Takin automotive pics. Any advice

[Angelo.]

So I just picked up a camera n started workin on takin pics of cars at the car shows I go. I really enjoy takin pics n it clears the mind. I'm lookin for any good advice or pointers any one can Give me on takin better pics. Any info would help n I apologize if this is a dumb topic. Here's one of my pics

 

[Angelo.]

Here's another pic any pointers tips or info will help. Thanks for your time

 

[Ballistics]

I too created a thread recently. They should make a automotive forum

 

[SCraig]

There is a time and place for vignettes and this wasn't one of them.

Use a wider aperture to help isolate your subject from the background. As it is there is a bridge structure coming out of the back of the car. As far away as it is it would have been relatively simple to use your aperture to blur it out.

 

[tirediron]

Welcome! Photographing cars isn't really much different than photographing anything else. The first and most imporant advice I will offer is read your camera's manual. Cover to cover (yep, even the boring bits that are just full of words! ). When you're done that, read it again. Next, check out these great tutorials over here.

A great way to learn how to shoot a particular subject is by searching for images you like, and then trying to recreate them yourself. This will teach you a lot about how much can go into making a really good image. Your images are a good start ('though many won't be overly fond of the vignette). I would also suggest reading up on depth of field and learning how to use it in order to isolate your subject from the background.

 

[480sparky]

I too created a thread recently. They should make a automotive thread

Click here.

 

[Ballistics]

I too created a thread recently. They should make a automotive thread

Click here.

I meant Automotive forum.

 

[KmH]

A low camera perspective like you used in the 2 photos you posted tends to accentuate whatever is in the background.

For cars it is often better to use a high perspective so little if any background is shown in the photo.

Sometimes, a plain, nondescript background and normal camera perspective works, like for the lowered pickup truck.

At any rate, if you want the car to be the 'star' of the photo, make sure nothing in the background steals attention from the 'star'.

As far as dedicated forums - Note that we don't have a flower forum, a dog forum, a horse forum, or an abandoned building forum. So don't get your hopes up for an auto forum.

 

[480sparky]

.........As far as dedicated forums - Note that we don't have a flower forum, a dog forum, a horse forum, or an abandoned building forum. So don't get your hopes up for an auto forum.

So an auto-driven-by-a-horse-with-a-dog-in-the-back-seat-going-by-an-abondoned-building-with-flowers forum is a possibility? :lmao:

 

[Angelo.]

There is a time and place for vignettes and this wasn't one of them.

Use a wider aperture to help isolate your subject from the background. As it is there is a bridge structure coming out of the back of the car. As far away as it is it would have been relatively simple to use your aperture to blur it out.

First off thanks for the pointers n help. As I mentioned I'm a rookie to photography and my goal is to learn the right and proper way of taking pics. As u mentioned early about vignettes. What would be the proper place for it? It was my first time using it. Also what is aperture. Again I'm real new to takin pics n I have a long way to. Thank u for your time n pointers

 

[Ballistics]

As far as dedicated forums - Note that we don't have a flower forum, a dog forum, a horse forum, or an abandoned building forum. So don't get your hopes up for an auto forum.

Actually, you do have all of those things. Note that you have Macro forum (flowers), Nature and wildlife(flowers,horses, dogs and other animals), and cityscape and landscape(Abandoned building, although you could have one specifically for architecture.)

Asking for Automotive photography to be a forum is not even close to asking for a horse forum Kieth. That's a bit silly of a comparison.
Automotive photography is a genre in its self. Not a sub genre.

 

[480sparky]

... Also what is aperture........

Aperture is the set of blades in the lens that can be adjusted to allow more or less light through. Similar to the pupil of your eye.

 

[12sndsgood]

I agree with sgraig about not using the vignette in the first photo. and if you are going to use it. be a lot more subtle with it. you want it to draw you into the main subject without drawing attention the vignette itself. alot of automotive photographers overuse that big time.

I will kindly disagree with KMH about a lower perspective accentuating the backgroun. I the majority of the time will use a low perspective to use the car itself to block anything in the background I don't wish to see. this is a good technique to use at car shows because it helps you get rid of the majority of clutter behind your subject. for automotive a lot of top down shots in my opinion tend to look boring and lazy to me like you happeened to walk by and just snap the shot. (photo dependant of course) If I have a great background i'll generally be up higher to show it off. if the background sucks, i'll get low and use the car in most of the photo.

In your second shot I would have tried to leave more room in front of the car versus behind the car. for me when there is less space in front of the car it tends to look cramped.