Car photoshoot attempt

[PatrickJamesYu]

Hello everyone, this is basically my first contributing post. (other than my intro thread)

I don't have much experience yet, but hope to get better.
Here is a shoot I tried for a car.
2001 Honda S2000 AP1.

I used 2 $5 strobes I got from work, no diffusers.
Nikon D90
And I used a 50mm 1.8 most of the time. An old-school one from a film camera, no auto focus.
Sadly the 50mm on the D90 is like a 75mm. So far away! haha.
They have no color correction, or exposure correction in photoshop.
I've been taught to always add a watermark so I did so.
I'm not crazy happy with these pics.
I can spot out some things I don't like, which I wish I was more patient.
In all honesty I did a terribly rookie mistake, and I didn't charge my camera/ check my battery before I left.
My battery didn't last long.

Please comment and let me know what you think.
Critique me, give me tips.
Bring on the haters.

 

[Ballistics]

In before any one complains about the links lol.

Personally, I prefer dedicated links...

Anyway - The horizons on some pictures are either crooked or the car is tilted to one side. The subject could benefit from more light. Maybe a longer exposure? Also I would pick a slightly cooler white balance.

The composition on most of them are OK, however I think a bigger/empty parking lot would be better.

#4 would be better if you are @ a 90 degree angle of the center of the front end.

 

[joealcantar]

Clicked the 1st two and wish you had posted the top 3 to look at. I would shoot it again when you have plenty of light.
-
Shoot well, Joe

 

[PatrickJamesYu]

In before any one complains about the links lol.

Personally, I prefer dedicated links...

Anyway - The horizons on some pictures are either crooked or the car is tilted to one side. The subject could benefit from more light. Maybe a longer exposure? Also I would pick a slightly cooler white balance.

The composition on most of them are OK, however I think a bigger/empty parking lot would be better.

#4 would be better if you are @ a 90 degree angle of the center of the front end.

You know, I did them in the tags, but it didn't work..
But I figured out I can post them using the little tool bar thing.

I'm a noob, what do you mean by dedicated links?

 

[Ballistics]

In before any one complains about the links lol.

Personally, I prefer dedicated links...

Anyway - The horizons on some pictures are either crooked or the car is tilted to one side. The subject could benefit from more light. Maybe a longer exposure? Also I would pick a slightly cooler white balance.

The composition on most of them are OK, however I think a bigger/empty parking lot would be better.

#4 would be better if you are @ a 90 degree angle of the center of the front end.

You know, I did them in the http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/photography-beginners-forum-photo-gallery/ tags, but it didn't work..
But I figured out I can post them using the little tool bar thing.

I'm a noob, what do you mean by dedicated links?[/QUOTE]

What you originally had. With the links that take you directly to the picture. But some people don't like it.

 

[markmbs]

I like the car very much

 

[pixilstudio]

the top of the car needs way more light and the spot on the hood is distracting

 

[djk]

For shoots and stuff I'd take off the rear license plate too

 

[PatrickJamesYu]

Thanks guys,
I definitely noticed that about the top too.
He has a roll bar, and Bride bucket seats that I definitely needed to show off, but failed to do so

I'm taking the car back out this week, hopefully I can use these tips
And hopefully more tips come in

 

[PatrickJamesYu]

For shoots and stuff I'd take off the rear license plate too

You know, I should and I used to
But I stopped caring :/
I should probably start doing it again.
For my own car I would take it off, but I didn't see a harm leaving it on.
Visually it might not be as nice, but the idea for this shoot is the idea that it (the car) is daily driven, not hard parked.
I don't feel threatened by showing my plates on the internet.
If it's dangerous I would think it'd be just as dangerous as to drive around town with my plates.

Is there anything I need to be careful with when leaving the plates on?

 

[Robin Usagani]

Clone out the light reflection on the hood on 1

 

[PerfectShotPhoto]

Third picture is my favorite. Think a longer exposure to get more detail of the interior of the car would have been nice, especially since it's convertible.

 

[H4X1MA]

sick stance on that 2k :O

 

[Ballistics]

Is there anything I need to be careful with when leaving the plates on?

No. Your vehicle is seen by thousands of motorists a day. It's just a myth.

 

[PerfectShotPhoto]

@Ballistics, agreed. I don't see what the big deal is about knowing someone's license plate. But that's a discussion for another forum. Funny thing, Google maps street view takes the time to blur out every single plate it sees.