Automotive Photography Tips

[motorcycho]

Most Senior members here have done this!!
Ok so Spill the Beans n let out some secrets;)
and if you have a photo to accompany your point, post that too!

[KrishnenduKes]

Discussion Approved

If this develops, will move this to techniques section.

[shutterbug]

I am especially interested in getting to learn about dynamic shots of automobiles.

[Sarao]

As far as I can get this question, its too vague for me. There is a lot to do with Automotive Photography, what sort of tips you want?

[motorcycho]

Here are a few basics..
*Rule of the Thirds.
It always works! Photos look great and with some max F stops, results are amazing!

*Camera Angles.
Well, this one's a bit tricky! Go a bit overboard and the photo is ruined!
But One thing i realized just a few days back, is that, Low angles of a shot look really good for statics if taken from a distance.

*Avoiding cut-off's
i.e. avoiding cutting off parts of a car or bike unless those are some close up full frame shots ( cutting off bumpers, tyres, indicators etc etc.. this might be easy to say, but but i always tend to make these mistakes. :D)

*Backgrounds
Good back drops make some really good pics.

*Looking at Sunny's Photos, now even i prefer getting up real early in the morning for shoots!! :cool:
Two advantages-Good light, n less crowd if some main roads are selected!
Even evenings are fine at times.

I avoid mid day sun at any cost. thats the time you get the worst photos because of the harsh light and overhead sun.

Against the light shots cant always be great unless you have som different idea of the shot.

These are from my side, Kindly correct if i'am going wrong anywhere!!

And yeah.
Can anyone comment on how to get some good rolling shots?
especially for cars,where the wheels seem to be spinning really fast even wen the car is not doing more then 40kmph! Panning is very tough, n even trickier at night!
What i try to do is, balance a higher F stop with slower shutter speed.
Is this the right way?

[KrishnenduKes]

Here are a few basics..
These are from my side, Kindly correct if i'am going wrong anywhere!!



Nice inputs there. Thanks Motorcycho. It would be nice if you could support your tips with concrete examples. (Even if that means getting up yet again in the morning!) :)

[motorcycho]

Here you go Krish
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/eshanshetty/_MG_25411.jpg
Rule of Third (I hope Its right)
Clicked early in the morning, did screw up a little on the background though!

[Sarao]

^^ Nice!

One should also use CPL to avoid unwanted reflections from the surface. I use sometime, results come a LOT more than expected.

[powerslave]

For the above shot, I would have preferred the bike on the RHS line of 3rd than the LHS line of 3rd. Or if the bike were facing the other way. IMHO it is a wrong use of rule of 3rds.

Great shot nonetheless :)

[Sarao]

I've read somewhere, the left hand side puts more emphasize. Correct me if I'm wrong.

[powerslave]

I don't knwo about that, but it's about the bike pointing out of the frame. Not into it.

[srikeerthi]

For the above shot, I would have preferred the bike on the RHS line of 3rd than the LHS line of 3rd. Or if the bike were facing the other way. IMHO it is a wrong use of rule of 3rds.

Great shot nonetheless :)
I too agree on this one, else quite a lot of good info.

[Xavier]

Here you go Krish
http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u132/eshanshetty/_MG_25411.jpg
Rule of Third (I hope Its right)
Clicked early in the morning, did screw up a little on the background though!

Lovely pic!
I agree with Powerslave on the rule of thirds thingy, there's a lot of negative space at the right.

[KrishnenduKes]

I wanted to add AFA as shooting vehicles with motors are concerned, especially the two-wheeled variety, I was told by some "well placed" photographers, to always shoot with the handle bars and the front wheel straight to enhance the beauty of the motorcycle in question.

[Sunny]

Look at automobiles as human beings and click them (specially close ups) as if you are clicking human portraits. One of the best lenses to do this is Canon 100mm Macro 2.8. The results are fantastic.

[motorcycho]

I can imagine the bokeh with the 100mm!!