Tips for car shows?

[Mike_Lawlor]

Can anyone give me some tips for getting decent shots at local car shows? The problem is that I won't have control over the orientation or positioning of the cars but maybe somebody can give me pointers on getting the most of that situation?

Some questions that are running through my mind....
-If its in the mid day sun should I use flash to lighten the shadows or will that just blow things out even more?
-What would be the best aperture to keep the whole car sharp while still blurring the, mostly likely cluttered, background?


Edit: BTW I'm using a Nikon D40. I've got the kit lens, 55-200mm, and 50mm 1.8 As for flash I've also got the SB600.
Thanks
Mike

[John Thawley]

Can anyone give me some tips for getting decent shots at local car shows? The problem is that I won't have control over the orientation or positioning of the cars but maybe somebody can give me pointers on getting the most of that situation?

Some questions that are running through my mind....
-If its in the mid day sun should I use flash to lighten the shadows or will that just blow things out even more?
-What would be the best aperture to keep the whole car sharp while still blurring the, mostly likely cluttered, background?


Edit: BTW I'm using a Nikon D40. I've got the kit lens, 55-200mm, and 50mm 1.8 As for flash I've also got the SB600.
Thanks
Mike

Here are some thoughts from a show I shot last month.

http://www.johnthawley.com/journal/2009/2/17/showtime.html

JT

[Daniel Buck]

I used to shoot at alot of car shows. I've found the most enjoyable thing to do is to focus on the details of the cars instead of the cars as a whole. Headlights, emblems, door handles, and what not. Trying to shoot cars as a whole can be difficult alot of times, with all the clutter and people standing around. Unless you don't mind haveing the "car show" stuff around the car itself. :)

[Steve Stein]

Is it inside or out? I hate the outside ones since people get right up on the cars. Maybe get there real early. The flash idea works well. I used one at the Concours d'Elegance in Cincinnati and it helped out alot in mid to late afternoon shots.

I tried to look at unique angles and close in details and also broad vista shots. Of course, you still get people in the shots but I tried to wait it out a few times. Take a monopod. I had a few people say that "he's doing his job" so they gave me room. Funny, but it seemed to work. Get low, get up high, try unique angles. I shot a few with my fisheye for some different effects.

Oh, and don't forget the slow pans.... :)

[Ken Visser]

I like getting to any car show as early as possible. It gives you a chance to get familiar with the grounds and also become part of the scene. The gate people and car owners see you there early and you have a better chance of talking to folks before they get dis-associated with their vehicles. It also provides you the best parking spots to quick trips back and forth and allows for motion shots as car load up.

I would also concur that I like shooting the details once the crowds roll in. You have to be patient for some shots. Nice wide angle lenses help you get closer to the cars and crop out the crowds. A nice macro lens helps get the extreme closeup shots.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/stmichael08conrollssunrise026lr.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/sully08woodymodelTsunrise009lr.jpg

Have fun!

ken

[David Adolphus]

As someone who is compelled by my job to attend dozens every year, my tip is: Don't bother. It will never be worth your time and effort. Car show shots--even your examples, John, look just like that: Car show shots, and they almost always suck. It's not just the reflections, the crowds, the noontime sun, the venue--it's also the cars themselves. They tend to be indifferently prepared, and even if they started clean, they're filthy after a few minutes there. You're seldom going to get a nice detail shot, and long shots are an exercise in frustration. Suppose you do get a decent shot. It will still be a decent car show shot, and odds are it will look like someone else's decent car show shot.

There are some exceptions. As Steve and Ken said, sometimes if you're there at dawn, you can come up with something. But don't count on it. Again, as mentioned, low-light slow pans can produce some interesting shots too. Notice how we all mention the same few things? That's because your options are so freaking limited.

That doesn't mean there aren't reasons to go, though, I have found a lot of feature cars at shows (although leaving my card on windshields is an indifferent proposition, at best, and owners are never there when you need them).

Then there are some venues that transcend the problems: Even with 500 photographers on the field at dawn, Pebble Beach is still worth going to.

But even Pebble Beach sucks after 10 AM. I just put the camera away after the general admission crowd comes in.

[Morgan J Segal]

As someone who is compelled by my job to attend dozens every year, my tip is: Don't bother. It will never be worth your time and effort. Car show shots--even your examples, John, look just like that: Car show shots, and they almost always suck. It's not just the reflections, the crowds, the noontime sun, the venue--it's also the cars themselves. They tend to be indifferently prepared, and even if they started clean, they're filthy after a few minutes there. You're seldom going to get a nice detail shot, and long shots are an exercise in frustration. Suppose you do get a decent shot. It will still be a decent car show shot, and odds are it will look like someone else's decent car show shot.

There are some exceptions. As Steve and Ken said, sometimes if you're there at dawn, you can come up with something. But don't count on it. Again, as mentioned, low-light slow pans can produce some interesting shots too. Notice how we all mention the same few things? That's because your options are so freaking limited.

That doesn't mean there aren't reasons to go, though, I have found a lot of feature cars at shows (although leaving my card on windshields is an indifferent proposition, at best, and owners are never there when you need them).

Then there are some venues that transcend the problems: Even with 500 photographers on the field at dawn, Pebble Beach is still worth going to.

But even Pebble Beach sucks after 10 AM. I just put the camera away after the general admission crowd comes in.


Ha! I was just going to say the same thing, cars shows are best when you don't bother taking pictures at them. :cool:
There is a guy at the Cars and Coffee car meet every saturday that rolls around a big cart filled with camera gear and I always get a chuckle out of it. Why does he bother, he could get the same crappy shots with a point and shoot camera? LOL

that said, Ken great photos, but I would say those conditions are the exception not the rule at most of the shows I've been to.

[Daniel Buck]

I would have to dissagree with the notion that you can enjoy car shows better if you aren't taking photos. I absolutly loved shooting cars at car shows, that's where I taught myself photography, was at car shows. Every week I would grab one lens (prime) and focus on using just that one focal length, then the next week I'd switch off to a different lens, and rotate around. I enjoyed that, and I think it really helped me learn composition. And, you can actually get some nice photos too.

Here's the type of photos I used to shoot at car shows when I was in Phoenix/Scottsdale (went to 2-3 car shows every week for 3+ years) Keep in mind, these are the types of car shows that are held in just regular parking lots, no nice trees or grass or scenery around them, so focusing on close-ups was usually what I did. I usually like shots that have more breathing room, but I sacrificed that for the sake of not having any people or chairs or other stuff in the shots. Some film, some digital.

http://404photography.net/bw/10.jpg



http://404photography.net/bw/09.jpg



http://404photography.net/bw/08.jpg



http://404photography.net/bw/07.jpg



http://404photography.net/bw/06.jpg



http://404photography.net/bw/25.jpg



http://404photography.net/color/05.jpg



Same thing with dragstrips, I would focus alot of times on the closeups, like this:

http://404photography.net/bw/26.jpg

[Daniel Buck]

Ah, and here's an interesting shot, a friend took a snap of me taking a photo, and then here's the photo I took at the same moment :D hah! Gives you an ides of how close the cars were usually packed together (this was at one end of the show, near the road). They weren't really "shows" but more like weekly gatherings, anywhere from 50-300 cars depending on the location and the day of the week.

I found that if I just sit/squat down and compose my shot, people would usually stay out of my way without me having to ask. But if people were busy looking close at the car, I would wait for them to pass and go on to the next car. I wasn't ever in any hurry, and I never tryied to hurry people along so I could get a shot. It's a car show, people are there to look at the cars, so I let them :-) (the shot below isn't particularly good composition in my opinion, but illustrates my point about shooting position I guess)

http://danielbuck.net/wip/me_shooting_02.jpg


http://danielbuck.net/wip/me_shooting_01.jpg

[Steve Stein]

You can always go for the human element aspect.

http://sastein.zenfolio.com/img/v2/p946550597-4.jpg

[Mike_Lawlor]

Thanks for all of the comments, it is greatly appreciated!

Mike

[John Thawley]

I kind of disagree as well. Granted, you are not going to get "car" shots. But shows are events like any other events... and you can still tell a story. As stated in my article, I shot the last one with my Leica. And, I'm sure that's how I'll shoot my next one. But, it's still fun to go out, see the cars, excersise your head and eye ... and take a few photos. I enjoy it.

Me thinks Morgan and David are jaded. LOL You guys need to buy a fun camera. ;)

[Ken Visser]

Here are some sample shots from an event yesterday. Radcliffe Motor Cars in Reisterstown MD had an open house. Despite the rain, over 50 cars showed up. Here are some sample shots which I think show some of what you can capture walking around one of these shows. I definitely focus in on details.

I started with my 18-200 for overall feel. I changed to my 105 when people went in for lunch. I switched to my 10.5 for some slightly queasy shots then finished up with the nifty fifty.

regards

ken

1 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH014ferraribadgelr.jpg

2 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH101ferraristeeringlr.jpg

3 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH121japthudoorlr.jpg

4 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH160ferrari575lr.jpg

5 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH161ferraritrfrontendslr.jpg

6 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH224panteramotorwalr.jpg

7 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH235ferrariscuderiawalr.jpg

8 http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/photo%20comp/rmc09OH240isoHOwalr.jpg

[Nathan Leach-Proffer]

I have to disagree with the people in this thread that pretty much said you will not get any good photos and they will just be "car show photos". you can get whole car photos if you know were to look. Go early and stay late, look for the car that is on the outskirts because they will most likely have a cleaner background. If you only go to the show from 11-2, yes most likely your photos will not come out great but there is not the normal time for most shows.

For events i start early by finding the location that the cars are going to be coming from and get full car shots, once the sun gets higher and more people show up go for the details and take a rest. Then you can start up once people start to leave getting full car shots again.

All from shows,
http://www.speed-photos.net/photos/508583221_bkd5c-L.jpg

http://www.speed-photos.net/photos/448942674_6H6wu-M.jpg

http://www.speed-photos.net/photos/453938122_5YmS5-L.jpg

http://www.speed-photos.net/photos/295568460_hcRtA-M.jpg

http://www.speed-photos.net/photos/95996186_sHdfV-L-1.jpg

http://www.speed-photos.net/photos/145111155_ogZyy-M.jpg

http://www.speed-photos.net/photos/113344768_QS4Pb-M.jpg

I know they are not the best in the world but to say you cant get good photos from an event is just being lazy. You just have to be creative and keep your eyes open.

[Morgan J Segal]

I know they are not the best in the world but to say you cant get good photos from an event is just being lazy. You just have to be creative and keep your eyes open.


No, it is being pragmatic (perhaps jaded) and benefiting from the wisdom of knowing that when you have control over a photoshoot, the shots are much better and much more enjoyable to take.

Like I said earlier, nice locations and beautiful light at car shows are the exception, not the rule. Having been there done that, I've learned that the shots I took at car shows were not worth the effort and it is more fun to just go and enjoy the car show.
I don't even bring a camera (at most a point and shoot) to most shows anymore.

[Nathan Leach-Proffer]

No, it is being pragmatic (perhaps jaded) and benefiting from the wisdom of knowing that when you have control over a photoshoot, the shots are much better and much more enjoyable to take.

Like I said earlier, nice locations and beautiful light at car shows are the exception, not the rule. Having been there done that, I've learned that the shots I took at car shows were not worth the effort and it is more fun to just go and enjoy the car show.
I don't even bring a camera (at most a point and shoot) to most shows anymore.

But you also have the ability to get cars to photography pretty easily, or at least more so then many other people. with out that option i would rather spend the time trying to get a few good photos from an event then shoot my car more. i know that i could be using the time to get more photoshoots set up but i would rather be out shooting.

Also there is a difference between saying dont waste your time and controlled photoshots are more enjoyable and have more consistent outcomes. to me the first comments sounded more like, don't waste your time nothing good will come of it. and that is what i was calling lazy. It does no one any good if they are looking for advice to simply say dont waste your time, go home and sit if you dont have something to set up.

[Ken Visser]

I have to disagree with the people in this thread that pretty much said you will not get any good photos and they will just be "car show photos". you can get whole car photos if you know were to look. Go early and stay late, look for the car that is on the outskirts because they will most likely have a cleaner background. If you only go to the show from 11-2, yes most likely your photos will not come out great but there is not the normal time for most shows.

For events i start early by finding the location that the cars are going to be coming from and get full car shots, once the sun gets higher and more people show up go for the details and take a rest. Then you can start up once people start to leave getting full car shots again.


I know they are not the best in the world but to say you cant get good photos from an event is just being lazy. You just have to be creative and keep your eyes open.

I totally agree, Get there early, stay late, have fun in the middle! Some of my best shots are taken early and late at car events. Plus getting there early you get the chance to meet the owners and maybe find some work for later.

I think shooting at shows makes you more creative, working the angles and finding the macro shots that you normally might not notice. Load in and load out are great times to practice motion/panning shots.

This first shot is the last one I took at Amelia last year. I had taken about 2000 photos and my favorite ended up being the last one I took.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/ai08/ai08d20917smokinglr.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/ai08/ai08d20654pjkingcobralr.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/ai08/ai08d1182pjindylr.jpg

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/ai08/ai08americanclassics036lr.jpg

Plus, if you get there early, you might get a ride in a very cool car, like this 66 427 cobra.

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g311/karmakvisser/ai08/ai08Shelby427cobramelr.jpg

[Morgan J Segal]

But you also have the ability to get cars to photography pretty easily, or at least more so then many other people. with out that option i would rather spend the time trying to get a few good photos from an event then shoot my car more. i know that i could be using the time to get more photoshoots set up but i would rather be out shooting.

Also there is a difference between saying dont waste your time and controlled photoshots are more enjoyable and have more consistent outcomes. to me the first comments sounded more like, don't waste your time nothing good will come of it. and that is what i was calling lazy. It does no one any good if they are looking for advice to simply say dont waste your time, go home and sit if you dont have something to set up.


AGAIN, it is the exception not the rule that you have the opportunity to take uncluttered shots at a car show. No one said it is impossible, but 90% of the time the cars are too close to each other, you have to fight all the people, the reflections, the location sucks, the light sucks, etc and it ends up just being an annoying time trying to fight through all the crap. In MY experience of going to 100's of shows over the years and being one of those people who used to take pictures at said shows, I realized that it just was not worth the trouble anymore and that just going to look at the cars is more enjoyable. I found that when I was concentrating on fighting my way to getting photos, I never really saw the cars and just ended up with shots that looked like they were taken at a car show anyway.

If you're happy doing it, be my guest, but I am offering a counterpoint to the discussion.

And BTW, one could turn it around on you and say that going to car shows to take pictures instead of going out and finding cars to do a controlled shoot of, is being "lazy" too ;)


And yes, JT, I am jaded :p

[Nathan Leach-Proffer]

And BTW, one could turn it around on you and say that going to car shows to take pictures instead of going out and finding cars to do a controlled shoot of, is being "lazy" too ;)


And yes, JT, I am jaded :p

:D good call :)

[John Thawley]

Or, you could just go out and enjoy taking pictures. One does not have to be exclusive or inclusive of the other.

I wouldn't want to make a career or it, nor do I want to shoot them every weekend. In fact, I really wouldn't want to HAVE to shoot them. But would I go to Meadowbrook without a camera? Or Pebble Beach? Hell no.

I don't go with any great expectations. I do like detail shots... I do like the exercise. And, I like taking pictures. I also like a good car show from time to time. It's just I don't make a very good spectator. I need something to do. LOL

JT

[Justin Cannon]

nice tips thanks for the sharing

[David Adolphus]

'Had to work the cruise-in last night. Got a shot I don't hate. Doesn't enlarge so great, but at anything up to about 1200 I can deal with it.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3461/3798180483_78c1686a22_o.jpg