars start growing human heads or arms suddenly! Photoshop is a key way of fixing this, as well as kindly asking people to move out of the way..

3) Experiment!
Just go nuts, lay on the ground, climb up something, focus on odd things..
Use props like grass or rocks to mix things up, focus on something completely different and blur the car..
Get down low and aim the camera differently (I know that sometimes you cant see the screen, but that is a great thing about experiments..).. Some of my best shots I've gotten, I wasn't even able to see my screen.. But I just visioned in my head what I wanted it to look like, and kept trying until I got it!

4) Macro/Close Up shots
Just got some new wheels? Just because your whole car isnt in it, doesn't mean it can't be a great shot to help show off your car..
Show off your badge, compose your badge in a experimental way.. Make the badge the main focus of the car?
Reflections in building windows, focus on it and get your car reflected in it's light!
Mods or whatever..
Part car shots, a photo of just the corner, the side, the front.. Non-full body shots while balancing a ratio (1/3 car, 2/3 location, or vice versa)

5) Angles
Try something new, something you don't normally do..
It can be hit and miss sometimes, often you'll get people saying "Why do that? Why not just get a photo of the whole car?"
Okay, yes, every photoshoot you do, get a photo of the whole car from back and front at the location so you can have that on file.. The rest, fill the camera up with unique and odd angles, tidy and messy.. Experiment and play.. Just go nuts!
Brings me back up to other points I've brought up..

Get an angle shot of the front grill and headlight of the car with 2/3 the frame as your location.. bang, nice shot You have a macro/close up of the grill and light, you're feeding in alot of the background and it is a nice angle, there you go. Something out of the blue



Honestly, most shots I get that turn out the best, I just snapped at random.. Thought out different types of ideas, and elaborated on them with the camera.. Same type of shot, slightly different angles each time..

Different things happening during photoshoots (such as rain) can help bring out more character within the photos..
Sun suddenly popping up, clouds rolling in, dust/sand, all sorts of the unexpected things can occur.. Make the most of them, instead of freaking out and running to cover.. Take some photos

While doing this shoot, it started pissing down for a couple of minutes, then stopped.. It was sunny as we were heading there, within the 2 minutes drive, cloudy, 5 mins later rain, 2 mins later cloudy, 10 mins later it was a clear night! So what the hell? Randomest spot of rain ever.. But, it helped get some nice shots..

Okay, at the end of the day, my biggest tip to any of you..

EXPERIMENT..

My plans don't often stick, I tend to end up spontaneous with everything I do.. I don't like to just plan things, and go with it (most of the time) when it comes to being creative.. The work I do at the office, I tend to just do it without much planning.. Well, it is the same with my photography.. My plans go as far as "ok, I want to take photos.. Let's go."

 

[dimi_108]

^ Yup, listen to him. He knows his locations and photography.
Thanks for your tips Tom. I printed that out.

 

[Peter_D]

A great many thanks guys I really appreciate your insight and tips. You're (everyone who takes pictures) the reason why I started this thread.

Tom do you do a lot of post processing also do you have a polarizing filter on your camera. The reason why I ask is your blues always seem so deep and vibrant.

 

[Tom]

Not alot..

And I use a simple point and shoot camera..

All I do in photoshop is a light 'Brightness & Contrast' change, burn around the edges, and sometimes I throw a blue or a brown 'colour' layer over it to bring out strengths in different areas..

 

[Guest]

Find A Jappy Background

Find A Jappy Background

 

[Peter_D]

Gotta get me photoshop and try and learn how to use it.