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Picture taking advice?

Show off your rims, not your tires. I find that the weird angles of wheels the other way can ruin a picture.

That brings me to a question: How did this trend of people photoing their cars of always showing off the tire tread start? It seems more often than not that someone takes a 3/4 shot of their car that they will turn the front wheels so they face the camera.

I agree with the above statement, I wanna see the wheels, not the rubber. Unless of course the wheels are total crap.
 
Contrast and color.
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Contrast-dodgevsvolvo
Rule of thirds...present
Good exposure.

I dont see the problem with it.
 
Close up? MACRO setting will set you free.

:rant:

Many of you take pics & post them to the board. But often many of you forget about the macro function.

Almost all modern digicams have a macro function which allows you to take very closeup photos. Usually from mere inches to 2 feet away.

Almost universally the macro function is depicted with an icon that looks like a flower. Often with the letters "MF" next to it. As seen here:

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You'll note in the center of the photo you'll see the MF icon (flower) with two triangles, those are supposed to be mountains suggesting long distance photos.

On my Canon Powershot A720, it's on the toggle button on the back. Other cameras may vary, RTFM.

Failing to do this will make your closeup shots of wiper nut covers look more like bellybutton lint.

Examples: All pics are taken 8-12"

a bulb, is it a 3456 or 3457?
macro001.jpg


It's a 3457!
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What's this?
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But of course! It's a USB network adapter!
macro004.jpg


I don't know about camera phones. I know my LG 8300 doesn't do it, but some others might.

My camera can get rather close. I've taken pics as close as 2" from the lens of a size 000 phillips driver. I use it at work to take pics of damaged laptops for warranty coverage claims.
 
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I've spent quite a while trying to make cars look interesting in photos...it isn't easy at first.

When cars are stationary, there's nothing much of interest to look at in the picture so it's all down to angles, light and composition.

Personally, I normally shoot very low (on my belly) or try and use interesting and different angles to add a little flavor to the shots.

I also tend to use a 50mm Macro lens on the canon 10D to make the shots sharp and give a nice vibrancy to the photos, plus you can get close on the details (it's all in the detail) and play about with the DOF and so forth

Best thing to do is get out there and play :)

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My other baby

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i have a cheapo camera, kodak ZD8612 IS, is it possible to take quality pics with this? 8.1mp with Schneider -KREUZNACH VARIOGON 36mm lense
 
Stance Shot !

Beltline high,90? out,fill the frame with the car.
Like that...

<a href="http://s255.photobucket.com/albums/hh136/redwoodchair/?action=view&current=VirgoReconditionInstalled9-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh136/redwoodchair/VirgoReconditionInstalled9-1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
 
I've spent quite a while trying to make cars look interesting in photos...it isn't easy at first.

When cars are stationary, there's nothing much of interest to look at in the picture so it's all down to angles, light and composition.

Personally, I normally shoot very low (on my belly) or try and use interesting and different angles to add a little flavor to the shots.

I also tend to use a 50mm Macro lens on the canon 10D to make the shots sharp and give a nice vibrancy to the photos, plus you can get close on the details (it's all in the detail) and play about with the DOF and so forth

Best thing to do is get out there and play :)

CRW_4519_1.jpg


CRW_4521_1.jpg
The 10D can still deliver damn nice images despite being Canons first DSLR... I shoot the 1DmkII and 30D as backup with a bag full of "L" lenses for my business.
RonBaltazar.com
 
...often many of you forget about the macro function.

I agree with this. Macro can be used on many car photos, and is very handy regardless what you might shoot.

Using some macro on these shots.
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Again, more macro, especially useful on the emblems or L-Plates.
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But, even more important, is lighting. Where this picture didn't turn out amazing, because of lighting. Now, a reflector, or light flash would make it better.. (I couldn't move the car, and there was a truck on the other side.) Also, this is an example of getting down to shoot the car, so it's not a plain eye-level shot.
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When you shoot into the light.. Sometimes it looks ok; as long as the hood, roof or windows aren't blinding the shot, but other wise no. This one is debatable, if you're going for a sort-of sleeper look.
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And, for photography, this is my favorite example I've got uploaded. Not many reflections of other cars, planted in the middle of the frame, good lighting to your back, wheel turned, showing back wheel, and background easily worked with in PhotoShop. My only issue, is, it's eye-level, if I had gotten down lower, it would be a much more dramatic shot.
3629518643_b2054bca94.jpg
 
Adding to the discussion about what angle to shoot from, here are a couple of examples of shooting at the same level as the car's waistline or about halfway between the floor and the top of the roof:

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It's probably my favorite angle.
 
Depends on the MM of the macro Glass.
I'm not quite sure what you mean. Do you mean the focal length? Why would that have a bearing on whether you should be using "macro" mode or not?

I'm not trying to be an asshole; I genuinely don't follow what you're saying.
 
Automotive photography is great, I love it. Some of the stuff people have mentioned about burning out the image by leaving your lights on are good points

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Just a boring vectra, the sea looks flat as its a 30second exposure. very little post camera editing believe it or not. lit from the test button on the flashgun with a diffuser on it to spread the light a bit more evenly. Lit evenly by 3 flashes and one from above.
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Another source of light I've found usefull is a 6million candlepower hunting light.
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a few pictures I am happy with. The thing that anoys me the most is dodge pictures on tbricks. Just light your cars proper pleeeeease :) composition needs to be good too, I find the use of odd angles can throw people off a bit so tend not to use them too much. geting pictures from anything other than eye-level is usualy a plus tho.

threephin, that rig shot is great how have you made your rig?
 
911 and 1 Alfaholics shot.
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I have lots of other automotive if you wish to see. Or would like a shoot?
 
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