Argh (HALP)

[minicoop1985]

It's been too long since I shot a car, so I thought I'd use a new technique I learned on my wife's car now that it's finally warm enough out to do it. This is the result of 6 shots combined.

Mini composite by longm1985, on Flickr

I'm not overly thrilled with it. The hood is horribly underexposed too. What do I need to really make this work? More exposures? A better background? What am I missing here? Thanks, guys.

 

[Designer]

It needs more separation between the hood/top and the background.

For a couple of shots, position your flash to illuminate the top and or hood areas, and even some rim lighting on the rear quarter-panel.

Maybe not so much light on the foreground paving.

 

[astroNikon]

as above Designer said. I was thinking the same thing.
The black roof of the car just fades into the background. lighting it up would create that separation from the background and make it pop more.

Why not do what you used to do .. use a flashlight to expose parts of the car instead of a flash which is going to spill light all over the place including the concrete. Or use a large softbox to eliminate spill.

 

[minicoop1985]

Thanks, guys. Astro, I'm just trying to learn new ways. I'll go back to light painting at some point, I believe. Maybe just do multiple exposures and paint each art of the car separately? I dunno. We'll see what I come up with next.

 

[astroNikon]

experimentation ... Flash + light painting (to get the top of the car)

 

[minicoop1985]

Brilliant! I'm gonna try it.

 

[FotosbyMike]

So I guessing you are using the strobes to light paint, IMAO awesome wow to create great photos. Frist question, are you using strobes or Speedlight's, next are you using any type of light modifier, I am guess not b/c of the hard shadows?

Now if you are trying to light the whole car I would break it down into groups; Exterior (doors, roof line edge, wheels, front grill, hood, roof, mirrors) interior (front seats, rear seats, head liner) you could also light the ground around the car and the walls ...etc. get a shot of the headlights on. all this will help create separation in the image.

Why a shutter speed of 1/250, Are you trying to kill all ambit light? If not lower you shutter speed to around ambit guessing 1/40-1/60ish.

 

[minicoop1985]

I was trying to kill the ambient light since it's high pressure sodium lighting back there. I should have selected a better backdrop too. I have a thought I'd like to try tonight if I get the chance.

 

[Braineack]

looks like a single light shot to me.

 

[480sparky43 43]

I see three shadows.

 

[Derrel]

Swap out the blue Mini and plop in a red Ferrari...problem solved.

 

[minicoop1985]

It was 6 exposures. Not sure why there's only three shadows on this, but it was 6 exposures. I did do an experiment to see if I could do this in the daytime. Here's the result (IGNORE THE BACKGROUND-LIGHTING EXERCISE ONLY)

Mini LIGHTING EXPERIMENT by longm1985, on Flickr