# I want to get into Car/Motorcycle Photography



## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

I've always been interested in shooting automotive photography but could never really find solid info online regarding it. 
I have a few friends and relatives with really great cars, and they're of course more than willing to get their stuff photographed.

From my understanding, I don't have the greatest equipment for cars.

Nikon 18-105mm| Sigma 24mm 1.8 | Nikon 50mm 1.8 | Sigma 70-200mm OS 2.8 
Nikon D7000
3 speedlights - 2 stands/umbrellas

There's a few websites that give mediocre info and haven't been updated in months. 

So, anyone have any great resources, videos, books, or their own personal experience they would like to share?


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## imagemaker46 (Mar 20, 2013)

looks like you should be ok with the gear you have, it will all come down to track access.  If you want good i visual nformation just go through all the motorsport magazines and see what is being shot.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 20, 2013)

It takes a LOT to do cars (properly)

See the last set-ups:  Car Studio Photography Set-ups - Core77


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

2WheelPhoto said:


> It takes a LOT to do cars (properly)
> 
> See the last set-ups:  Car Studio Photography Set-ups - Core77



Well, I'm not going for something that scale. But more like this

http://12oy.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/2013-Honda-CBR-600RR-1024x683.jpg
http://www.wallpaperslot.com/data/media/12/Honda CBR 600RR 2007 back.jpg



> looks like you should be ok with the gear you have, it will all come down to track access. If you want good i visual nformation just go through all the motorsport magazines and see what is being shot.



Not necessarily racing or car shows, but editorial like shots.


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## hirejn (Mar 20, 2013)

I don't see the problem with your kit. Look at other car photos you like and figure out how they were lit. Apply your own ideas and techniques. Lighting a car is the same as lighting a person; you have to understand light, exposure and composition. Don't try to replicate what the giant studios are doing. Do what you can.


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

hirejn said:


> I don't see the problem with your kit. Look at other car photos you like and figure out how they were lit. Apply your own ideas and techniques. *Lighting a car is the same as lighting a person*; you have to understand light, exposure and composition. Don't try to replicate what the giant studios are doing. Do what you can.



Not even close lol.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 20, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> hirejn said:
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> > I don't see the problem with your kit. Look at other car photos you like and figure out how they were lit. Apply your own ideas and techniques. *Lighting a car is the same as lighting a person*; you have to understand light, exposure and composition. Don't try to replicate what the giant studios are doing. Do what you can.
> ...



+1


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 20, 2013)

Motorbikes are simple, I just push them into a studio- "outtakes" from a shoot


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 20, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> 2WheelPhoto said:
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^^^^nice!


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## gsgary (Mar 20, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> 2WheelPhoto said:
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> > It takes a LOT to do cars (properly)
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In that case you are going to want 3 good quality studio lights and lots of shapers


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## KmH (Mar 20, 2013)

Light modifier size is generally a function of subject size.

A motorcycle requires smaller light modifiers than a car does.
Reflections in a car's shiny body panels is usually one of the things a photographer is going to want to control.

The fundamentals of photographic lighting address both concepts.
For control of reflections you light what you don't want to reflect rather than lighting the subject.


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## y75stingray (Mar 20, 2013)

I shot this with a similar kit. two strobes two umbrellas a few years ago. It's certainly not perfect, but its enough to get you started and your friends and family will be thrilled to have nice images of their toys. Dont get to hung up on gear get out and shoot with what you have! thats how you will decide what you need to advance and what you don't.


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

> For control of reflections you light what you don't want to reflect rather than lighting the subject.



I can't understand this line. What do you mean?


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

y75stingray said:


> I shot this with a similar kit. two strobes two umbrellas a few years ago. It's certainly not perfect, but its enough to get you started and your friends and family will be thrilled to have nice images of their toys. Dont get to hung up on gear get out and shoot with what you have! thats how you will decide what you need to advance and what you don't.



Who's getting hung up on gear? If you don't have the tools to do the job, then you can't do the job. That's how I look at it.

As for deciding what you need in the future, I don't like going into a shoot and saying "Man I wish I had this" or worse,
"I can't get this shot, and I have no idea what I need to get it". Which is why I come to the forum and establish dialogue and
make myself prepared.


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

y75stingray said:


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I'd be happy to start out with shots like this


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## imagemaker46 (Mar 20, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> y75stingray said:
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I agree with is.  Working outdoors can get you some amazing images, in a lot of cases better than in a studio, and without having to add more cost.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 20, 2013)

Problem with working outdoors is you're mixing the ambient light temperature with the strobes/flashes, and it *really shows*.  Acceptable for every day photos, but even on a perfect cloudy day its tough to match controlled studio set-up type lighting


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

2WheelPhoto said:


> Problem with working outdoors is you're mixing the ambient light temperature with the strobes/flashes, and it *really shows*.  Acceptable for every day photos, but even on a perfect cloudy day its tough to match controlled studio set-up type lighting


I'm going to have to invest in some gels then.


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## 2WheelPhoto (Mar 20, 2013)

Sometimes I jack the pic up in post and try and cheat my way out of the temp difference. 

I hit this car with a huge 1200 watt elinchrom through a huge modifier towards the front along with sunshine balancing the ambient with the shutter speed. Still not acceptable






edit for one more ---  This horribly composed shot was just when we were playing with the lights/ambient, and seeing the color differences in the paint


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## KmH (Mar 20, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> > For control of reflections you light what you don't want to reflect rather than lighting the subject.
> 
> 
> 
> I can't understand this line. What do you mean?


Light Science and Magic: An Introduction to Photographic Lighting

It's a fundamental photographic lighting concept and why in the link 2WheelPhoto provided you the car studio shots are using such large diffusion panels.


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## imagemaker46 (Mar 20, 2013)

This was all shot outdoors, obviously.  Working outside does require a good understanding of light and working with it.  Picking the right time of day is what makes the difference.


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

KmH said:


> Ballistics said:
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> > > For control of reflections you light what you don't want to reflect rather than lighting the subject.
> ...



I understand fundamentals of lighting and reflections. I just shot this: 





I'm not looking to shoot in a studio setting though.


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## Awiserbud (Mar 20, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> KmH said:
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Nice shot, shame the sockets are all imperial....we use metric thesedays 
Also noticed how lots of tool manufacturers are making their ratchets look like snap-on thesedays.


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

Awiserbud said:


> Ballistics said:
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I've never used these. I bought them to shoot and then returned them lol.


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## Awiserbud (Mar 20, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> Awiserbud said:
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Ahh ok, Thought you were paid to shoot them, they arn't bad looking tools, I would assume they come with a lifetime guarantee? Used to be only Snap-on and MAC tools gave a lifetime warranty, but lots of manufacturers are offering the same deal thesedays, 
They will never beat the Snap-on or MAC warranty though, Doesn't matter where you bought them from my Snap-on dealer will exchange broken tools on the spot no questions asked.


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## Ballistics (Mar 20, 2013)

Awiserbud said:


> Ballistics said:
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I don't really know what they're warranties are like. The local chain hardware store only carries these now, no more snap-on or craftsmen.


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## Ballistics (Mar 23, 2013)

How would one go about a shot like this? https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/164278_482054298510319_1981191193_n.jpg


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## 12sndsgood (Mar 23, 2013)

I try to get out a lot during the summers to shoot cars. i tend to prefer sunset or dark. I almost always go to my 70-200 2.8 or at least a good majority of the time thats what i use. here's a shot from last fall. 2 light setup. 




JustinTC-27 by Square1 photography, on Flickr


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## KmH (Mar 23, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> I understand fundamentals of lighting and reflections. I just shot this:
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There is a fundamental difference when lighting small stuff like that, and big stuff like a car. 
If you don't shoot a car in a studio, you will have reflections in the car body. Reflections in the glass can be mitigated with a CPL filter on the lens.

IIRC you're taking photography classes?


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## Ballistics (Mar 23, 2013)

KmH said:


> Ballistics said:
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> > I understand fundamentals of lighting and reflections. I just shot this:
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I wasn't talking about the subject, as I was talking about the black mirror/glass that the small items are on which is not small. 

Yes, I am in a photo program.


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## MOREGONE (Mar 25, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> y75stingray said:
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Then you definitely have all the gear you need to get started.

Sounds like what you need, is some cars to practice with. 

This was shot on a D90 with 2 Speedlights, I forget which lens I used but assuming my Tamron 17-50 or 35mm
Yeah I have a lot to learn to get rid of the reflection and light the car better, but in all it was fun and the pics are suitable.

The light to the rear was into a umbrella and the one on the front was a shoot-through umbrella. I now have a third speedlight that could have lit the center better but I still need some more modifiers before I nail it.


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## Ballistics (Apr 10, 2013)

kendrikwiley said:


> Car/Motorcycle Photography is much simpler. All is that is to take consideration regarding any kind of shot for which your are capturing. Good camera equipment can give you more options. With DSLR cameras, you can control how you light your subject more than point and shoot cameras.



I'm sorry but, if you are going to try to pretend advice by being vague and generic,
people are going to see right through it here. You have no idea what you are talking about.
You just described every aspect of photography, and then said you can control your lighting
with your DSLR. No you can't. You can not control your lighting with your DSLR.

You essentially said nothing in your post.


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## tirediron (Apr 10, 2013)

Ballistics said:


> How would one go about a shot like this? https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/164278_482054298510319_1981191193_n.jpg


I'm guessing one light & large SB just outside the FoV front and back of the car.


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## NiKonNoob86 (Apr 15, 2013)

You can also try light painting too. These were taken with a portable LED lamp.


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## EdwardRonald (Jun 1, 2013)

Your Car/Motorcycle Photography idea is good and interesting. My bike is under maintenance and will share photos soon with you.


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