# Working on a composite/lightpainting -- thoughts so far?



## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

I got bored today around sunset and went back to a closed off road that I took pictures at earlier in the day.

This is a bend of 12 exposures.  I missed the mark keeping my visor down.


Thoughts so far?  What can I do to improve on this?


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

here's juts a single shot in auto mode to get a baseline:






and here's some method:






flare is real, just went to f/22 and exposed for just the lights and not overall.


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## D-B-J (Nov 11, 2014)

Nice start.  Mind you, I've never done something like this, so I can't comment from _experience, _but I can comment from an artistic/lighting sense.  A few things that catch my attention:

-The visor down in the car.  Leave it up! Nobody likes the warning sticker...
-Leave the reflections on the windows... the inside of the car seems to distract. OR, use a polarizer and light the inside of the car too with some cool lights.
-The reflection on the yellow lines is a bit distracting... maybe tone them down?
-The lighting, especially on the front, are a bit flat.  Aim the flash from above or below to really highlight the body styling.
-I might have pulled the car closer or use a longer lens.. or both.  To help separate it from the BG.
-Increase the exposure difference. The car "fits" with the exposure rather than _pops _from the background.  Maybe that's just me, but I'd like to see a bit more of a difference.
-The far-away mirror seems a bit under exposed.

Those are all nitpicks, but that's what I see. Definitely a solid attempt and I look forward to seeing more! Nice car, BTW.

Cheers!
Jake


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## Rick50 (Nov 11, 2014)

Comments on #1:
Besides the visor there is that white bump at the rear window that adds confusion. Like Whats that?
I'm no master of car photography but this looks like it's lit well. I like the time of day, the whole scene.
Shows some lighting skill. Even the rear light for the ground.
Can't say how to improve - maybe light interior better?
What would help is to convert it into a Corvette.


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

1.  yeah totally didnt think of it.  I'll try to edit out.
2. grabbed the wrong damn CPL.  I did light this from the inside but I have that layer dialed back a lot.
3. ill look at this again, i was trying to play up the actual light on the ground from the headlights.
4. i agree, ill see what I can do.  I lit it from all sorts of different angles.
5. i was at 135mm, any longer and the camera was just so far away it was a pita walking back to check if I got what I wanted, and it was getting close to being in the middle of a real road .  I couldn't find a way to actually drive on the road itself.  that would have been ideal.
6. i can tone the bg down.
7. i liked it a little darker since it's to the far side.  ill play with it.


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

Rick50 said:


> What would help is to convert it into a Corvette.



why would I want an impractical, slow, old-man's car?


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

okay, after some edits from DBJ's input:


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## D-B-J (Nov 11, 2014)

Braineack said:


> okay, after some edits from DBJ's input:



Definitely like it a bit more.  Any way you can up the clarity on the car itself? And maybe deepen the blacks, _especially _on the tires?


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## D-B-J (Nov 11, 2014)

Selectively darkened all but the car. Added clarity to all but the car. Added clarity to all.  Darkened the FG a bit.  Darkened the window/inside.

Quick.. but my "idea" of what I am thinking.  

Jake


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

I totes forgot to add clarity in LR before I exported for PS.


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## D-B-J (Nov 11, 2014)

Braineack said:


> I totes forgot to add clarity in LR before I exported for PS.



I couldn't live without some clarity in my images...

Edit:

I should add that the FG darkening was done with a gradient from bottom to top(mid car).  So it flows in, rather than a chunk of darkness.


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

Yeah I'll play with it more tomorrow.  This isn't my favorite type of shoot but I've been wanting to do it there for two years now.


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## Derrel (Nov 11, 2014)

All that's missing is some hot babe on five-inch heels and wearing very little...


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

All out of those.


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## D-B-J (Nov 11, 2014)

Braineack said:


> All out of those.



Don't you have an attractive wife? [emoji106][emoji106]


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## Braineack (Nov 11, 2014)

She won't even pose for headshots for me...


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## Heather Koch (Nov 11, 2014)

Back on track boys...

I like Jakes edit a lot, adding clarity and color to the background and darkening the car a weeee bit... perf.  Great shot and creative!


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## JimMcClain (Nov 11, 2014)

Pardon my n00bishness, but I don't get the 12-exposure thing. Why so many? Again, I am new, but couldn't a photo like this have been created with just one exposure and a lot of "brush work" in LR and PS? Or maybe blend 2 or 3 exposures and a little less work in LR/PS?

One thing that bothers me is the bright areas of the background above the car. I think there could also be a happy medium in the background exposure levels between your first and edited versions - one is a tad too much, the other too little. And the perspective on the car... a little more to the right and you could have removed any doubt what that "hump" is in back and given the viewer a more obvious tailight-is-on look. I might have also tried to add some shine, somehow, to the body side. It just looks too flat or dull.

Interesting assignment you gave yourself.

Jim


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## D-B-J (Nov 11, 2014)

JimMcClain said:


> Pardon my n00bishness, but I don't get the 12-exposure thing. Why so many? Again, I am new, but couldn't a photo like this have been created with just one exposure and a lot of "brush work" in LR and PS? Or maybe blend 2 or 3 exposures and a little less work in LR/PS?
> 
> One thing that bothers me is the bright areas of the background above the car. I think there could also be a happy medium in the background exposure levels between your first and edited versions - one is a tad too much, the other too little. And the perspective on the car... a little more to the right and you could have removed any doubt what that "hump" is in back and given the viewer a more obvious tailight-is-on look. I might have also tried to add some shine, somehow, to the body side. It just looks too flat or dull.
> 
> ...



To individually rim and light parts of the car. It's a style. Unless you have 12 lights, this can't be done in one shot.


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## JimMcClain (Nov 11, 2014)

Thanks Jake.


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## runnah (Nov 11, 2014)

Tint the windows, delete the grille and put some dark grey thin spoke rims.


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## Braineack (Nov 12, 2014)

JimMcClain said:


> Pardon my n00bishness, but I don't get the 12-exposure thing. Why so many? Again, I am new, but couldn't a photo like this have been created with just one exposure and a lot of "brush work" in LR and PS? Or maybe blend 2 or 3 exposures and a little less work in LR/PS?



I didn't NEED 12.  But I don't see how I could do it with only a few.

The idea here is that you take as many as you need and light up things as you go--sorta HDR if you will. Typically people use long exposures to literally paint the car with light from a constant light source; I chose to use multiple flash bursts.  Because I don't like the reflection trails it leaves on panels.

A few exposures alone were used just for light on the wheels and tires alone.  I specifically lit up the tread on each and the face of the wheel.

My PS file has about 30 layers or so on with with a few adjustment layers on each of those and then layers to clean up reflections/imperfections.  All my layers are masked so each exposure might only contribute about 10% of the overall image (e.g., the hood, a wheel, the grill, etc.).



> One thing that bothers me is the bright areas of the background above the car. I think there could also be a happy medium in the background exposure levels between your first and edited versions - one is a tad too much, the other too little. And the perspective on the car... a little more to the right and you could have removed any doubt what that "hump" is in back and given the viewer a more obvious tailight-is-on look. I might have also tried to add some shine, somehow, to the body side. It just looks too flat or dull.



I wasn't entirely happy with the sky in the background, didn't turn out how i'd hope. On the LCD is appeared to show better sky than I ended up getting.  I might play with it.

Unsure what this "hump" you keep mentioning is.

I would like to touch up the side of the car and make the transition from the angle above the door handles to the side of the car more drastic.


This is my first attempt at anything like this in a few years since doing something similar with just a cell phone, and really my second attempt ever.  I've been giving advice to others on how to do it and now I have something to actually show.


Here's an article that shows how using 45 exposures can be used to make your image look like complete and utter crap: Chris Henderson (Light) Paints a Really Big Truck - PocketWizard Blog | Radio Triggers for Photographers


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## JimMcClain (Nov 12, 2014)

Braineack said:


> I didn't NEED 12.  But I don't see how I could do it with only a few.


Thanks for the thorough explanation.



> Unsure what this "hump" you keep mentioning is.


I only mentioned it once, but others mentioned it too. I think it's prob'ly a spoiler or body wing of some sort. Your perspective to the car makes it look like a kind of growth on the rear window. I might have tried to get more profile of it in the shot, so it would be more obvious - and you wouldn't have to squint to see the taillights either.  And someone mentioned the tires - they might look more dramatic if they were deeper black, instead of the medium gray they appear to be now.

Light painting is an interesting concept. But yeah, I see by the article you linked to, it can be overdone like a lot of HDR is. That truck was hideous.


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## Braineack (Nov 12, 2014)

Okay, it;s a rear spolier.  I need to address it, it's too washed out.

Thanks for inputs.


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## MOREGONE (Nov 12, 2014)

Hey nice car! I have the same one, wish I could have found it in white or rally blue! Liking the pic.

Took this a good while back, two lights and umbrellas, single exposure. Not a great pic really, lots of details missing. Been meaning to try this technique for awhile now. Happened to have just paid her off this morning!


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## Msteelio91 (Nov 12, 2014)

Cool shots man. Love the WRX's but who doesn't haha. Killing me with the visor though!!!

Moregone - grats on paying off the car. I've yet to keep one long enough to experience that hahahaha.


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## Braineack (Nov 12, 2014)

here's where I'm at with it:




The WRX by The Braineack, on Flickr

Too tired to work on it anymore.


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## Stormin_ (Nov 12, 2014)

Love the detail on the car, especially the horns (?) in the grille. One thing I've noticed in every edit so far is some grey darkness clinging to the headlight flare. I would have no idea how to fix it though 

Edit: also the roof spoiler looks like a roof spoiler to me. I don't think it looks out of place or like a weird 'lump' at all, but maybe that's just me


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## D-B-J (Nov 12, 2014)

Braineack said:


> here's where I'm at with it:
> 
> 
> 
> ...




D000000000D! Much better.  Nice removal of the warning sign


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## Braineack (Nov 12, 2014)

Stormin_ said:


> Love the detail on the car, especially the horns (?) in the grille. One thing I've noticed in every edit so far is some grey darkness clinging to the headlight flare. I would have no idea how to fix it though
> 
> Edit: also the roof spoiler looks like a roof spoiler to me. I don't think it looks out of place or like a weird 'lump' at all, but maybe that's just me


I noticed that too. The layer is set to lighten, maybe I'll play with it more.


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## Braineack (Nov 13, 2014)

MOREGONE said:


> Hey nice car! I have the same one, wish I could have found it in white or rally blue! Liking the pic.



I held out for White or Blue. ended up with white.

Dealers wanted WAY too much for the same, was lucky to find a local with this one for sale.  Otherwise all I was finding were the Charchol Gray ones and I did NOT want that color, any but that.


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## danewilson77 (Nov 18, 2014)

Remove the front license plate and the visor.

"No flamesuit required"


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## gsgary (Nov 19, 2014)

Msteelio91 said:


> Cool shots man. Love the WRX's but who doesn't haha. Killing me with the visor though!!!
> 
> Moregone - grats on paying off the car. I've yet to keep one long enough to experience that hahahaha.


Me I think they are ugly


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## runnah (Nov 19, 2014)

gsgary said:


> Msteelio91 said:
> 
> 
> > Cool shots man. Love the WRX's but who doesn't haha. Killing me with the visor though!!!
> ...



They were never pretty cars, more the functional over fashion. No one buys a Subaru because they look pretty.

They are like the rough looking gal at the bar. Not pretty to look at but throw her in the dirt and hold on!

The new Jaguar f-type is a pretty car.


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## gsgary (Nov 19, 2014)

runnah said:


> gsgary said:
> 
> 
> > Msteelio91 said:
> ...


I like the girl in the dirty analogy I met a load in the past


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## Roba (Nov 21, 2014)

Great thread, especially following the different edits and explanations.

Cool car Braineack! Love see these being used in anger at the rally's.


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## Nevermore1 (Nov 23, 2014)

Good job.  I would recommend "whiting out" your license plate #.  Half of them you did it on and half of them show the #.


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## Braineack (Nov 23, 2014)

Nevermore1 said:


> Good job.  I would recommend "whiting out" your license plate #.  Half of them you did it on and half of them show the #.



I did it on the final.  No one is going to do anything with the number otherwise.


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## dennybeall (Dec 4, 2014)

Great thread, we all can learn from the "process". My only negative is that to me the bright headlights, especially the one on stage left, grab me and literally drag me to the lights instead of the car.


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