September 30th, 2024
Ready to transform your car photography skills and become a pro behind the lens? This blog is your ultimate guide to capturing stunning shots that will make your ride look like a million bucks. From mastering the art of lighting and angles to DIY tips for making your car shine, you’re about to learn everything you need to take professional-quality photos. By the end of this read, you’ll be equipped with all the know-how to make your vehicle stand out in every shot. Get ready to showcase your car like never before!
Preparation
Keep the Car Clean: Ensure your vehicle is spotless, both inside and out. For a quick and impressive enhancement, you can also give your car a thorough wash and DIY wax before filming. Focus on areas like the paint, chrome trim, and wheels to make them shine. Use a waterless automotive cleaner and microfiber cloths to avoid scratches. Clean the tyres and remove any distracting elements like licence plates for a polished look.
And don’t forget the interior! Clean and condition leather seats, wipe down the dashboard, and remove any clutter. A clean, well-maintained interior looks great in close-up shots and adds to the professional quality of your video.
Preventing Unsightly Rust and Corrosion: While the car’s clean, apply INOX MX3 to any chrome and exposed metal panels to prevent rust. Use INOX MX4 on parts that are more exposed to harsh environmental conditions, such as the undercarriage, wheel wells, and exhaust system.
Evaluating Locations
Consider the Background: Look for locations that complement your vehicle. An interesting background can enhance the overall composition of your shot. Pay attention to the colours, textures, and patterns in the environment.
Lighting Conditions: Arrive early to scout the location and observe how the light interacts with your vehicle. The quality of light can dramatically affect the mood of your photos, so aim to shoot during the golden hour for the best results.
Use Google Maps: Utilise the satellite view and 3D tools on Google Maps to explore potential locations. This can help you identify interesting backdrops, such as rooftop parking lots or scenic routes, before you visit in person.
Explore Social Media: Platforms like Instagram can be great for discovering popular photography spots. Use the “places” tab to see photos tagged at specific locations, which can give you insights into the area’s aesthetics and lighting conditions.
Choose the Right Location: Scout locations that complement your vehicle’s aesthetics. The backdrop can significantly influence the mood of your photos. Use Google Maps or more specialised apps like PhotoPills to save locations and plan your shoots according to lighting conditions.
Car Photography Techniques
Lighting Matters: Shoot during the golden hours—shortly after sunrise or before sunset—to achieve soft, flattering light. Avoid harsh midday sun, which can create unflattering reflections and shadows. If you must shoot during the day, try to position the car in partial shade to minimise harsh contrasts.
Use the Right Angles: Experiment with various angles. Classic three-quarter views often highlight a car’s design best. Capture wide shots to set the scene, medium shots for context, and close-ups to showcase details like the wheels and interior features. Don’t be afraid to get low or high to create dynamic perspectives.
Camera Settings: For DSLR or mirrorless cameras, keep your ISO low (around 100) for clear images and shoot in RAW format for better editing flexibility. If shooting at night, use a tripod and longer exposures to capture more light. On phone camera apps, explore manual mode (often found in “Pro” settings) to adjust ISO, shutter speed, and exposure. Most phone cameras also have a RAW shooting option for enhanced editing control.
Utilise a Circular Polariser: This filter helps reduce reflections on the car’s surface, enhancing the overall image quality. Adjust the polariser to control the level of reflection. For phones, consider clip-on polarising filters that attach to your lens for a similar effect.
Phone Camera App Tips
Gridlines: Enable gridlines in your phone’s camera settings to help with composition and framing, especially for keeping the car aligned and symmetrical.
HDR Mode: Use the High Dynamic Range (HDR) mode to balance shadows and highlights, especially in tricky lighting conditions.
Portrait Mode: For close-ups of details like logos or interior elements, switch to portrait mode to add depth and blur the background for a more professional look.
Focus and Exposure Lock: Tap on your phone’s screen to lock focus and adjust exposure, ensuring that the car remains the central point of interest in your shot.
Capture a Variety of Shots: Include a mix of wide, medium, and close-up shots in your collection. This variety tells a more complete story about your vehicle and its features. Don’t forget to capture moving shots or panoramic views if possible, to add more dynamism to your photo set.
By using these tips and features, whether on a professional camera or phone, you’ll be able to capture your car’s best angles and details.
Editing and Post Processing Basics for Car Photos
Edit Thoughtfully: Use software like Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop or even the Apple Photos app to enhance your images. Adjust highlights, shadows, and clarity to bring out the best in your shots. Don’t hesitate to remove distractions or imperfections during editing.
Cropping: Improve composition by removing distractions and focusing on the most important elements. Pay attention to negative space, the horizon, and the harmony of lines.
Adjust Exposure and Lighting: Ensure the car is well-lit by adjusting existing lighting or adding artificial light sources during editing. Balance shadows and highlights to add depth and dimension.
Enhance Details: Use sharpening tools to make the image crisp, but avoid overdoing it. Apply selective sharpening to focus on key areas like headlights or grille.
Correct Distortions and Imperfections: Use tools like clone stamp or healing brush to remove unwanted reflections or distractions. Apply lens correction to fix any distortion caused by your camera lens.
Colour Correction: Correct any colour casts or inconsistencies to ensure accurate and vibrant colours. Create similar colour schemes for images from the same collection for a harmonious selection.
Final Words: Getting the Perfect Shot
Achieving the perfect shot of your car requires a combination of preparation, maintenance, and creativity. By keeping your vehicle clean and rust-free, you not only maintain its appearance but also protect its value. Regular servicing by a qualified mechanic ensures that your car performs flawlessly, especially during demanding video shoots. DIY touch-ups, such as polishing and detailing, further enhance your car’s visual appeal, making it camera-ready.
Keep your vehicle performing and looking its best, whether you’re filming for a project or just capturing its beauty for your own enjoyment. To maintain your car’s peak condition and get it ready for every shoot, find INOX at your nearest local retailer.