Mixed feedback on this one, I want your thoughts!

[Torgeir Engerud]

Hi there fellow Automotive photographers!
It's great to be gathered on a board again.

Since the closing of AP.com I've been doing a lot of photography and so on... ;)
Last weekend I photographed a car freelance, a Nissan Fairlady 350Z with Veilside-bodykit etc.
Now, I don't want anyones views of the car, but about the photography, and nothing else.
What I want to hear is your views on the lightning (which I find very harsh, unfortunately), setting, etc. and nothing about the styling or how ugly it might appear! :)

I've got quite a lot of mixed feedback on this one, especially about the placement of the car on some of the pictures (some in the sun, some in the shadow). Any thoughts about this will be great!

So now I want your opinion, which I will respect and understand no mather how it turns out, that's what this board is all about; getting other photographers opinions! :)

Well, here I go:

#1 http://www.gatebilmedia.no/torgeir/kooz.jpg
#2 http://www.gatebilmedia.no/torgeir/kooz1.JPG
#3 http://www.gatebilmedia.no/torgeir/kooz2.jpg
#4 http://www.gatebilmedia.no/torgeir/kooz3.jpg
#5 http://www.gatebilmedia.no/torgeir/kooz4.jpg
#6 http://www.gatebilmedia.no/torgeir/kooz5.jpg
#7 http://www.gatebilmedia.no/torgeir/koozwallpaper.jpg

Thank you for bringing the board back!

(And if there's any size of the pictures you would prefer for the board, please tell me, and I'll re-size!)

[John Thawley]

I think your own feelings accurately reflect the results. Light is way to harsh.... and that shadow constantly slashing through the image and the car seems to be sending the cameras (or sensors) sensitivity for a loop. Split personality if you will.

Positioning.... I don't know.... I just don't see one I like. I think I know what you're shooting for with the location... I'm just not sure I see it here.

I think you want to shoot with a true wide angle lens.... 16mm or better. Then get real low to the ground and try to use the curve of the parking ramp to create a graphic elelment that frames the car and leads the eye. Get it to feel like the car is in a shoot.

But I think the way this shot works is smooth curves framing the car into a funnel.

I think #3 (#2 is a broken link) is heading in the right direction for composition. The car needs to be closer and the left side of the image cropped more so it leaves off the other lane and maximizes the graphic element of the curved wall.

Hope that helps.

JT

[John Thawley]

(And if there's any size of the pictures you would prefer for the board, please tell me, and I'll re-size!)

Our system will automatcially resize your image to accommodate our page layout proprerly, but the file size will still slow down the page load. It's best to keep them at or about 800 pixels on the longest side and that will provide the best of both worlds.

Thanks,

JT

[Todd Corzett]

You heard my comments the other day... broken light was the biggie. Also, the distortion in #2 caused by the wide-angle lens. I like the location... maybe shoot it at night? I know you were limited my time constrains, so for that I think it worked nicely, but it's still a bit less than ideal. The shots with the car in the shadows I think work better than when it's out full in the sun. Like #7, if the car had been moved farther back down the ramp so that it was fully in the shade, it would have been nicer... you could have also done two (or more) bracketed exposures/processings to get both the car (shadow) and the background (sun) in the same frame without blowing-out the highs or loosing the lows. #2 is my personal favorite, just wish the car wasn't distorted.

-Todd...

[Torgeir Engerud]

I think your own feelings accurately reflect the results. Light is way to harsh.... and that shadow constantly slashing through the image and the car seems to be sending the cameras (or sensors) sensitivity for a loop. Split personality if you will.

Positioning.... I don't know.... I just don't see one I like. I think I know what you're shooting for with the location... I'm just not sure I see it here.

I think you want to shoot with a true wide angle lens.... 16mm or better. Then get real low to the ground and try to use the curve of the parking ramp to create a graphic elelment that frames the car and leads the eye. Get it to feel like the car is in a shoot.

But I think the way this shot works is smooth curves framing the car into a funnel.

I think #3 (#2 is a broken link) is heading in the right direction for composition. The car needs to be closer and the left side of the image cropped more so it leaves off the other lane and maximizes the graphic element of the curved wall.

Hope that helps.

JT

John, anyhting constrcutive is always helpful!

I'll keep your suggestions in the back of my mind and noted these advices.

This car in that location was a one chance only type of shot. I grabbed the possibility I had, but somewhere it seems like I've slipped obviously.

Thank you for the feedback! :D

[Bob Chapman]

Besides the overly harsh lighting which is mentioned by others, you're allowing an unattractive background to swallow the car. I've seen trailers for the recent movie, so I understand the context of the background. If that context is what you're trying to create, then try to get as much separation (distance) between the car and the background as possible. Then, shoot wide angle from a very low position fairly close to the car (practically setting the camera on the ground). That will allow the car to be more prominent in the frame and force the parking ramp into the supporting role. JT touched on shooting from a low angle, but he wanted you to "try to use the curve of the parking ramp to create a graphic elelment that frames the car and leads the eye." I don't think that's your primary problem. I think your primary problem is that you haven't turned the car into the star.

[Steve Demmitt]

I like the location
I like the idea behind it (FF3)
I just think your lighting choice was bad
I would of shot this on either an overcast day, during sunset, or sunrise

I also think your choice of angles and composition needs work as well
#6 was probably your best angle wise
#3 is interesting but the distortion on the car makes it very unflattering
I would have probably put the car on the left side as opposed to the right

My advice is to go back there and shoot it again

[Paul Hansen]

Sometimes you simple have no choice on the time of day and the light - I have to deal with that all the time on the press junkets. There are ideal results, and well, there is the rest of the day.

I think the biggest problem was how you used the shadows, to be honest. The images were broken up from them, and drew the focus away from the car. Shooting it direct in the sunlight puts far too much contrast on it, yes, but it would have been better to deal with the contrast but kept the car center of focus. No.3, if the car was on the lower level, in the middle of the sunlight, and the image under-exposed a touch, it might have provided a good framing for the image.

[Matt Chow]

Was this guys car in the movie or something? What's the deal with the movie advertisements?

As far as location and setup, it looks pretty good, you did pretty well trying to recreate the parking lot setup from the movie. A better choice of angles and framing will hopefully produce some better images. I agree with everyone's views about the amount of light and shadows that pretty much ruin the feel of the photos. I would definately head back when the light isnt as harsh.

[Jeff Boerio]

I dig the location. A lot. Don't like the light/shadows. It's pretty harsh. Given the context, it might have also been interesting to have the wheels turned the OTHER way to give it a drifting type of feel.

- Jeff