# First try at an actual car photography session, Mazda 3 MPS



## mrk (Jul 12, 2008)

And everything went better than expected, although I swear the ASDA multistorey I brought us to was watching via the CCTV as when it hit midnight they turned off the other lights EXCEPT for the ones we were under! At least they were thoughtful 

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This was my first actual car photo session, previously I've been toying with photos on my own car (the e46 pictured). Hopefully I can do more now to gain further experience. Anyone local (Portsmouth locality) want to give me a try some time? No charge, you help me with awesome cars to shoot and I can help you with awesome pics


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## Elliott19864 (May 11, 2008)

Cracking photos.

Wish you lived closer I would definitely give you a shout.


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## rallyman1978 (Aug 8, 2007)

Very professional looking chap


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## Mick (Jan 23, 2010)

very nice photos chap :thumb:

next time you try shooting the dashboard, you may want to release the handbrake and clip the seatbelt in behind you, cuts down on dash light on and gives a different look :thumb:


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## Snowball (Jul 21, 2011)

Fancy a trip up to Yateley?

Got a white 3 MPS and a Fiesta ST to play with... I can get to play with my camera too!


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## mrk (Jul 12, 2008)

Cheers all, Yately is a bit of a trek lol,. if I'm ever going in that sort of area though I will take up the opportunity 



Mick said:


> very nice photos chap :thumb:
> 
> next time you try shooting the dashboard, you may want to release the handbrake and clip the seatbelt in behind you, cuts down on dash light on and gives a different look :thumb:


Ah yes I never even thought of that! I guess I could photoshop it out as well but better to do it properly. Next time!


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

I don't like the background lighting, I think they would have been better without the flourescents. But you're using speedlites, so it's not easy to wind them up so high.

To the pics: 4 simply does not work IMO with the lens distortion. The plate is no longer readable and teh front wheel looks like a wishbone is broken. Not good.

Interior: Ok, but I think you're still too wide and dropping the driver's seat back and taking from directly behind the passenger gives a similar feel and more authenticity.

it's neat 'n' tidy inside, I'll give it that.

3 is conceptually OK, but the formers give too much of a spot of light. It should be bigger and synch'ed with the outside light, which it simply isn't.

Tips:
- diffused light is great but you should use it - along with a *lack* of light - to show forms and changes within those. 
- drop the background light completely, it does not help. 
- multi-flash can work very well if you've a long enough exposure (maybe filters to help?) - that way you can eliminate the drawbacks of using only two flashes.
- there's no such thing as too many flashes
- find a point / detail in the car - or three - that scream "THIS IS A XXXXXX" at you. Like the foglights or the spolier or the indicator or the filler cap or a logo inside and use those. Let the car's design tell the story. Those who know, know, and those who don't can enjoy the suspense.
- you don't have to stay with colour....
- use DoF and selective focus, you can get away with an *awful* lot if you try.

These are my car. No flash, Sigma 100-300..... yes, I know it's not perfectly clean, hard to keep it clean when you drive as much gravel as I do. If you don't know what it is, check out the last shot. This is what I mean by letting the car's design talk:














































- Bret


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## james_death (Aug 9, 2010)

Looking swish...:thumb:


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## mrk (Jul 12, 2008)

Thanks *bretti_kivi *for the pointers, although I'm not sure how all of the points apply to your examples either! To me they are more abstract than car photography from a purist point of view. They do work in BW though.

I suppose it's down to the individual photographer's style of photography than anything else. If everyone did abstract and close-ups of badges, door handles etc it would be a very samey-samey world!

Here are some others where I tried out different styles and effects previously, mainly my own car as mentioned but I did shoot a mate's Honda CBR1100 bike too:


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## Keith_sir (Jun 27, 2011)

Absaloute love 3MPS's. Great photo's.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

mrk, I like the HDR & tilt shift photo:thumb:


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## bretti_kivi (Apr 22, 2008)

both the first one of the BMW and the one of it under the trees are really good and the tilt-shift is also well processed. 

The processing also really suits the last one. Horses for courses - keep at it, this stuff is pretty damned good. And if the owner / requester is happy.....

Bret


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## mrk (Jul 12, 2008)

Practice is a never ending journey


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