Making Black Cars POP!

[kkamin]

the only way you are going to see a black car is by controlling the direct reflections off of it. And I think you will need reflectors larger than the car's various dimensions... to see some detail in the car, and that is going to take some strategically placed, giant reflectors.

Absolutely correct!!! The vast majority of the time on a professional car shoot they are using huge light sources placed in the appropriate spot (angle of incidence=angle of reflection) to get the diffused highlights.
So diffused light sources are going to give you the reflections that create the edge detail that you are looking for.

If only I had access to some; I've been looking for some ways to make own lighting accessories, i.e. soft boxes, reflectors ect. But cars are huge, everything I seem to find as far as DIY's go is all for small scale stuff.... Know of any cool websites that might have something that could help me?

You could sew two white bedsheets together, attach black rope to the corners and tie those ropes to four poles. The poles could be PVC pipe in buckets filled with cement. You can them choose where you tie the ropes on the poles to control the angle of the giant bed sheet reflector. This could be used as an overhead reflector. Then you need to figure out how to get it lit evenly to the tone you want. For ground reflectors, you could use 8'x4' sheets of white foam board they sell at Home Depot.

I would maybe buy a model black car and try some table top tests to work out an understanding of how angles with reflection work and are controlled. When you are ready, if you live close to a city, I'm sure there is a photo rental house for strobes or a film equipment rental house for beefy continuous lights.

 

[52bmw330ci]

woooo JB E46 323i...? I have same problems as you, I am obsessed with my black 330ci and have tried many different things. Seems like you've got some great advice already. Take a look around e90post.com in the showroom section, itll blow you away