car photography

[black olive]

any tips- I may do a a write up for the MGOC magazine as mine is the last mark 1 ZT260, but most of the pictures I take of the car are pants.

current camera is minolta dimage 4.3MP

could do with some good quality shots- any advice, or do I need to get the professionals in with a digital SLR?

[pondweed]

see what your camera "does" first by putting onto absolute max pixel size, using a tripod (or a stack of something to allow you to get absolute steadiness) and see if there is a setting to allow the digital equivalent of smallest aperture/longest depth of field (i.e. longest exposure)


and then try lots of shots from a good low three quarter angle in different lights. If it looks good on a full screen, chances are it will be good on a 1/3 page of mgoc mag (is it A4?), although you are pushing it a bit even on your max resolution for anything bigger in print.

[Simon]

It's not the equipment it's how you use it As pondweed says, set your camera up to it's max and then try some artistic angles here and there. Don't be afraid to experiment and if all else fails then use any regular shots that you have. You may not think they are artistic or particularly great but they may very well be just what the magazine editors had in mind.

[Jonathan]

I bought a copy of this a couple of years ago, which I found quite helpful.

I haven't yet had the chance to spend time exploring many of the techniques in depth though.

[ColinB]

If you have a camera/lens that can take a circular polarizing filter you can make a big difference to reflections on glass.

without



with

[Jamie]

Originally Posted by Simon

It's not the equipment it's how you use it As pondweed says, set your camera up to it's max and then try some artistic angles here and there. Don't be afraid to experiment and if all else fails then use any regular shots that you have. You may not think they are artistic or particularly great but they may very well be just what the magazine editors had in mind.

Simon.... I agree the Camera has little to do with it....I once spent a fortune on a an SLR camera and lots of expensive filters but the best shots were those that came about by accident.....try taking shots in the failing light or first thing in the morning as this can produce some great light shows and interesting pictures...also try some reflective pictures....photograph your cars reflection in a window, or the paint of another car or in the side mirror of another car....try getting scenes or cloud reflections in the cars paintwork, or plonk your car somewhere unusual...a pedestrian area or next to a historic site or bridge..... in my limited experience you have to take 50 or 60 shots and out of them you will get 1 or 2 belters. good luck. J

Of course the picture above is an exception! LOL

[podge]

You don't need to spend a fortune on gear to take a good shot, just take your time when composing, early morning/late afternoon/evening is better for "moody" pictures, strong midday light can look very flat.Move around the car a lot and try different angles.....I hope I don't sound dictatorial!just take your time.Oh and MGOC member?..snap!!