Two car shots in need of C&C!

[bigbadmike]

I'm loving this site for a source of impartial critiques so I'll continue to exploit that if you all don't mind

1. This was taken fully manual including focus and a 2 second exposure if memory serves. Took a while to get it all sharp and I'm pretty happy about that much at least.

2. Loved this car, had a wonderful patina from the ocean salt that I didn't capture too well I don't think but the swath of green was also eye catching.

My own critiques for 1; It's grainy which is hard to avoid on my d40 in low light. There's plenty of lens flare which I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing? Huge piece of dust on the sensor in the middle of the light
And for 2; Sky is pretty blown out... Can't put my finger on more but I'm sure there's plenty.

Have at 'em and thanks for the replies in advance!

 

[wlbphoto]

1st one i like the grainy part can be taken off on PS. what i would do is keep my ISO low and shutter speed longer.. that's what i would do. 2nd one looks more like a snapshot.. atleast on the first one u got some angle.

 

[oldmacman]

Aside from what you mention, both shots are okay, but shot one has the big flare that is high contrast and demands attention. The extra bit os grey car at the end of the bumper is just a visual distraction. In shot two, the trees seem to be the subject rather than the car.

 

[joealcantar]

Both shots seem not to be about the cars.
1st shot the light is the focal point, to me the angle was as if on a loading dock or parking structure and you shooting up. Get a ground level and maybe even turn the tire/wheel in a little. Get away from the other vehicles as it is the focal point.
2nd shot has too busy of an area. Try cropping the lower right corner and make it about the car. If the sky is being blown out do not include it.
-
Shoot well, Joe

 

[bigbadmike]

Good advice from all, much appreciated! I had to work with what I had in both of the pics as neither are my car and I didn't pick where they were. In the second I didn't get to pick where I was actually, this is taken from the passenger seat of another car. wlbphoto, you're right on the angles I think it would have been a lot better if I wasn't at eye level.

I did intend for the trees to be a large part of the subject in 2 and given the straight on, eye level view point it does come off rather snap-shotty. Which I guess it basically was... Given a second chance on it I would like to get a profile of the Land Rover with the palms behind it, correct exposure. Or lower view point making the palms tower over it.

Flare and grain can be fixed with a bit of PP I'm sure. Noob question of the day, or night as it were; general consensus is that lens flare is always bad?

 

[oldmacman]

Good advice from all, much appreciated! I had to work with what I had in both of the pics as neither are my car and I didn't pick where they were. In the second I didn't get to pick where I was actually, this is taken from the passenger seat of another car. wlbphoto, you're right on the angles I think it would have been a lot better if I wasn't at eye level.

I did intend for the trees to be a large part of the subject in 2 and given the straight on, eye level view point it does come off rather snap-shotty. Which I guess it basically was... Given a second chance on it I would like to get a profile of the Land Rover with the palms behind it, correct exposure. Or lower view point making the palms tower over it.

Flare and grain can be fixed with a bit of PP I'm sure. Noob question of the day, or night as it were; general consensus is that lens flare is always bad?

They may not be your cars, but you still get to select the angle and framing of the shot. There must have been something initially that attracted you to the scene.

The lens flare can be cool, it's just that compositionally, when there is a large bright spot of high contrast, our eye is attracted to it. When it is set up away from the intended subject we tend to miss what the picture is about. Try to think of a way you could use that flare to your advantage.