Apart from people, a car is one of the trickiest objects to capture. Photographers have to consider the color of the car, environment, lighting conditions, and weather conditions. Car photography is quite difficult at first but when done right, you can enjoy the sight of perfectly photographed cars. Many professionals and enthusiasts are impressed with what these photographs can exhibit. Let’s transform a simply photographed car to a social-media subject.
In taking photographs of a car, what we want you to achieve is a magazine-quality picture. Impressive as it may seem, some people just find cars as one of the most difficult subjects to photograph because of the features they uphold. From just a simple photograph of a car, who knows even newbies can capture photos of a car like a pro?
Seek for the Best Lighting Source
One of the most important factors to consider in capturing the best photo of your car is the lighting. Whether it is natural or artificial, they find their own ways to enhance the features of the subject.
When choosing to shoot with natural light, it would be best to check which time of the day will enhance the features of your car. Golden hour is also one of the commonly preferred times of the day. From the name itself, it gives you warm and golden lighting. Choose between ample time before sunrise or sunset. This is the type of lighting that is natural and very flexible to play with different angles.
Artificial light is also a choice, especially when the current environment lacks lighting. The good thing with artificial lighting is that it can be controlled. Considering the amount of brightness, warmness, and color, as a photographer, you get ahold of different lighting conditions. Most photographers use state of the art camera, durable camera batteries, and lighting equipment to spice up their photos.
Play with Different Angles
In capturing photos of your car, choose between bird’s eye view and worm’s eye view for a perfect angle. Man’s eye view is fine too but most photographers prefer the theme built with the bird’s eye and worm’s eye view.
Bird’s eye view refers to when the camera is angled higher than the car. This angle is perfect for moving cars to capture the strength of motion. When the angle is above the subject, the photo highlights the contours of the top and edges of the car. With additional light, the car tends to be more dramatic with the bird’s eye view. This is also a great choice if your personal preference is to feature a minimal amount of background.
On the other hand, the worm’s eye view refers to the camera’s placement angled lower than the car. This angle is perfect for shots that highlight the edges of the car. Since the car will look bigger at the shot, you get a better view of the bumpers, contours, and highlights.
Choose a Suitable Environment
A dull colored environment will highlight your car’s features and colors. When the background is too extravagant, it tends to overlap with the details of the subject. What we highly suggest is to choose an environment like the highway or background with a view of the city. In this way, the focus is on the car instead of the background. Look for environments that suit the theme you want to achieve and the character of your car.
Allow your car to interact with the background or the environment. Driving it along the woods, mud, or even obstacles will exhibit its strength and connection to the environment. Just make sure that your preferred environment does not take away the photo opportunity of the car. It would be best to choose environments that will give you a clear shot of the subject away from obstructions.
Capture Movement
Driving shots is one of the coolest shots you will see online. Program your camera with a shutter speed of 1/100 to align the features of your car with the movement. Driving speed should at least be 60 kilometers per hour to have a better view. With these two required parameters incorporated together, the shot will look like the car paved the road at a fast pace. Movement of cars is what fancies men these days. They exhibit the features of the car in just one shot.
Panned motion is also one of the shots famously used in cars. It is a panoramic shot following the movement of the car. Play with different ways on how you can capture car photos inside and out of the car. Another option is to hop into another car and capture photos from there to focus on the details during movement.
Focus on Colors, Contours, and Details of the Car
In photographing cars, most are tempted in taking pictures of the car as a whole. They tend to forget that details also matter. What is the greatest asset of your car? What makes it unique from other cars? Considering that most car owners flaunt their car’s customized design, this is the perfect time to focus on the changes. Choose the parts of the car which you think makes the car look sophisticated. Perfect examples would be the bumper, hood, and even the side contours.
Conclusion
Your car is your treasure. They are considered as living proof of hard work. When we engage in car photography, we want to make it look perfect. From angles to lighting, when every factor works hand in hand, this results in a perfectly photographed car. Focus on the factors that you can and cannot control. This will give you an edge in the field of car photography.
Talha Ali is your tech generalist, covering a wide spectrum of topics within the ever-evolving world of technology. With a curiosity for the latest innovations, industry trends, and breakthroughs. Whether it’s hardware, software, emerging technologies, or the intersection of tech with daily life, Talha’s articles provide readers with a well-rounded perspective on the dynamic landscape of the tech industry.
