Finding right background

[Ben Piscioneri]

Firstly, let me warn you, I'm a novice photographer - I'm a newspaper journalist, but was forced into photography when they made our photographer redundant, so now we do both.

It's sort of the best thing that could have happened, as it's now a passion, and I've been doing it for about 12 months and have started my gear collection.

We have a car showcase page each week and this week i've got a candy red car that has pearl mixed in with it, making it change colours depending on where the light is.

What would be the best background colour/detail to showcase this colour car? It's the mix of colours in the car that has me worried.

Should I just go with a plain white wall? Or just something other than red?

[Steve Stein]

Welcome Ben,

My opinion, which doesn't count for much, is not the color, but the car. What would complement the lines of it. Also time of day. Midday sun would kill everything and get flat colors and blown out detail. Finding a plain white wall - well, I never could find one here without graffiti. Also I guess it depends on how much time you have with it to shoot. If you have 15 minutes, well, do what you can.

I'd say just leave enough distance between the car and the background, whatever it is. Watch for light poles,, signs, other crap that pokes up in the background and check for things like turning the wheel in on the 3/4 view shots so all the rim is showing and not clipped, clean the car up a bit, take out the nasty reflections with a polarizer (or shoot several shots with one and combine in PS).

Also, it never hurts to put a kangaroo in the driver's seat. :)

[John Thawley]

A good dramatic option... provided you can find a spot, is see if you can put the car on a higher crest and use the sky. If you can find a hill top on an open road or even the top deck of a parking structure, shoot with a longer lens from a lower perspective. I once found a deck where I could part the car on the top while I shot back at it from down the ramp. You need the long lens though (200mm) so your angle is gentle.

A thought.

JT

[Ben Piscioneri]

Thanks Steve and John. Great advice.

Steve, thanks for tips re matching lines of the car and turning the wheel in on three-quarter shots. I have a plain, clean white wall with nothing on it, but would this be too boring?

Thanks John - I've got a 70-200 f/4 - I'll now go on a bit of a hunt for a raised area, though I live in one of the flattest places known to man.

No dramas finding kangaroos around here, it's making them sit still that's the problem!

[Steve Stein]

Thanks Steve and John. Great advice.

Steve, thanks for tips re matching lines of the car and turning the wheel in on three-quarter shots. I have a plain, clean white wall with nothing on it, but would this be too boring?

Thanks John - I've got a 70-200 f/4 - I'll now go on a bit of a hunt for a raised area, though I live in one of the flattest places known to man.

No dramas finding kangaroos around here, it's making them sit still that's the problem!

I hear velcro works well on the "Roo's.

I don't know about the white wall, but what's the pavement underneath it like? You might have a great neutral background but the pavement might look like crap, you pretty much neutralize the white wall aspect.

I like John's idea though.

[Ben Piscioneri]

Thanks for advice again. Unfortunately we ended up simply chasing the sun and a clear area and shortage of time.

Here are some of the pics - should've been a lot better, but feedback appreciated.

PS the colour wasn't as he described it, as you can see from the pics. Couldn't have been further from candy red!

http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae350/Strattos1/Misc/ute4.jpg

http://i986.photobucket.com/albums/ae350/Strattos1/Misc/ute3.jpg

[David Adolphus]

Things growing out of the roof of the car = bad.

[Ben Piscioneri]

Thanks for feedback.

[Scott Paddy]

Hey Ben,

Without knowing your publication & the bugets you work on, my only suggestion (if your not comfident enough) is to find a freelance automotive photographer to do all the hard work for you?

I noticed that your in Victoria, there are some very handy Auto togs in Victoria, one is on this site - John Jovic.

Maybe you could contact him and have a chat about your needs?

There is also Luke Oxley who shoots for just about all the automotive magazines in Australia. You should be able to contact him via - www.fullboost.com.au

Hope this helps?

[Brian Murphy]

I am new here but I constantly keep my eye out in the area around my home and office and now have a good mental catalog of walls for all occasions.

I would be looking for a grey (maybe even a little dark) grey concrete wall. With the right light it would pop off the page. My novice opinion!