Car Photos, need C&C, tips!

Montreal · Jun 7, 2012

I have been doing photoshoots for car owners all year, and I am feeling more and more confident with my work. All the owners who have paid for my shoots (I advertise as an amateur, and I really don't charge a lot- just to cover my gas money to get to and around the shoot, and a few bucks for my editing time) have LOVED the photos, but posting on online forums, I often get people who are not into the photos or say they are not right.

A few examples of the shoot I did this week, that a few people did not appreciate the photos. Most were taken in auto or portrait mode, manual focus, except the second to last one which might've been with a longer shutter speed. Shooting using a tripod and a Sony Alpha A200.

Just a few examples...

Doing the shoot again I would've cleaned gotten my sensor cleaned first and tried to work with depth of field more. I am pretty sure the lens I have now makes it nearly impossible to get any decent depth of field unless I'm shooting small objects up close.

I DO get that the last photo's problem is the cars in the background (and the lighting is not ideal), but I couldn't do anything about that.

Basically, those who don't know photography that well love them, but those a bit more knowledgeable never have anything nice to say. I just figured some on here might be able to point me in the direction to being taken more seriously, not by the general public, but by those who do this for a living!

Thanks in advance!

TheKenTurner · Jun 7, 2012

Nice GT-R! I like the first two, but the third one is screwed by the random cars, and I don't like the people in the last one

-ken Turner

Montreal · Jun 7, 2012

Yeah, it was a nice car for sure!

Thanks for your input. I was REALLY hoping we'd have the pier to ourselves, but obviously we didn't. I think the other cars ruin the shots a bit, but the people, I found interesting!

Here's one I forgot to post. Just a basic snapshot with a bit of editing.

Trever1t · Jun 7, 2012

First, don't take this to heart but I'm shocked you get paid anything for these. You need to work on understanding your gear and basic composition before you will get praise from those who do know something about photography. Don't get me wrong, take the money, damn I'm jealous you can get paid and I'm not doing much but these samples are just 'snapshots' to me.

Composition and camera, stop shooting Program Auto Mode (or portrait mode- use Aperture priority for this type or full Manual) and take control. Get down into the shot. All your samples are shot from above the cars. Get down man. There's 2 tips. Take them or not.

Montreal · Jun 8, 2012

I don't take offense to that, and I appreciate your response! I can maybe explain.

People usually want pictures of their cars for their personal use. I started with a bunch of pictures of friends cars, and people have been messaging me left right and center for shoots. I don't know if people actually want artistic shots of their cars, or just shoots in a nice location so they can show their cars off to their friends. Either way, there is some work involved, and transportation, so I don't see the money as a big deal.

I am not denying that they are snapshots, actually, they ARE snapshots; there is nothing super artistic about the photos except that they are edited. I have many pictures from a lower angle as you say, but many car enthusiast don't appreciate that angle. From a higher point, the car looks lower, which a lot want. A low angle is great for shooting a truck, to make it seem bigger.

I have tried aperture priority mode actually, most of the time the shots end up completely blurry or grainy. I should probably experiment with it more, but when somebody is paying, I am not going to waste time on experimenting.

Trever1t · Jun 8, 2012

good. Yes, try the more manual modes. If you use A mode and it get's grainy perhaps you have an Auto ISO mode turned on. Shut that off. Use a set ISO. As far as lower, not on the ground but eye level with the car. Use your longest lens and lowest Aperture. Get a decent background. If you had shot that last image (on the warf) from slightly lower and with a longer lens we wouldn't see the other cars in the background.

JoshuaSimPhotography · Jun 8, 2012

Tips:
Use a polarizer to reduce reflection
Try different backgrounds, if the cars white, use a black for contrast
try different lightings, like the blue or gold hours
also try different angles, don't just do that side shot
But this photo is great, love it!

LizardKing · Jun 8, 2012

Yes, I pretty much agree with what Trever said. Lower the perspective, try not to have busy/distracting backgrounds, play with the DoF and work on the focus. About the edits, don't overdo the skies and work on the whole sky and not only the top part.

1- The busy background completely ruins the shot for me.
2- My favourite of the set, but the sky looks really fake.
3- Underexposed, subject too centered, the cars on the left shouldn't be there.
4- Too busy... I'd have tried to get closer to the car and lower the perspective to use it to cover the cars in the back. Maybe a would have used a wide lens to make sure to include the lighthouse in the background.
5- Too centered and IMO the background's again too distracting.

As they said, these look more like snapshots than anything else.

Have a nice day and keep it up!

12sndsgood · Jun 8, 2012

Here's my critiuqes from a car guy

1. the boat in the background is a bit distracting to me. as is the guy that is looking off to the right, i keep looking at him wondering what the heck he's looking at. i usaully try to keep people out of the shot unless i also have the owner in with the shot.

2. I like the color of the sky, the water, the background works but the cars are underexposed. they need lit up. if your going to do automotive photography look into getting several flashes to work with. If you had lit the cars up it would have been tons better.

3. it wouldnt have been bad if you ddint have the cars in the background and if you had lit the car up. way to dark.

4. again, good sky, good spot for pics but the cars in the background ruin it. I wouldnt have even bothered with the shots if i pulle dup and saw the cars.the fisherman could have worked, but if you wanted to include them i would have made them more prevelant in the photo and not so far away that they look like more background clutter.

5. distracting background angle on the car is good. where its parked is good, but the house in front of it kills it. bet if you had gotten down low to the ground you could have used the car to block the house entirely and had a better shot.

as far as the level. i disagree about liking a top down shot. it doesnt make the car look lower, just makes it look more like a snapshot because 90% of people who are just taking snapshots shoot from that level. so if you want to get away from snapshot territory you need to get away from shooting the same way as the majority of snapshot people. getting lower for me. and most people car related prefer a lower angle. also when you get lower and get in closer to the car that car now can block allot of distracting things in the background, and this helps with shooting in areas that may not be clutter free. use the car to help clean up the background.

Trever1t · Jun 8, 2012

exactly but instead of "getting in closer" use a longer lens and fill the frame with the vehicle more

Jaemie · Jun 8, 2012

Your backgrounds are too busy, imo. Are you shooting on a ladder? As Trever1t suggested, "get down man." Keep working at it, take some more photos with these suggestions in mind and post them here with numbers. I like car photos in general.

#5: Better. I like the leading lines drawing my attention directly to the car, but the rest of the scene is still way too busy.

12sndsgood · Jun 8, 2012

Trever1t said:
exactly but instead of "getting in closer" use a longer lens and fill the frame with the vehicle more

I should have worded that better. i agree with the longer lens approach. When doing a single car I generally use my 70-200 for the majority of shots.

BlueMeanieTSi · Jun 8, 2012

#2 has the best composition of the set but the camera needs to be about 5ft lower to the ground. The rest are all too busy #1 could be better at a lower angle and some better background processing - minus the guy.

Montreal · Jun 8, 2012

I appreciate the feedback guys. In essence, I will get down lower, and try to either make my backgrounds less distracting, or work on my depth of field so they are less prominent.

I'm not using a ladder but I'm 6'5'' so I tend to see things from a higer angle than a lot of people. I sometimes shoot from the roof of my Jeep as well.

Flashes are a good idea also. I am looking into getting some portable spotlights for when the sun starts to set. I think that would definitely set some pictures off.

Thank you again!