Everything I Don't Do When I Shoot Cars - 13 Tips in 6 Minutes
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- Опубликовано: 16 июн 2024
- Over the years I have found that certain techniques or pieces of gear slow me down, or produce uninspiring images. I'm going to share what I know to help you avoid doing bad things. Here are thirteen what-not-to-dos in six minutes.
Obviously, there are some exceptions, but if you're trying to become a better shooter, these are the things you need to know.
Shown in this video:
Acko 16 Inch Folding Step Stool amzn.to/32Xlzt4
Special thanks for the stellar camera work by Chris Nguyen (www.analogdialog.com) and Stephen Hebert (atelierhebert.com).
0:00 Start
0:05 Opening
0:55 Don't fill frame edge to edge
1:07 Watch for distractions behind car
1:28 Be deliberate about everything in frame
1:46 Don't shoot from eye level
2:08 Avoid mid-day sun
2:18 Don't have sun directly behind you
2:19 Don't overexpose
2:51 Avoid HDR
3:03 Don't shoot interiors in direct sun
3:14 Don't use wide angle lens on exterior
3:50 Change your angles
4:11 Don't obsess over strobe & lighting
4:38 Don't fixate on gear
5:24 Conclusion
5:53 Outro 
Авто/Мото
1. Don't fill the frame edge-to-edge with a car you are shooting
2. Don't ever have poles or distracting objects behind the car
3. Don't allow any ugly stuff behind the car (except to tell a story)
4. Don't shoot from eye level
5. Don't shoot in midday sun
6. Don't shoot with the sun behind you
7. Don't overexpose
8. Don't do HDR
9. Don't shoot interior in direct sun
10. Don't use a wide angle lens on exterior (on static shots)
11. Don't shoot the same angle again und again
12. Don't become obsessed with strobes and lightning
13. Don't fixate on gear
Meh
i think this is wrong
@@skold__anton why
For you to photograph a car your way and not someone else's way, you will stand out more and succeed better
@@skold__anton no. there is a big difference between finding your own style/standing out and using correct techniques. Its like if you watch a video on car customization, but say its wrong because the car has 4 wheels, no, it needs 4 wheels to work just like how you need to learn core techiniques and angles to create visually pleasing shots. Once you have a handle on that, then you can BUILD ON TOP OF THAT and find your own style to stand out.
I don’t shoot cars professionally, but as a fellow professional photographer I can say that your comments ooze sincerity, experience and common sense. It was a delight to watch your video. Best of luck!
This is one of the most thoughtful and meaningful comments I've ever received on here, thanks so much! 😊
I wholeheartedly agree, it was a pleasure watching!
I've been shooting and writing about cars for a long time. I'm a retired member if IMPA--International Motor Press Association. I agree with almost everything except your prohibition of the wide angle. When you know what a wide angle can do in terms of emphasizing certain aspects of the photos then it can be great. One of my favorite shots was of a Jaguar "Leaper" shot from a low angle with the wide angle lens. The Leaper came leaping out of the frame, so to speak. That one was shot on Tri-X with a Nikon N90.
Hey Anton, thanks for your comment and insight! You're right, I could have expanded on that point a lot more, but I was trying to keep this brief - too many times my video becomes 15 mins long! 😂 There are times when a wide angle is great - details like you mentioned, or if you're trying to emphasize a dramatic feature, like a wing or fins on a Cadillac or something. But overall, if you're shooting the full car, I think one should try to a shoot longer focal length at a distance. There are lots of times when you can't, if space doesn't allow you to get very far back, but whenever possible, the longer focal length will pay off. I've never shot with the N90, but I used to shoot with a Nikon D90 (which I know is very different), haha.
that's just one scenario😂
This video production quality deserves way more views
🙌
True
Amazing car content. Thank you for doing this. Their arent many actual educational car photography channels out there at least I am not aware of them. Keep up the great work.
I appreciate that! 🙌
First time watching your youtube videos.
Short and no waste of time talking about pointless things. Love them 👌
thanks so much for watching and for the feedback! 👍
Really great videos on your channel. Short, to the point and amazing production value!
Much appreciated!
This had some great ideas to keep in the back of your head when heading to a shoot! I’ll definitely try to come back to this vid when I prep next time. Nice work!
thanks so much, I hope it's helpful!
Great! So helpful, I have to see your video multiple times and actually think about them, applied to my last shoot and try actually to absorb the lesson. One thought for myself: TRY NOT TO TAKE BAD OR AT LEAST NOT OBVIOUSLY BAD PICTURES! Your list helps a lot.
it's amazing to hear this! Keep shooting 👍
Awesome video! Lots of great tips, just got into automotive photography & your videos are very helpful. 👍🏻
Great to hear, thanks so much!
These are honestly amazing tips. Time is such a big factor when it comes to a successful shoot.
thanks, and thanks for watching!
Glad I just found this video. Thanks for all the tips and your hard work.
Thanks for watching!
This video was randomly on my recommendations. Loved every tip!
Awesome! Thank you!
Your channel is amazing, You are amazing! I just auto-sub'd after watching your videos and now ended up watching almost all of them. Keep up the great work! You are helping a lot of people out there!
Wow, thanks so much!
Depending on the angle, sometimes shooting really wide can be interesting since while it can show everything if you stop down, if you put a cpl on and crank the shuttler speed, sometimes it can have this really interesting effect where the car almost appears like its a toy car in the outside world and its a cool effect. Most of the time, I prefer shooting cars with a 85mm f/1.8 or longer lens. Nothing beats the compression off of the longer lenses. Other than that, great video! Definitely some amazing tips for sure
yes totally, that's a really creative way to go about it, and would definitely give you a cool result. Thanks for watching!
Love the documentary mood you are passing with your advices!
Thanks so much!
Most underrated photography channel I have ever seen. Earned an easy sub from me. Please keep up the extraordinary content!
Wow, thanks!
These tips are fantastic thank you. I was also the person that thought having different equipment would make you “professional” when I feel you should really focus on what you have and try to be the best at using what you have. Thanks again.
Glad it was helpful, thanks for watching!
Will follow these. Thanks!
Great!
Thanks for the succinct video, just learning again and found it very helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
thanks for this video, it was so helpful.
Glad it was helpful! 👍
One of my pet peeves are open hoods at car meets. It ruins the lines of the car so I skip them. I love all those tips as you showed me some areas I need to work on.
Yes for sure, and thanks, I'm glad it's helpful! I have another video about shooting events if that's of any interest: ruclips.net/video/5lF4EkOWgd0/видео.html
@@capturingthemachine thank you. I will be watching that one next. Keep being awesome!
Fantastic tips. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Subbed!
Thanks for the sub!
Great tips, thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
Great tips 👍🏻
Some are pretty obvious like not to shoot with the sun in your back, with some others you can really argue about like not to shoot in wide-angle.
I did one yesterday in 35mm low-angled with my A7C which is pretty wide from what I've seen from others who mostly seem to take shots with 70mm and higher.
Thanks for watching! It's true that some of these tips are a little controversial, but I swear by them 😄
That's A Very Well Made Video, Great Tips in A Short Straight to Point Video .. if Only Craigslist Car Sellers Would Watch This Video And Follow Even Half of The Tips !
haha, thanks!
Ha! I am getting ready to do a shoot on a couple of vintage autos for shopping to production companies. I already had it in my head the massive amount of equipment I would be bringing. Now, I'm confident to just bring a couple of speedlites, triggers and a tripod. My back and I thank you!
fantastic to hear it!
Dropping gold. Can’t believe this doesn’t have more views.
Thanks so much!
Beautiful video!!
Thank you! Cheers!
I love these tips. Thanks 👍🏼👍🏼
You're so welcome!
Sound advice here, my father was a professional photographer, and het taught me the basics, but also what you speak of, it's not about gear, or the prefect lighting or whatever. It's about seeing what's there, using your imagination, and keep things simple.
thank you so much for this fantastic comment! 😄
oh hell... this is a nice video :) subscribed, will watch a whole lot of your other videos :D
Awesome, thank you so much!!
Great video! Not many videos on car shoots thanks for information
Thank you, I'm glad you liked it!
I have a bunch of other tutorials, if you ever have a moment to check them out: ruclips.net/p/PLp0CpEYwHSBP0HUi2vOymExaq7oLo-VQo
I am not going to argue with you. I am going to be grateful you made this video. I have a car that I really need to get the best price. I feel what you have just shown me will be a large help.
Awesome, god luck! I have a coupe other videos about Bring a Trailer that are not necessarily BaT-specific, but could be applied to shooting any car listing - those might be helpful too.
Easier not to have distractions removed before shooting, rather than spending even more time trying edit them out later. Thanks for your video.
Very true, thanks for watching!
I watched this video because I have my first car shoot in a few days through no fault of my own. The brief includes several things you explicitly say not to do. So this was a fun learning experience.
Haha, good luck! Some of these are just my personal taste, and you’ll be fine to try them. Every shoot can be a huge learning experience regardless 👍
@@capturingthemachine I assume your approach and reasoning is far different than the client I'm shooting for so it's all good. I certainly took away a few things from watching. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this. Really great info.
Glad it was helpful!
thank you so much, really helpful
Glad it helped!
Thank you, this is great content !!
You're very welcome!!
You sir, just have a new a subscriber. Thanks!
Awesome, thank you! When I read the first part of the sentence I thought I was in trouble 😭
Thanks! That was a great guide, how to do, and how do not. I'm going to Classic car meet in next weekend, to make some shoots, gona keep your advices in my mind! 👍
Awesome, have fun!
watching for second time your videos… and always thanks sir for share your experiences…
My pleasure, thanks so much for watching!
Thank you for this,,,appreciated!
Glad it was helpful!
Straight forward….. great video man!
thank you!
Enjoyed this one. I feel the same way about pretty much everything you said so it's pretty hard to argue with you 😂
thank you Jamil!
You are amazing ! Thank you for the info
You are so welcome, thank you!
great compilation! To me, the no1 killer is to shoot from eye level, and it's a disaster when people use wide angle at the same time, which is almost the default case when they flip out their mobile phones. Simply going down low and zooming in on the car makes such a big difference.
and yes, i take along a small step ladder when i go to car shows now. makes for awesome perspectives!
haha, awesome, thanks for your comment!
I'm so glad this popped up on my recommended
I am too, thanks so much!
Such a good reminder
thanks for watching!
Underrated vid keep up the work m8
Thanks, will do!
I'm totally ok with point 13 but I think a polarising filter is a really must have for car photography because even if you get the best car, the best background & the best light. The reflection on the windshield of the clouds kills the vibe of the image in my opinion.
that's a great point, it's important but it's still kind of 'nice to have'. At an advanced level, I absolutely agree it can make or break a photo, but if someone is struggling with the basics, a polarizer shouldn't be among their top concerns.
that was actually one of the best photography tutorials I have ever seen, good job!
Wow, thanks! I am working on a follow-up right now that I'm really excited about: What TO do instead of what Not To Do 😄
@@capturingthemachine Yes please! looking forward to it.
@@ZoulXHD it’s up now! My newest video 😄
Thanks for the tips! It’d be helpful to see some shots of the wrong and right things to see the difference. Like the filling the frame with the car for example. Anyway appreciate the tips!
good feedback, thank you!
Thanks man! Awesome, short and useful)
Great to hear it, thanks for watching!
@@capturingthemachine sometimes u see a vid and it looks like simple set of rules. Here it is
u deserve a better support, more subs, man you are awesome.
We all gotta start somewhere! 😄 Thanks for watching and for the support!
Good insights dude!
thanks so much!
Excellent tips 👍
Glad it was helpful!
That looks like an incredible S54 / M3 touring conversion!
it's a good one 😄 - I wrote one of my favorite pieces about it: www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/car-design/a33229293/bmw-m3-wagon-tested-august-2020/
@@capturingthemachine Awesome! Thanks for the reply.
Great advice
thanks for watching!
brilliant. one of these but for video and especially editing and processing would be awesome too, i think there's so much "decent" car content out there that isn't GREAT because it's just not shot well, it seems badly processed, etc. Also stuff like, how to put together footage from different sources (especially stuff like GoPros and drones) so that the final package looks good. Those topics framed in this "Don't do X" style of advice I think could be awesome.
Thank you
Great content, really liked your presentation and tips!
Thanks so much! I think I've gotten a little better since this one, one of my earliest videos (hopefully!)
@@capturingthemachine Well for an early video, you done excellent. I subscribed so will be watching!
@@PhoenixFilmTV many thanks!!
Solid vid!
thank you!
Solid points
thanks!
thank you for video.
My pleasure, thanks for watching!
Great tips 👌
thanks!
The white Porsche behind him during the narration is the reason why Magnus Walker loves Porsche that’s the car that started it all🤟🏻
thanks for watching!
@@capturingthemachine I loved the content it was very helpful and that Porsche has become iconic.
Love the ending🤣🙌. “Please argue/dispute me” 🙌
Too many people took me up on this offer 😅
I can agree but the wide angle no you can get some beautiful shots with especially if you want something scenic
haha fair
Awesome content and tips! Only point I disagree with you on is the usage of a wide angle lens. Depends on how wide, obviously, but sometimes using a wide angle helps capture more of the scene to tell a particular story, and proves to be useful, especially when you cannot stray too far from the car itself.
Thanks for your comment and insight! I could have expanded on the wide angle lens point a lot more, but I was trying to keep this video brief and move quickly. There are certainly times when a wide angle works well or is necessary in the location. If you're trying to emphasize a dramatic feature, like a racing wing, or fins on a Cadillac, or a dimensional detail, it can do that. But generally, for shooting the full car, I think shooting longer focal length from far away should be the goal in situations that allow for it. There will be exceptions, and adapting on a case-by-case basis is part of the fun. 😄✌️
I just got this video recommended to me again after a year and it's great to see how well it's done now how can I apply this to my potato based photography 🤔
Thanks so much Oliver! 😄
good tips!
thanks Jonathan!
I’m a videographer and those tips apply, amazing thanks mate
Awesome, that's fantastic! I consider myself a very beginner videographer so it's so cool to hear this
For me the most complicated thing is the distractions, especially with people at auto shows. I always stay until the end so I can photograph or record the car I want without distractions or people on frame. Sometimes it is worth waiting to be able to photograph cars that are not commonly seen on the street like a Pagani Huayra, McLaren 765LT or even the classic Ferrari F40.
Nice, thanks for watching! I have another video on this very subject - shooting at events and shows: ruclips.net/video/5lF4EkOWgd0/видео.html
shooting slow shutter longer exposure on tripod gives great results for auto shows
gonna use these techniques when i go out to shoot today!. cant wait. my first day.
so cool to hear this! Good luck
There is a job opportunity at a dealership that just popped up on my radar! i almost applied immediately... but i might take a day to hit up the local car bar that always has really nice vehicles to shoot, and wait a day to go get a small portfolio together to show my abilities off and prove to myself i can do the job before i have to prove to them! thanks for this video i love the do's and dont's its extremely helpful! i was wondering if tripods would be a good option but i think to really show off a car in its best light, a fixed boring angle is just so normalized in the industry. i want to take dynamic photos and sprinkle them in-between the obvious angles that are needed to showcase a car, while adding dimension and intrigue to highlights and features that each car may have that are not orthodox. Because i already have my gears turning on how i would set this dealership appart from others im gaining a bit of confidence already. I LOVE cars, and i love taking photos. i hope i can muster up the courage to go shoot these old mens cool ass cars tomorrow and apply for the job come saturday! i might even build a small print book of shots i take just to set myself apart and deliver it in person. *fingers crossed with me luck!!*
Good luck! I love your attitude and ambition, I think you will do great!
Thanks a lot 😃✌🏼
No problem - thanks for watching! 👍
When I first started, I strobed everything and never took the camera off the tripod. As soon as I started getting off the leash some, my work became not only more fun, but I was producing getting better images.
I have definitely gotten into ruts where I didn't realize I was repeating the same angles, and had to kind of 'wake up' and snap myself out of it. It's a continual process 😄
capturingthemachine thanks for being able to read through that autocorrect madness. 😂
Glad I found your channel, subscribe!
Awesome, thank you!
Finally, someone who knows the job. And you have only 3900 subscribers?! Today, you have got one more :)
I really appreciate it! I am working on a follow up to this video that I'm really excited about 😄
Josh Connect media brings its support to you guys … keep the videos coming .
thanks so much!
Thank you for this. I learned a great deal from this video, but the most important points for me are making sure not to fill the frame and not using a wide angle lens. Is there a good lens you would recommend for photographing cars I find on my neighborhood walks?
hi John, thanks for watching! I don't know if you're shooting with a full frame sensor, which will affect the focal length, but generally 50mm or 35mm is a good way to go, especially for neighborhood walks. Using a 50mm made me a much better shooter because I had to be deliberate with what I was putting into the frame, and move around a lot more. And, for shooting random street-parked cars, I've had a lot of success using just an iPhone!
Thanks for your advice. I just got some money from selling an old lens, and this points me in the right direction.
I like this guy.
thanks for watching 😄
Hi Kevin, thanks for the great video. Do you still think filling the frame is a bad idea when the sole purpose of the photos is to list and sell the car rather than create an artistic shot? Thanks, Shane.
sorry I never replied to this, Shane! I think it's okay. It's not my aesthetic choice, but I understand the functionality. I would still prefer to leave some room when shooting, and crop in later to optimize for whatever listing format it's being posted to.
I've watched a lot of videos with guys shooting beat up cars with guns, so I clicked on this video with a totally different context in mind. 😂
hahaha, I wonder if there are any tips that cross over and would apply to both contexts 😭
OH MY GOD THE GT SOUND EFFECTS AT THE START
shhhhh, don't let S*ny see this 😆
that houston skyline is pretty neat
it's alright!
A1 VIDEO M8 GOOD JOB
thanks so much!
"don't fixate on gear, it will ultimately be a distraction and stop you from *seeing*" is an incredibly important and powerful advice!!
Thanks so much, I'm so glad that resonated because it really is the most important mindset!
Nice video! But u have any tips for low light ?
thank you! What is the situation? A tripod and increasing the ISO will help
Cool and simple tricks. Guess they really work. But how would you on a scale car in 1:10? And how about dynamic shots?
thanks! What do you mean on a scale car - like a diecast or something?
For dynamic shots, I have a video about panning: ruclips.net/video/bHaKPrrBLa0/видео.html
And rolling shots: ruclips.net/video/_qEs0Tlro8g/видео.html
Hope this helps!
Thanks for a great video of what not to do. I will be photographing my nephew for his senior pics and we will be incorporating his 2001 Chevy Blazer. It's not the sexiest car out there, but nonetheless, I'd like to try and get a few shots with him and his first car. Can I ask what lens you prefer to use when photographing cars? Thank you once again and keep the great tutorials coming.
thanks! My wife had a 2000 Chevy Blazer when we first met, haha. I have a video about focal lengths that goes into more detail, but I really prefer 50mm, 85mm, or 70-200 lenses. You might have to move around more and you'll need more distance from your subject, but the images will be tighter, more focused, and more dramatic.
@@capturingthemachine thanks for the quick reply back. I have all three of the lenses you mentioned and I really like using the 70-200. I think I will bring along with me my 85mm as well. I will be doing some portraits in a band studio as well so I think the 85mm will give some good perspective. Thank you agian.
@@jimminer7962 great!
I think you're 100% right
I'll take it! Thanks so much
Came to learn about car photography techniques only to see for the photographer to using a SportCross almost identical to mine in the video. Happy days 😁.
So cool that you have a Sportcross! loved that car, unfortunately I had to let it go about a year ago, but the buyer is an IS300 enthusiast and skilled tech, and I know it's in great hands.
Thanks for checking out the video, I hope you'll check out some other car photography tutorials I've made - this is my earliest one, I think the quality level has gone up since then! The Sportcross makes another appearance in the Rolling Shots video 😁
ruclips.net/p/PLp0CpEYwHSBP0HUi2vOymExaq7oLo-VQo
@@capturingthemachine I'm an enthusiast too. Had a few sedans before the Sportcross. The visible differences between your old one and mine is, I have it lowered on coilovers (not slammed), running 18" JR11 wheels and have swapped the front bumper to the sedan one with a TRD style lip attached because I just prefer that look.
I've subscribed to the channel and will certainly check out more videos. Many thanks for the link.
@@taridean thanks so much! That sounds fantastic. Mine was slightly lower on Koni Yellows & Eibach springs - even though I replaced caster arms, lots of bushings, and more than I can remember, the suspension still had lots of squeaks.
Basically I was desperate when I was shopping for the car, and I settled for one that had had a rough life and 175k miles. They can do a lot of miles, but I think some of the previous owners had let a lot of things slide for a long time.
I had hoped to make the car perfect again, but the paint was bad, the suspension squeaked (replacing some bushings seemed to put more strain on the worn bushings that remained, and made it worse), and the interior had the sticky dash. And the motor was pretty tired. Despite all this, I loved how it drove and how it looked, there's nothing else like it.
@@capturingthemachine I have seen the sticky dash issue is common on your side of the pond. Thankfully, we don't have that issue with our ones here in the UK. It's a shame you had all those others issues with your Sportcross. They're relatively reliable cars if they were looked after properly.
Mine's currently at 132k miles, but did have to do a bit of work to it replacing/refreshing the common tired bits as a precaution and getting it running as well as possible given I use it as my daily wagon.
Anyway we could be here forever discussing IS300s (or IS200s on this side of the pond) 😄. Great videos once again and thanks for putting in the time to make them for us to learn from.
I think I'm gonna try to do everything he said not to and make it look good
You should! I would love to see and I mean it
Slightly overexposing at night/low light seems to be very beneficial for me , but def don’t want to do it during the day
I agree with you in principle. But I shoot at many car show and cruise nights. Most of the time the cars are parked tightly together. People are always walking in front of you. I always try to photograph from across the isle and kneeing down. I use a 18 - 126mm lens not very fast. Usually I shoot at 20 to 35mm. I can't reposition the cars so I have to work with what I am given. Sometimes a fill flash works very well. I would like to see a video at a car show or cruise night. Show how to up the game.
Hey Jeff, thanks for your comment. I actually did a video about how I shoot car events: ruclips.net/video/5lF4EkOWgd0/видео.html
It can be a lot of fun to shoot car events, despite what I said in my 2020 video. I approach then as a place to capture of scenes and juxtapositions, etc., rather than trying to get 'a good photo of a car'. Your approach may differ, but this is what I find most enjoyable 😄
To anyone coming to this video thinking this is definitive. There is no right or wrong, if you disagree with with him there is no need to prove him wrong.
The key is to be able to convey your own vision or that of the clients, techniques and results are always subjective. Nothing is definitive in photography, there are no rules as long as you know what story you want to tell and can convey this to the viewer.
well said 👍
Out of curiosity, when or what scenario would you use a fill flash/strobe for photographing a car? I feel as a hobby photographer, my weakest point is understanding flash. I recently acquired a flash to learn a little more about light control. Came across your videos and would appreciate your insight!
This is a great question, I can think of a few instances when it's helpful:
1. If it's cloudy/overcast, or you're indoors, it can be used to produce a much more dramatic image
2. In extreme sun conditions, like shooting into a sunset, you can use a flash as a fill on your subject to optimize exposure on the sky *and* the car.
3. If you're shooting a portrait of someone in/around the car, and want control over lighting someone's face
I have a video about how to use flash (but not necessarily when to use it) here: ruclips.net/video/BZf98_AdPy0/видео.html
And I did a video talking about how I use a flash to shoot interiors here: ruclips.net/video/XYR6mnWr_n0/видео.html
(if you saw those already, just disregard!)
@@capturingthemachine thank you for your insight, will definitely check those videos out, I have not seen them yet. I appreciate your reply too, sub'd!
I subscribed based off seeing the Is300 sportcross. 😂
thanks so much! I loved that car, but I had to move on and sell it last spring. Thankfully it's in great hands with an IS enthusiast and collector now