Could I get some C+C on these please?

CianRyan

Hiya, I've posted once or twice on here before but I do want to get a bit more serious at this stage, even if that does entail stealing my girlfriends camera at the moment.

Anyway, I love taking pictures of cars, among other things but motoring in general is a big one for me. I wanted to see, from a photographic point of view, what I could do to improve on my skills?
Thanks for the time.

Taken on 450D with the kit lense.


370Z by CianRyan, on Flickr


370Z by CianRyan, on Flickr


GT-R by CianRyan, on Flickr


GT-R by CianRyan, on Flickr

AnCatDubh

Just a general comment (seeing them on phone screen) but I'd guess that you want to start getting the cars to a cleaner environment. There's too much distraction to appreciate them. Check out some of the stuff that paddyirl posts from time to time in the random threads. Some fine work there. Will check it out on the laptop when I'm at home.

CianRyan

Thanks for the reply.
Yeah, I'd have loved a better setting for these but they were just parked on my road and I took the shots when I could, nothing planned.

I've seen Paddy's pic's over in the motors forum, some great shots from him.

dirtyghettokid

i'd echo what ancatdubh says. love the car photography myself. don't get too much opportunity these days to shoot cars, but it's always fun when i get the chance!

definitely use a less distracting location. all you have going for you is a nice car, really... but that's not enough, especially to viewers who aren't interested in the subject.

maybe invest in some strobes, so you can control the lighting. or try some light painting.

for inspiration, check out this guy's work
http://www.flickr.com/photos/ghostchild/

he does a lot of photoshopping, but that goes on a lot in automotive photography.

CianRyan

I was only watching a clip about light painting last night, it's definitely something I'd like to try.
For the time being my equipment has to be basic, I've pretty much no money and I'm using borrowed gear, I guess just focusing on the basics is what I'm at now; angels, crops, etc.
I'd love to go out and arrange shoots in some interesting places but my transport is limited too, for now really, it's catching the chances as they come.
Photoshop is something I need to improve on too, right now I'm only using it to adjust raw files, light, lines, colour and curves.

I love this shot, definitely something to aspire to.

Dual Mugen x CR Honda S2000 by 1013MM, on Flickr

dirtyghettokid

yea i love that pic. it helps that it's a nice car too
he photoshops different skies into pics sometimes. there's a lot of good automotive photographers out there. do you follow any of the US blogs? there are good for inspiration.

you can get strobes for cheap enough. if you really are limited cash wise, do play around with light painting with LED torches!

CianRyan

I follow a few on Instagram but I'm a bit lost on where half of the pictures actually come from.
As much as I hate to admit it, there are some great shots on Stance Works.

I'll give the light painting a try this weekend, sounds like fun.

nicknackgtb

Try looking into this a bit, some great tutorials here to help you with Auto Photos!


http://www.carphototutorials.com/

CianRyan

Nice! There's loads of stuff on here, thanks.

CabanSail

With the limitations that you cannot move the cars and gear, there are some things you can do to improve these shots.

1/ Try to fill the frame with the subject. Exclude things that do not add to the photo. You can do this by cropping too.

2/ Expose for your subject. For example in the third shot the car is in shadow but the light on the road has caused the metering to underexpose the car.

3/ Use Depth of Field to help isolate your subject. Blurred backgrounds are less distracting.

4/ Try shooting just small details from the cars. Look for unusual angles and techniques.

Tallon

Gimme a shout one of the days Cian and we'll go out and shoot

I can talk you through a couple of things

CianRyan

CabanSail wrote: »

With the limitations that you cannot move the cars and gear, there are some things you can do to improve these shots.

1/ Try to fill the frame with the subject. Exclude things that do not add to the photo. You can do this by cropping too.

2/ Expose for your subject. For example in the third shot the car is in shadow but the light on the road has caused the metering to underexpose the car.

3/ Use Depth of Field to help isolate your subject. Blurred backgrounds are less distracting.

4/ Try shooting just small details from the cars. Look for unusual angles and techniques.

Thanks, that's what I've been looking for.

The only thing I can say is I was trying for more bokeh but (as a noob) it just wasn't happening for me. Some help will fix that, my GF can shoot some beautiful pic's but she hasn't the patients to be taking pictures of cars.

I'll work on the framing too, oddly it's only something I've been making conscious decisions about lately. With the images where I've left a lot of space I was experimenting, sometimes you get it right and others you don't, I'm just glad I can be pointed in the right direction.

@Tal: Deadly, man.
I'll give you a shout on FB about it.

kelly1

Hello, no time to read all the replies, but lighting is an issue too. You've a mixture of light and shade. I would put the car somewhere you have consistent light or shoot early morning or late evening.

CianRyan

kelly1 wrote: »

Hello, no time to read all the replies, but lighting is an issue too. You've a mixture of light and shade. I would put the car somewhere you have consistent light or shoot early morning or late evening.

The others have suggested addressing the lighting, thanks for the input all the same, I know you couldn't read the rest of the posts.

EyeBlinks

CianRyan wrote: »

angels, crops, etc.

Ah cars and Angels ... hard to beat it tbh

CianRyan

EyeBlinks wrote: »

Ah cars and Angels ... hard to beat it tbh

I'd like to blame iPhone auto correct on this but it was probably just laziness.

ScumLord

The pictures seem very orange, cooling them down a bit might make the background less distracting and enhance the colours of the car instead.

the_monkey

Looks nice and clear, and exposure is pretty much perfect, just need to change the composition and setting a bit and they'll be perfect!

CianRyan

ScumLord wrote: »

The pictures seem very orange, cooling them down a bit might make the background less distracting and enhance the colours of the car instead.

the_monkey wrote: »

Looks nice and clear, and exposure is pretty much perfect, just need to change the composition and setting a bit and they'll be perfect!

Thank ye!

I'll have a play with them again later and see if I can spruce them up with a bit of cropping.
I'm not into overly manipulating my pics though, so the likes of adding new skies in and that, not for me... Not with my current skill set anyway. Haha

the_monkey

I for one like images slightly warmer, maybe I'm too fed up with the Irish climate ...

CianRyan

Haha, yeah I shot in raw and then made them warmer when converting them, it was a warn sunny day when I took them and I was in a warm sunny mood when I was editing them.
I had them set to look "real" but it felt very cold, not really what I wanted for them.

That's the thing about shooting I guess, do you should for reality or for your own perception of reality.

ScumLord

CianRyan wrote: »

Haha, yeah I shot in raw and then made them warmer when converting them, it was a warn sunny day when I took them and I was in a warm sunny mood when I was editing them.

It's really just the first one and slightly on the second one where I think you've gone past warm into orange. It's the background that would cause that as it was warm to begin with.

CianRyan

They were pretty cool to start, I'll throw up the RAW files later for comparison.

Snowie

Might I suggest you concentrate on composition play with landscape because it will lead to better photos not because I'm some old grinch who feels that the rule of thirds must be obeyed more so because it can help create a really strong graphic image.. Especially some form of perspective, as well in some case movement even if its standing still but over all a guy Fly who always impressed me irregardless of the magzine his ability to shoot and the way he shot was always interesting..

Theres a really good L.A photographer who did a lot of work with redline magazine but I cant remember his name..

How ever good work starting off one or two shots could be a little cooler but sure thats nothing but a learning curve, composition is there but be creative.. Dont be affraid to get a little dirty and play with angles just have fun and take your time never be in to much of a rush... Go closer look at the car spend some time looking at it. Don't be afraid to only have half of the car in the shot ..

But good start

CianRyan

Thanks, Fly has some really great images there. Most of which are quite warm actually.
Really though, looking over them again now, I see what everyone means and as you say, it's a learning curve and I'll treat it as such. Next time I'll remember to look at these aspects in more depth.

Being creative is something to think of too, with so many people other there these days snapping away at cars there's a lot of photo's that come out looking exactly like the last one that was taken by some person 5000 miles away. I'm looking to buy my own gear in the next few weeks so at least I'll have more freedom with when and where I shoot. Getting to the likes of Coffee and Cars and other such events are a must, for inspiration if nothing else.
In saying that though, I do intent to indulge in every aspect of photography. Street shooting is something I've really taken an interest in over the last week or so.

And thank you, for a start I am quite happy with the results.

I know I said I'd throw up the RAW files somewhere but they don't seem to be supported by anywhere so I'll just put up the original JPEG's.

370Z Pre Edit by CianRyan, on Flickr


GT-R Pre Edit by CianRyan, on Flickr


370Z Pre Edit by CianRyan, on Flickr


GT-R Pre Edit by CianRyan, on Flickr

If nothing else, it will show what I was coming from.
In my opinion, they were quite cold straight out of the camera.

ScumLord

Yeah you're right they do look blue. As you were shooting in RAW you could have underexposed them, in fact if you could go back into raw and bring down the exposure and bring up the fill light. Cut out the majority of the background as it's overexposed, maybe bring down the blue and green rather than pumping up the red so much see if that bring in the warmness without going too far into red.

It's a tricky shot, main subject is in the dark while the background is in full sunlight. Tell your neighbours to park their cars in better lighting conditions next time.

CianRyan

Took the advice on-board and had a second pass at this, I ended up making it look even more burnt.
Don't like the result to be honest although it does bring up more detail.
I've not got much a of a clue when it comes to working with colours, I'll have to study this and try again I think.


370Z Take 2 by CianRyan, on Flickr


Edit: Looks a bit HDR'y... *shudders*

ScumLord

I haven't really come across to much good info on colour correcting in photoshop. Most of what I've learned has come from books and videocopilot tutorials for colour correcting videos in after effects. Guides on colour correcting in photoshop tend to be a bit wishy washy whereas the after effects ones break it down because your looking to do something specific.

CianRyan

I know they're both Adobe but do the tutorials cross over?

ScumLord

CianRyan wrote: »

I know they're both Adobe but do the tutorials cross over?

In some ways after effects works a lot like photoshop for videos. It works on layers, adjustment layers, layer styles. You can use techniques from one in the other. You could watch the videocopilot tutorials for free to get an idea but I'm not sure how much help it would actually be. If you think photoshop is complicated after effects makes it look like Microsoft paint. But there are some tips that can cross over as after effects uses curves and levels a lot, they're very important for getting two separate videos to look like they belong together and they go into adjusting colour channels individually.

CianRyan

So after a considerable break I took another pass at working with colours and PS in general.
What ye reckon, an imporvment?


370Z by CianRyan, on Flickr

Old one:

370Z by CianRyan, on Flickr

challengemaster

It's better, but that's probably the crop more than anything else.

Hopefully this isn't too harsh. Best advice I can give you is stop trying to flog the proverbial dead horse dude. It was a bit of a dud image to start in photoshop with (no offense meant, we all take them - key is knowing when you've taken one). The best thing to do is criticize the image. What could you have done better/differently, and then keep that in mind going forward and taking more pics. A solid starting point is essential.

And certainly don't get disheartened (again, happens to everyone now and again) - pretty much all great car pics out there start with a very good base image, and have 4+ hours of photoshop before they hit the end point. And everyone that takes them, started somewhere too.

In terms of advice for going forward:

• Get a circular polariser - it'll help kill the reflections on the car.
• Think about your lighting - In most cases you want the car to be lit well, so watch for shade, and where the sun is in relation to the car
• The background is the most important thing in the photo, not the car. As you can see from your own pics - you've got a GTR and a 370z, and the results are pretty underwhelming considering... You could equally put a Veyron in there and you'd have the same result. The background has to be interesting.

I know these things couldn't really be applied to the above, as they were parked on the street

CianRyan

Nice one, man.
I was really just trying to get the hang of the colours more so than make the picture any better.
I know the image leaves a lot to be desired but as much as I'd love to be out snapping cars I'm at the constraint of using a camera belonging to someone else, locked away in their room. Such is life though.

I'll check out some circular polarisers, herself is never going to need it so it's very much up to myself to start buying project specific gear, I don't mind this as I'll be sticking with the same platform when I do get my own camera.


I should have the camera at the meet next week so I'll try and get some nicer snaps there.

ronanc15

Colourwise for me its too warm (yellowish) and the colour of the car is lost. Really needs to pop

pedroeibar1

I know nothing about Photoshop and as a result must try ‘to get it right’ on the day. Composition has always been important for me. My opinion - in your photo there is too much going on in the wrong places.

Almost the entire bottom half of the photo is composed of concrete textures & shade which are a distraction; because of the lighting / shadows / reflection the car appears bland and right next to it there is a BIG distraction which draws the eye - the guy chatting to the half-hidden woman at the gate. Were they looking at the car instead of being intent on each other they would add a lot to the picture, as it is they detract in a major way.

There is a very large bright empty space behind the car that the eye will avoid, so it picks up the wing of another car on the extreme right, beyond where a vertical line (tree-trunk) cuts off that portion of the picture. The white garden wall is where the frame should stop, to the left of the fire hydrant bollard. (That would also give a sense of direction to the car). Even if the frame is cut there it leaves a busy background with kids playing and a bright ‘YIELD’ sign that also catch the eye, along with other clutter of cars/houses/trees/flat grass.

The photo is too cluttered; it contains several possible great shots of quite different composition – but I cannot see how Photoshop could improve the framing of the car.

(comments based on first photo:o

CianRyan

Thanks for being brutally honest, lads. I really appreciate it.
Now, all I have to do is actively take on board everything said to me here and I can hope to have a some better pictures next time.

This is how we learn.

pedroeibar1

CianRyan wrote: »

.......... and I can hope to have a some better pictures next time.

This is how we learn.

You will get there - just shoot lots of pictures. The best thing about digital is that you can see the results immediately instead of having to wait and pay for an expensive processing/printing. One thing you did do right was to hold the camera level, something that many people forget to do.