Top 3 Tips for Car Photography | Car Tips
3 TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR CAR PHOTOGRAPHY
Taking a great photo of your pride and joy is often easier said than done. I’m here to help and it won’t matter if you’re using a crazy pro-level camera or the latest iPhone camera app-thing-a-majig. It’s all in you, not your gear. So lean in and perk your ears… here are my top 3 tips for car photography.
1. SPA DAY
Just like any Vogue model, your ride likes to get her bumpers polished at the spa. Make sure she’s looking sharp, dust-free and the white-walled rollers are glammed to the max. It goes without saying that if you want your baby glowing, you gotta treat her right.
2. LIGHT IT UP
Talk to any photog worth a damn and they’ll tell you the magic ingredient in any photo-recipe is light – it’s the only language camera’s speak. There are two sources for it, natural sunlight and studio style flash/video lighting. Either will get the job done however sunlight is more natural and far easier to lug around on location. With either lighting set up I’d recommend back-lighting your car, which means having you on one side of vehicle with the sun on the other. This will give a killer rim-light (a halo-wy-ish glow, apologies for the super-pro level photographer lingo). Depending on the time of day, you can choose to fill in the front side with flash/video light. Tip: A bright sunny day sounds great, but the sun can create harsh, blown-out highlights and not-so-nice shadow angles, try earlier in the morning or later in the afternoon.
3. COMPOSITION
Many people can get the light pretty close to right with a fancy rig off the shelf at Best Buy – the auto settings on most cameras are pretty good. What separates the men from the boys is your eye… your composition. We all view life from the same basic angle/height which is generally looking down on a car. Instead, change that angle by taking a knee or laying on the ground. Or, use an interesting landscape as a backdrop if appropriate or better yet, get in real tight and fill the your camera’s frame. Often, showing bits and pieces of the car is more appealing than a single, all-encompassing shot.
There it is, my 3 tips for better car photography. Let your mind wander a creative path and don’t be shy about experimenting – that’s when the magic tends to happen. Good luck, if you have any questions feel free to reach out…
Guest Post – Vaughn Barry of Vaughn Barry Photography