Nissan 350Z Shoot Check it out.

[ScubaBrett22]

I had a shoot on a 2008 Nissan 350Z Enthusiast on the 21st. I have recently and have been for my last 5 car shoots been shooting in RAW. I have a Nikon D3100 with a 18-55mm lens. For this shoot the owner wanted to shoot in a garage so we started at the top but there were to many cars but we did get some good shots. Then we moved to a open airfield to do the rest of the shoot. Here are my favorite pictures tell me what you think and if you have any advice on what I can do to make the pictures clearer and better please do tell!!

I also added my new watermark I made, and I removed myself from the reflection like always. No lighting setups or flash just natural light. One day I wish to do a shoot at night using studio lighting but I can't afford two portable lights and I also have no clue how to use them.

Garage:

Airfield:

 

[KmH]

Your use of light needs substantial work. In some of the shots the car is badly under exposed. Are you aware of the Active D-Lighting feature your D3100 has? (Page 85 of the D3100 user's manual)

Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

In several of the shots there are distracting reflections in the car's body panels. A Circular Polarizing (CPL) filter can be used to help control the reflections.

B+W 55mm Circular Polarizer with Multi-Resistant Coating

One of the guidelines of visual image composition suggests that leaving room in the image frame for any implied movement to move into makes an image stronger. The human eye tends to look in the direction of that implied movement and you really want the eye to stay in the image frame. In your last image here, the viewers eye is lead by the implied movement of the car completely out of the photo.

Were the wheels dirty?

 

[2WheelPhoto]

Your watermark is a huge distraction, does your client appreciate that or does it express professionalism?

 

[ScubaBrett22]

Your use of light needs substantial work. In some of the shots the car is badly under exposed. Are you aware of the Active D-Lighting feature your D3100 has? (Page 85 of the D3100 user's manual)

Light Science and Magic, Fourth Edition: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

In several of the shots there are distracting reflections in the car's body panels. A Circular Polarizing (CPL) filter can be used to help control the reflections.

B+W 55mm Circular Polarizer with Multi-Resistant Coating

One of the guidelines of visual image composition suggests that leaving room in the image frame for any implied movement to move into makes an image stronger. The human eye tends to look in the direction of that implied movement and you really want the eye to stay in the image frame. In your last image here, the viewers eye is lead by the implied movement of the car completely out of the photo.

Were the wheels dirty?

Okay I will doubble check the Active D and I will put my CPL filter on. No he powder coated the wheel himself.

Your watermark is a huge distraction, does your client appreciate that or does it express professionalism?

The water mark is cause I had people taking my pictures and it also helps bring in more people when the owner gets a copy there is no watermark.

 

[Automagic]

1. Where's the '08 Z? Looks like an 03-05 to me.

2. Watermark is HUGE, a small one is just as visible.

3. Always point the wheels towards the camera.

 

[12sndsgood]

keep working at it, to me there is just nothing that draws me in to really look at the pics for more then a second. just look like a car in parking lot. what time in the day were these taken

 

[Patrice]

You got paid for the shots you presented in this thread? Good for you! There is hope for the other aspiring pro photogs on this board. (I don't really know what a photog is but I see that word used quite a bit.)

 

[cgipson1]

#2, #5 and #6 are BADLY underlit... and several others are also poorly lit! This was primarily due to positioning of the car.. and the photographer. Composition is poor also.. Oh, well at least they are relatively sharp! I don't think you should be charging until you develop better skills, though! But hey, why not.. right? Every one else is!

 

[cgipson1]

Your watermark is a huge distraction, does your client appreciate that or does it express professionalism?

lol!

 

[thepaulreid]

first and 2nd to last are best for me.

 

[Propsguy]

I see where you are going with these, but I do think there is room for improvement. Start with KmH's advice and go from there....

My main suggestion would be to take advantage of the fact that you have access to an airfield and shoot the car while it is moving.... none of the backgrounds in those images are particularly pleasing, so blur them out and get the car in action.... win/win situation.

 

[trommie]

reminds me of this shoot
Rossi’s Z33 Fairlady

 

[tirediron]

Consider your composition and cropping as well. These are car images. Go for more car and less sky/background. Right now the ratio is more or less reversed.

 

[WesVFX]

I'm a car enthusiast myself and I can always appreciate a good vehicle photoshoot... I agree with a lot of the comments already here, but commend you for trying. You'll get the hang of it. Just takes time

 

[Kendustin]

I must say the amazing photo shoot of Nissan350Z have been posted here. I am really very impressed by this and will upload some more photos soon as its one of my favourite car.