5 pro tips for automotive photography
Car photography is no easy task. Shooting such a large reflective product could be challenging and many factors need to be considered.
But don’t let that dissuade you. I’ve worked with some top car brands including Lexus, Mercedes and most recently Lamborghini all with their own particular challenges, but if you prepare and aware of the following tips you’ll be in a better position to photograph some killer car shots.
And like with all my product photography the same thing applies when shooting a car, I like to dive into real life scenarios the product was intended for—in this case out on the open road and through diverse terrain. Ya’ll ready know!
Here are my 5 tips to ensure you take better car photos.
Use the proper backdrop
Make sure to photograph the car with the proper background. During pre-production the aesthetic and theme should have been defined so make sure the backdrops and location match the style and mood board outlined.
Keep the background clean and simple, remove unwanted clutter, and find a location with a nice contrast to maintain focus on the car and give it some pop.
Show the car’s performance outdoors
A car is meant to roam. It’s made to take on nature and all its elements, so go for a ride and hire professional drivers to push its limits. Trust me, the results will be insane.
When I was in Portugal working with Lamborghini we had the opportunity to take the SUV Urus for a ride through the sandy beaches of Nazare and capture the car in action. The results were amazing.
Be aware of reflections
Pay extra attention to potential reflection distractions. Before taking the photograph inspect its surface from different angles to ensure nothing out of the ordinary will affect your shot. You want to accentuate the details and the curves of the car to show its sleek beauty so make sure your surroundings are clean and free of any distractions.
Capture the car in motion
While hitting the open road plan a strategy to photograph the car from another vehicle driving along side it to get an interesting perspective. Safety is important here and should be first priority so plan accordingly.
Make sure you plan your compositions. If planned correctly and safely you will also be able to capture movement of the car, the rims spinning while maintaining sharpness of the car. Depending on your speed and the balance of motion blur and sharpness its recommended you keep the shutter speed above 1/60th of a second.
Take it to the next level in post production
Technically your shots are spot on. The composition looks perfect but sometimes it feels a bit lacklustre. Here’s where your post production magic kicks in. You can work and experiment with colour, contrast, highlights and shadows etc. to give your shots an extra punch without sacrificing authenticity. Try a certain aesthetic and theme giving your shots a bit of mystery, class and style.
If you want to step up your car photography game then give the above tips a try. Do you guys have experience shooting cars? What other tips would you recommend? Let me know what you guys think in the comments below. Cheers guys!
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