Macros are easy - Cars are hard!

Macros are easy - Cars are hard! · Posted by *Igilligan*, 10-03-2009, 07:39 PM

I thought macros were hard when I first tried them... But shooting cars is a whole other ballgame.

My buddy finally got his old Studebaker running and so he dragged me to a little get-to-gether. I thought I would bring the camera and the Vivi 28 just to try and take some shots. It was just a industrial parking lot so the backgrounds were horrible and the sun was no help either.
I could not get a decent shot of full car to save my life, so finally I gave up and just shot pieces...

Here is his Studie - ps - we had to keep flipping the fuel pump on and off with a toggle switch for 20 miles to keep the engine from flooding out ... and when we got ready to leave... the headlights did not work! Classic Cars are fun!~

What a great place to hide the gas cap...

So now I need to figure out how to really try and shoot these cars... anyone got any photo albums they can link me too?

ga-hing · 10-03-2009, 08:24 PM

#6 is dope, I'm feeling the colours

You might want to try having the tires/rims facing the direction of the camera lens more next time. For example in the last pic, have the owner turn the tires so they are pointed to the left and facing you more.

Its tricky shooting cars and often requires several off camera flashes to fill in the shadows.

*Sailor* · 10-03-2009, 09:13 PM

Hey, Gus. It looks to me like you've got the detail stuff down very well. Number 3 and (especially) number 4 are sublime - perhaps the best auto detail shots I've ever seen.

Whole car shots are difficult and - at least to me - very frustrating. I do know this - it's hard to get 'em at a car show for a variety of reasons. It seems to me you have to get a car situated in a background that compliments rather than detracts. Also, the car needs to be positioned in such a way that its dynamic characteristics and 3 dimensionality make through to a 2-dimensional medium. Easy to say - hard to do.

Jer

Steinback · 10-03-2009, 10:03 PM

I think that what you've got there looks good. If you want to get more ambitious here's a gallery I've had bookmarked for quite a while: Motor Cars - a set on Flickr

His work shows up occasionally on Strobist and other places.

r0ckstarr · 10-03-2009, 10:14 PM

I love the detail in your shots. Especially that first taillight and the rear of the Impala.

Try low angles that compliment the body lines of the car. Different cars have different lines, so walk around the car a few times and come up with something that will show off those lines.

As a good rule that I try to follow, never shoot a car at eye level unless you use a long lens. I like to get as low as possible and try to avoid going any higher than the height of the headlights. I also like to avoid the brightest parts of the day, but sometimes with car shows, that's impossible.

Here's a couple shots that I did of my own car that will be in the January issue of Popular Hotrodding Magazine. Both of which, I had the camera just a few inches above the ground.

I hope this is of any help, or at least gives you some new idea's to play with.

Got any tips on a good Macro lens?

*Ash* · 10-03-2009, 10:19 PM

Fancy stuff Gus & Brian.
The details and colours are nicely complemented with the creative perspectives.
Thanks for sharing.

*daacon* · 10-04-2009, 07:17 AM

Gus you did well what a monster ! Nice shots from Brian as well.

*Igilligan* · 10-04-2009, 10:27 AM

Originally Posted by ga-hing

#6 is dope, I'm feeling the colours

You might want to try having the tires/rims facing the direction of the camera lens more next time. For example in the last pic, have the owner turn the tires so they are pointed to the left and facing you more.

Its tricky shooting cars and often requires several off camera flashes to fill in the shadows.

That is a good suggestion on the tires, pulls some extra dimension into an otherwise flat shot... I do not have the extra flashes so I will have to pay a lot of attention to postion and natural light.

thanks for the tips

Originally Posted by Sailor

Hey, Gus. It looks to me like you've got the detail stuff down very well. Number 3 and (especially) number 4 are sublime - perhaps the best auto detail shots I've ever seen.

Whole car shots are difficult and - at least to me - very frustrating. I do know this - it's hard to get 'em at a car show for a variety of reasons. It seems to me you have to get a car situated in a background that compliments rather than detracts. Also, the car needs to be positioned in such a way that its dynamic characteristics and 3 dimensionality make through to a 2-dimensional medium. Easy to say - hard to do.

Jer

Jer, you are much too kind... I really did like that Cadillac hood ornament. I agree it is way harder to do than any other shooting I have done. And turning the cars at angles would definately help...
They are such big subjects compared to my usually people shots that you really do have to not only control the background but the forground as well... Takes much more thought than I gave it this time out.

Originally Posted by Steinback

I think that what you've got there looks good. If you want to get more ambitious here's a gallery I've had bookmarked for quite a while: Motor Cars - a set on Flickr

His work shows up occasionally on Strobist and other places.

Now that is how you shoot cars... Thanks for the link. What a pro. After seeing those, I think I will stick to shooting parts!

Some good ideas on positioning and angles though...

Originally Posted by r0ckstarr

I love the detail in your shots. Especially that first taillight and the rear of the Impala.

Try low angles that compliment the body lines of the car. Different cars have different lines, so walk around the car a few times and come up with something that will show off those lines.

As a good rule that I try to follow, never shoot a car at eye level unless you use a long lens. I like to get as low as possible and try to avoid going any higher than the height of the headlights. I also like to avoid the brightest parts of the day, but sometimes with car shows, that's impossible.

Here's a couple shots that I did of my own car that will be in the January issue of Popular Hotrodding Magazine. Both of which, I had the camera just a few inches above the ground.

I hope this is of any help, or at least gives you some new idea's to play with.

Got any tips on a good Macro lens?

Wow, those are very helpful shots and tips. I got down on my knees to shoot the parts, but not the cars. After seeing your shots, it is obviously something I needed to do. In the first, I like how the foreground of the road leads to the car... and the wonderful geometric lines/shapes of the overpass really work in the second one...
I played around with a tighter crop of that one to get that light on the lower right side out of the shot and I think it helped.
Thanks so much for these ideas... I am definately on the ground for the next attempt!

As for a macro lens... It sort of depends on what you want to shoot.... If you want MF, the Vivi 105 is very good... The industar 61 50mm is also a good budget option.
AF - the Tamron 90mm or Sigma 70 are both top notch lenses...
If budget is an issue the little clip on raynox adaptors are really good IMO...
Here is a link to some of my best with the Raynox 250
Best $50 dollar macro lens ever? ( lots of imgs): Pentax SLR Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Originally Posted by Ash

Fancy stuff Gus & Brian.
The details and colours are nicely complemented with the creative perspectives.
Thanks for sharing.

Thanks Ash...

*Blue* · 10-04-2009, 10:54 AM

I am going to trash up Gus' thread:

Click on the image to view it in a larger size

legacyb4 · 10-04-2009, 11:06 AM

Great work on the ornamental shots. Full body shots are always tricky and like Rockstar said, you have to really work with the cars to find the body lines.

A polarizer always helps too in minimizing reflections when shooting in tricky light since you generally don't have control over that!

r0ckstarr · 10-04-2009, 11:36 AM

Thanks for the macro tips, Gus. I just might check out that Raynox 250. Looks pretty promising for the low price.

*Igilligan* · 10-04-2009, 12:07 PM

Originally Posted by daacon

Gus you did well what a monster ! Nice shots from Brian as well.

Thanks Dave... if by monster you mean the Studebaker... You are so right!

Originally Posted by Blue

I am going to trash up Gus' thread:

Way to trash it up Blue

Love the red one! What a car.

Originally Posted by legacyb4

Great work on the ornamental shots. Full body shots are always tricky and like Rockstar said, you have to really work with the cars to find the body lines.

A polarizer always helps too in minimizing reflections when shooting in tricky light since you generally don't have control over that!

Thanks for the tip. You know as soon as I started seeing all the reflections... I began to kick myself for not bringing the polarizer... I seldom use one, but way too often wish I had it in the bag. It will get a permanent pouch in the bag from now on.

Originally Posted by r0ckstarr

Thanks for the macro tips, Gus. I just might check out that Raynox 250. Looks pretty promising for the low price.

I might suggest the Raynox 150 to start with as it is a little easier to work with, it has a little more minimum focus distance and a little more DOF, but a little less magnification. Still a great little clip-on macro filter though.
It clips on to most of your primes and Zooms... so it is easy to have in the bag.
What are you wanting to shoot in the macro realm?

*Blue* · 10-04-2009, 12:42 PM

Gus, that is a Caddy limo. The guy driving it is one of a group that restores those things. He was almost as much of a character as the car.

r0ckstarr · 10-05-2009, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by Igilligan

I might suggest the Raynox 150 to start with as it is a little easier to work with, it has a little more minimum focus distance and a little more DOF, but a little less magnification. Still a great little clip-on macro filter though.
It clips on to most of your primes and Zooms... so it is easy to have in the bag.
What are you wanting to shoot in the macro realm?

Insects. Anything else that's small after that, lol. When choosing a macro lens, how much focal length is enough, and how much is too much? I was looking into the Sigma Zoom Telephoto 70-300mm for starters.

JMR · 10-06-2009, 06:00 AM

Hey Gus, they are not bad. And that colour reminds me of when I was young and always dreamed of aquamarine colour cars and anything that colour! Love the close ups and the ornaments. There is something futuristic about that guy who is the ornament, as if he represents a person that transcends all nationalities. The mustang is perfect, because, after his head, is the swift blurred like outline of his body.

JMR