Trying to be a better event shooter...

[Jeff Wilson]

Car shows always seem to be the same thing, over and over and over and over and over....ad infinitum. So, getting anything approching interesting seems to be pretty tough when all the cars are basically setup the same way with the same angles and same lighting.

This is something I want to work on, and become a better event shooter. Here are some sample from this weekend, let me know what works and what doesn't:

http://www.jw-photo.com/events/pictures/WF_MG_3447.jpg

http://www.jw-photo.com/events/pictures/WF_MG_3655.jpg

http://www.jw-photo.com/events/pictures/WF_MG_3739.jpg

http://www.jw-photo.com/events/pictures/WF_MG_3784.jpg

http://www.jw-photo.com/events/pictures/_MG_3787.jpg

http://www.jw-photo.com/events/pictures/_MG_3762.jpg

I know this is just a taste of what I shot, if anyone want to look at the full 153 image gallery before offering an opinon, just PM me for a link/password.

[Jacob Leveton]

try thinking of captions for each photo, and think about what kind of a "story" you are telling.

it might help you to write stories as well. Write a paragraph or two, as if you were doing a review for a website or a newspaper. I know once I started writing articles, i started to realize what shots I would need. If i mention something about the crowd, then i would probably want some sort of shot to show how crowded it was (or wasn't). If i mention the best of show car, i'd probably want to get a shot of the best-of-show car in my gallery. etc...

[Dennis Murray]

What purpose are you going there to cover the event? Is it for a publication (including web)? Or are you going to sell photos to entrants? Are you there on behalf of the organizer for PR?

This will decide what kind of pictures you need to take.

[Jeff Wilson]

What purpose are you going there to cover the event? Is it for a publication (including web)? Or are you going to sell photos to entrants? Are you there on behalf of the organizer for PR?

This will decide what kind of pictures you need to take.

This one was for web publication.

[Mike Pratt]

on 1 and 4 what kind of AV did you use???

[John Thawley]

Jeff... I don't get a lot of opportunity... but I felt this event worked pretty well for me. I got there early and shot as much as I could wide before the crowd arrived. Then I moved in on details once the backgrounds where cluttered; Take a look: http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/meadowbrook2005

PS.. I'm moving this thread to the Shooters Boards. I think you'll get more feedback.

[Jeff Wilson]

Jeff... I don't get a lot of opportunity... but I felt this event worked pretty well for me. I got there early and shot as much as I could wide before the crowd arrived. Then I moved in on details once the backgrounds where cluttered; Take a look: http://gallery.johnthawley.com/gallery/meadowbrook2005

PS.. I'm moving this thread to the Shooters Boards. I think you'll get more feedback.


I like the events you go to more than the ones I go to. ;)

There's a huge difference between photographing what amounts to someone off of myspace versus Naomi Campbell. You...well you got Naomi. Damn you! :D

Seriously though, I get the idea on what you did, and shooting early left you with really decent light. Nice shots. What lenses?

I ended up with a mixed bag of show, vendor, and racing shots, but the show shots got to be a bit repetetive. Unlike your gallery, all of the cars wer parked as if it were a shopping mall parking lot: dead even and straight. While I think most of the shots that I got for the day were technically good, I think the composition was off and rather uninspired. This is the part that I hate about shooting out of my element ;)

So, I would like to hear some critique on the composition. Thanks for the gallery link, John, that helps too.

[John Thawley]

Jeff, I pretty much slugged it out with my 70-200 and 17-40.

Maybe you could scout at a spot at the show and cherry pick a few cars you want to shoot. Tell the owners what you're doing... and that you've decided their car is one you'd like to document in a clean environment. Or, could you talk to the show organizer?

I think the bottom line is, unless something changes, these images aren't going to change. Personally, if it's a local show, I'd find the organizer(s), put on my game face (and longest lens) and convince them that I'm the closest thing to the second coming of Christ that they'll ever see, and today's their lucky day. I've chosen to shoot their show. And, I'd have an outline of what I need them to do for me ialready in my head.

You've got to get something to change.

[Paul Hansen]

Some of my "techniques" for shooting events -
If you are officially shooting for somebody (or at least hoping to), get a pass in from the organizers so you can get there early, as they are setting up, and before the crowds come in. This gives you morning light and space to shoot in.
If there is some special cars that really stand out, talk to the people setting them up, and ask them for just a few minutes to "pose" the car.
Shoot with long lens (if you have the space/low crowd density). Distance compression and DOF can make things pop out quite a bit.
Get low - many event shooters just walk around and shoot from the same (standing) eye level, same angle.
Take time for detail shots on those standout cars. After shooting an event, I am often asked by an editor or two if I have some more detail shots of specific cars, or even enough to make an article about a single car that was at the event.

Events are often viewed as quantity over quality, but if you shoot for quality, you will end up with more than you think.

Cheers

[Jacob Leveton]

I ended up with a mixed bag of show, vendor, and racing shots, but the show shots got to be a bit repetetive.

i've probably shot close to 100 car shows in my day. It's very very easy to take 3/4 shots of all of the cars and throw them up on the web. But magazines don't want that. They want things that stand out. 20 shots of 'interesting' things will be worth a whole lot more than 300 3/4 shots. That's why i mentioned the whole 'telling a story' aspect of things. If a car is widebody, then shoot it in a method that shows just how wide it is. If the car has unique tail lights, frame it uniquely to draw attention to the tail lights instead of just a rear 3/4 shot from 5' above the ground. Getting low also helps.

Another way to think about it is to try and have a 'purpose' for taking every single picture. Pretend that you are shooting with film. If someone scrolls through your shots, and said "why did you take this", do you have an answer? I always did.

remember the phrase 'details detail details'. it can apply to carshows too.

[Joel Parker]

I shoot mostly car events like this myself so it's interesting to read the responses here. Some good stuff here.

My first thought when seeing your images as that it didn't look like you were using a circular polarizer. In my opinion usage of a CP at a car show like this (either indoors, where there are bright lights in use, or outdoors when the sun is visible) is almost a requirement. It'll help you tone down the reflections of other people or to reduce glare on the windows.

[Jeff Wilson]

I shoot mostly car events like this myself so it's interesting to read the responses here. Some good stuff here.

My first thought when seeing your images as that it didn't look like you were using a circular polarizer. In my opinion usage of a CP at a car show like this (either indoors, where there are bright lights in use, or outdoors when the sun is visible) is almost a requirement. It'll help you tone down the reflections of other people or to reduce glare on the windows.

I was using a Hoya SMC CPL for the event, but the light was almost directly overhead which minimized the effectiveness of a CPL.

[Erik Anderson]

I look for the details that make the cars unique. Look at things from a different perspective (sit on the ground, go to the top of a surrounding building, etc) and find out what makes that car different than the rest. You can see some of what I like to shoot within my website's Gallery section. The Imagine Auto and Exotic car shows are good examples.

[Nathan Leach-Proffer]

Right now I shoot almost all events, so I hope that I have some info that can help. I think the most important thing like others have said is to get there early and also to stay late. Besides from having cars without anything next to them, I prefer more to find were the cars will be entering the field and find a nice place to take photos as they are driving in. With this it should give the cars a unique location that no one or every few people will have.

Much like what Jon said I like to get most of my photos before and after the show starts/finishes, then during the show look for details, get photos including the crowded to show the mood of the show, and if I need photos of a car I will also take them even if it is not a good photo (I have to force my self). To me quality detail shots can really make a gallery stand out from the rest.

i hope some of that is helpfull. to see some of my event stuff click the link below.
http://www.speed-photos.net/Automotive%20Photography

[Jeff Wilson]

Thanks for all the excellent feedback and suggestions everyone. The gallery links are particularly helpful to me, for ideas and inspiration. This , by the way, is what I'm competing against:

http://vortex3.rely.net/gallery/gallery2.php?mode=album&album=/Events/Enthusiast/Waterfest/2006

That's coverage of the same show, by another photog.