Lighting my car

S

Starmapper

Well-known member
Need some practice with flash so I Spent three hours down in the underground parking trying to light my Focus. I used four remotely fired flash heads and shot with my 14 - 45mm lens. Bought this little sucker in 03 and she's been nothing but a joy to own :)


focus01.jpg
 
Lighting and shooting cars in general is hard. Pretty decent first attempt.

Usually you want the most amount of diffusion possible. Most people use huge panels. On the cheap something like a bed sheet with a few flashes behind it will work. Also, I might suggest getting more on the cars level and presenting a view different than most would see while just standing next to it. You can always get almost on the ground, or just a few feet off the ground for the sexy POV the manufactures want you to have. You might be limited in the deck, but if you use a long lens then you can get a really great perspective of one side (like just the front or side) without creating that wrap around effect a wide lens will give ya. Make sure you pay close attention to your reflections too, like of your friend and his car to the left.
 
Thanks Dan. I knew about the big reflectors but There really is no way to set something like that up down in the hole with cars coming and going. I didn't notice the reflection of the car to the side until I was back upstairs. Observant on my part but before the flash guns went off, I never saw the car. I was happy with my first attempt but believe I'll try again outside in a natural outdoor surrounding with a sunset behind her and a of of room for gear :)

PS...Of course that won't happen for a bit as she'll get dirty and I'll have to get up the energy to make her shine again and that took a while :Drogar-BigGrin(DBG)
 
I know I would be pleased if that was my first attempt. Environment control is hard on any shoot. You'll want to have as much flash power as possible too if you are going to do the next one with a sunset backdrop. I look forward to seeing the results!
 
Well I guess the sun will have to be Waaay down because I only have four flash heads, well five but the fifth has no remote capability so I have to fire it with one of those light sensor thingies.
 
Starmapper said:
Well I guess the sun will have to be Waaay down because I only have four flash heads, well five but the fifth has no remote capability so I have to fire it with one of those light sensor thingies.
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If you have access to power, a couple of 1000w halogens will do the trick!

BTW Nice car Mino!
 
There you go again thinking out of the box! :) I do have the halogens, just need to shoot near power. Were I ever to buy another car, it would be a Focus. In five years this car has not said one time "I need a doctor" German engineering rocks! Actually it was internationally engineered but I like to think of it having been solely a German venture :)
 
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