SKYLINE

JayPearson · Oct 24, 2008

This is a Nissan Skyline, i took these photos a while back and in the past couple of days have decided to edit them. Just wanted to see what ohter people think about them, you know how it is when you stare at your own photos for too long..

tsaraleksi · Oct 24, 2008

I'm posting my comments as advice to help you improve, please do not take them as a negative appraisal of you or your work, but as constructive commentary.

My reaction looking at them is that the edits are a bit heavy handed. The first one has serious haloing around the car and there seems to be some posterization going on in both images. There is way to much blue in the first picture, unless you've gotten your hood spray painted, I suppose

. The cause is probably boosting the contrast to much-- the reflection of the sky has become overpowering.

Also, the way the light hits the Mississippi tag in the second picture pulls the eye to it hard. You probably also would have been better off using a slightly wider aperture, probably something like f/11. The use of f/20 has softened the images thanks to diffraction, and hasn't really contributed much besides over sharp backgrounds.

I haven't done a lot of automotive photography but if this is your car, I'd suggest taking it somewhere with a clean background and waiting until golden hour in the evening to get some really nice shots that don't require this kind of manipulation.

manaheim · Oct 24, 2008

Hot car. I agree on the heavy-handed. Big time.

A circular polarizer would help in shots like this in midday. (cuts down the glare)

Also look at some car mags to get a feel for how they shoot... lots of neat angles and stuff are generally just what the doctor ordered for car shots.

tirediron · Oct 24, 2008

Good standard poses, but you're a victim of the light & time of day. You have a blown or near blown area on the RF quarter-panel and deep shadow on the Left-side hood. Additionally, excess DoF has resulted in a clear, focused and distracting background. I'd suggest reshooting them with some reflectors/fill light and and much larger aperture.

Just my $00.02 worth - your mileage may vary.

~John

budskiphotography · Oct 24, 2008

alright, let break down my rules about auto photography

1. location
2. location
3.LOCATION!- Ideally you want to place the car in the environment it belongs, for example a race car on the track, a high end car in the city, SUV at an off road location and so on... of course there are expections.

example: here is a race car..

and exception, this is another track car but because it had a rack and bike on it I wanted to give it more of that "west coast beach" feel so I found a colorful wall that complemented the car..

RULE #4- always show 2-3 sides of the car and try to make it somewhat even, like so...

of course there is an exception to this too, like direct side shots or front shots

RULE #5 cut the wheel on front angle shots, dont show tire but instead turn it towards you and show the face of the wheel...

RULE #6- cesta time, if you going to shoot outside do it at dusk or dawn

alright one you've mastered the basics of shooting the car THEN you can start editing, but never go heavy. Sometime just simple dodging, burning and contrast really does the trick... you always want to try to keep the car as it looks.

(yes I know I have horrid reflection on the hood)

JayPearson · Oct 24, 2008

First off, thanks for all the help. This is the reason i posted these pics in the first place. I know that my opinion always varies from others.

This isn't my car, i just saw it sitting in a parking lot one day and just so happened to have my camera on me. So there was no way i could have drug this car to the beach and wait for a sunset. Although i wish i could have.

The picture does seem too blue. I actually put a red filter on it in photoshop. What i'll have to do is still do some more experimenting with photoshop and with my camera settings. I'm guessing that the sole purpose of me wanting/having to edit my pics is because i'm not shooting them right.

mrodgers · Oct 24, 2008

budskiphotography said:
.... SUV at an off road location and so on...

Just a little fixing of your tips. The SUV should be shot in it's natural element, the mall parking lot or driving down the highway with just a single person in it commuting.

budskiphotography · Oct 25, 2008

mrodgers said:
Just a little fixing of your tips. The SUV should be shot in it's natural element, the mall parking lot or driving down the highway with just a single person in it commuting.

also true...lo