Nine Things I Do Every Time I Shoot Cars
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 มิ.ย. 2024
- A while back, I made a video called Everything I Don't Do When I Shoot Cars. This is sort of a follow-up to that, a squeakuel if you will, and I think it might be more helpful.
Thanks to Daniel Sloan ( / dslovn.drives ) for video assistance, driving assistance, and providing the 2001 M3baru to be the subject.
Only one #M3baru was harmed in this making of this film.
Camera body and lenses shown (commissions earned):
Nikon D850 FX-format Digital SLR Camera Body: amzn.to/3ghrsVa
Nikon Z 6II FX-Format Mirrorless Camera Body w/NIKKOR Z 24-70mm amzn.to/34lWB9B
Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G Lens amzn.to/3FAAzxA
Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC G2 for Nikon amzn.to/2QldFCy
Music from Epidemic Sound: www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
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I really enjoy this teaching videos about the lighting and compositions, it allways aspires me to go out and learn something new to the point i started writing it down in my little notebook to reminde myself when i'm out next time.
that's amazing to hear - thanks for watching!
When the wheel angle is wrong, my brain makes that record scratch noise.
hahaha yes exactly! btw I have used a record scratch sound effect in previous videos and the readily available free MP3 file for that is called "Disgruntled Gramophone" which I find funny
This was so inspirational I loved it so much!! I just want to go out and shoot some cars.
If I have one thing to add maybe that might be of interest to you its something I read this morning "the loudest boo's come from the cheapest seats" meaning the people that complain alot arent always worth listening too. Your videos are good you can be extremely proud of them despite what some people might say in the comments. Please keep making more of these :)
Thank you so much! Haha, it's okay, I was just being a little bit self-deprecating, I am so grateful that the video I was talking about does pretty big numbers (for me), and of course with more views and engagement comes a little bit of pushback, but it's really been overwhelmingly positive!
The feedback from the community is the most rewarding part of TH-cam for me. A video connects with people so much more than a nice photo posted to Instagram, and it's a privilege to feel like I'm making an impact. Thanks again for watching and be a part of this!
and your outro is perfect, the pull back it's like, we're done here boys, let's leave
hahaha
Thank you so much! I am new to photography and am helping my husband take architectural photos of his buildings, but am still learning. The tip on getting correct perspective, which I struggle with, by looking at the opposite wheel is awesome! I am going to try to use a similar technique when shooting buildings and interiors. (Using structural elements, not wheels 😆)Thank you, again!
Awesome, thank you for watching and I'm so glad that tip resonated with you! I would love to shoot more architecture and buildings.
This one was absolutely fantastic as well, a lot of things will be sitting back of mind as I evolve from "idiot who pulls over in spots to take pictures of his car" to "guy who pulls over to take pretty good pictures of his car, and his new friend's cars as well". Being a bit more conceptual is greatly appreciated for the reasons you stated.
Thank you - so great to hear this, good luck and have fun!
@@capturingthemachine I appreciate the encouragement! I know videos don't edit themselves, lessons have plans, so taking the time to explain things in a really condensed and practical manner is really invaluable for aspiring amateurs. I am now thinking about the grip of details I hadn't considered in composition that I initially had thought looked cool, but were just detracting from the subject.
@@purplepurplesaurasne 👍
Another great video explained like a mate talking to me, not a school teacher. Quirky humour helps too.😊
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks so much!
Thank you for the videos. ❤️
You are so welcome!
love these videos! great explanations and a very relaxing tone!
Thanks so much!
Great video as always man
thanks so much Sean!
These videos are great! Thanks for making them.
thanks so much, it's my pleasure, thank you for watching!
Just loving these videos man! Great content, easy subscribe
Awesome, thank you!
loved the last vid and love this one as well!you have such a calm and nice way to explain stuff. thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
great tips thanks for putting this together for us
thanks for watching!
You are a great dude. Thanks for sharing
I appreciate that! Thank you for watching
Great video and really inspiring! Thankyou
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you sir... loving the channel, learning so much.
It's fantastic to hear this, thank you!
Super helpful and informative, thankyou ❤️
So glad! Thanks for watching!
Nice video mate, very helpful, thank you. 👍
Glad you liked it!
I am so glad i found your Channel......I desperately needed these tips. Thank you so much!!
So glad, thanks for watching!
Always appreciate the tips, Kevin!
thanks so much for watching!
Nice vid!
thanks so much!
Excellent quality on this video man! Super informational!!! I really liked all the points that you gave and they were very helpful 🤙🏻
Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!
Quality content 👌 👏
thanks!
great channel!
Thank you!
I love what you teach I learn a lot thanks for the tips
Glad to help, thanks so much!
I always have issues with artists who are stuck to one way of doing things, I love the bonus tip
Just discovered your videos. Can't wait to learn more from you. Thank you for the great advice.
Awesome! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing with us your knowledge and skills.Have a great day Kevin.
Thanks, you too!
I'm so glad I found your channel. Your videos are a great help for me as a new photographer. And they are inspiring me to go shoot. Keep it up, cheers.
thanks so much for watching and for the kind words! Best of look on your photographic journey 😄
So glad I stumbled across your channel, super informative and very well communicated!
Thanks so much, welcome aboard!
Kevin, your videos (this one along with the one about what NOT to do, and the demo on focal lengths) has changed the way I think about shooting, and have given me a lot to think about. I appreciate your videos, man!
Hey Anthony, thanks SO much for this comment, that's incredible, I'm so glad to hear it!
Super helpful!
So glad, thanks!
Great video! I have enjoyed cars since I was a kid; Ive gotten into car photography last year after finally taking the dive and geting a camera and lenses to work with. Its been a learning curve and I can totally agree with seeing your shots coming up on your screen and thinking "I took this" Its so much fun being able to do this. Keep up the great work!
thanks so much for watching!
Love these videos! Must say, your tone/personality is incredibly pleasing to listen to. So calming! This is definitely your niche :)
Thank you so much!
I really enjoy these how to videos. The one that has stuck wit me the most from this one is the bonus one!! It can he tough if a shoot isn't going your way or you aren't feeling it, so will try to keep in mind getting into a experimental mindset in those situations!
so glad that helped, thanks for watching!
I used to have almost all the problems you stated, I learnt these tips the hard way tho so getting it free here is very awesome. thanks for taking your time out to give these tips
Thanks for watching! Same here, I taught myself, and learned by shooting a lot of bad photos 😄
I’ve really grown to love your content. Doing my first roller shot today.
awesome, thanks so much! Good luck (and be safe)!
I haven't tried photographing cars yet but I think, after watching this video I will. Thank you for the great info.
awesome to hear this, thanks for watching!
Hey Kevin, really loved your video (both this and earlier you “Don’t Do”) : Simple, easy to understand, no fluff, no fuss.
And I remembered your ‘single takeaway’ - “… SEEING (Looking, searching) is the Most Important thing of anything else you can do !”. Awesome ! You’ve validated a lot of “hunches, misses & mistakes” of my own and made Car Photography fun, relaxed and so much more ! Loved your choice of locations by the way ! Epic landscapes Yet does Not remove focus on the subject (car). Noticed the Dust on the cars - and the detailing. Great piece of work man ! 👍 Finally, yes, continuous (you mentioned “Challenge Yourself”) learning and improvement is Key !
Thanks a million for taking the time & effort to create this (and other) videos ! 👍 👍 👍
PS : You create 1x, I watched it >1x, and More will watch/re-watch it in future ! Lolz 🙏🏻 😂 🙏🏻
thanks so much for this comment, I am so glad you enjoyed the video - and came away with all the most important points I was trying to make! 😊
Glad I found this channel.
Me too! 🎉
@@capturingthemachine Any advice on the best way to get into automotive photography? So far I've just been honing my skills by taking photos of interesting cars I spot on the street.
@@FencinGrl23 I wish I had a good answer - it's really hard. There are a lot of people who have cameras and love cars, which means there are a lot of talented people competing for paying gigs. Even with a lot of breaks - knowing people, and gaining a following on Instagram in the early days of the platform - it’s a challenge. I’ll say, learn a lot, challenge yourself, try different techniques, figure out what you like, and try to find something you can do that is unique. I’ve mentioned this before, but there is a ton more car photography work now than there was 10 years ago because of the rise of auction sites and online premium car listings. People will pay for good photos to stand out, and if you can make yourself known in your locality, you can probably get steady work doing that - and develop skills and workflows that will be very valuable.
Thank you! Your words really resonate with my thoughts! I'm in Ukraine now and there aren't many locations here, it's still possible to photograph the car, but I'm trying. And your words are very inspiring! So thank you!
Wow, thanks so much! I truly hope things get better in your situation there, and it's very inspiring to me that you're creating art and celebrating cars amidst chaotic circumstances. 👍 Thank you again for watching my videos!
Another excellent video! The thing about the front wheel angle is so deeply ingrained into our DNA. :P
😂 thanks Vijay!
If the front wheel is turned towards you, and it feels unsettling it's because you are about to be run over! That's why we inherently don't like this view.
@@dobbsgraphica4988 lol I like this explanation 🤣
Hey Kevin, I really like these explainer videos! I'd love to see a video on your editing process if that is something you're interested in doing :)
thank you! It's something I hope to do
Liked even before I watched the video
thanks so much!
Everytime I do a shoot I work on something new. Also I have a friend that I practice on all the time. Great video. Time go work on what I learned
this is a great mindset and attitude, keep it up!
Love this. Super helpful as I’m learning car photography. I recognize Alabama Hills here but not the flats location. Where is that?
Thank you, I'm glad it's helpful! The flats location is the Alvord Desert in Oregon. We drove from Houston to Portland, OR, last year, and used some of the incredible locations along the way in this video.
Hello Kevin! Do you remember when I told you that you are the only guy on the entire TH-cam who knows what he is doing? You gave me and my wife a lot of confidence, so we are making "a leap of faith" and starting doing full time photography. Thank you for inspiration. And I need to subscribe again. Why again - I have no idea. Cheers from 77024 Houston
Wow, that's so exciting! I wish you the very best, and thank you for the kind words! If there's a subject you think I should cover, esp one that you might find helpful, I am always interested to hear it.
I will use my phone camera .
Thanks for that very helpful video.
Your bmw is awesome
Thanks for your kindness
Best of luck!
I’m a hobbyist / real estate photographer. I shoot mostly on a wide angle lens attached to my cropped sensor camera. I’ve always thought of getting into automotive photography because of my immense interest in cars and motorcycles but never had the push to upgrade my gear for it. Came across your videos recently and got inspired by the works of art you produce, finally got myself a full frame camera with an 85mm lens, hoping to add a 35mm later for interiors. Thanks for sharing all the amazing content and knowledge!
wow thanks, this is amazing to hear! Sounds like you are on the right track - if you're passionate about the subject matter and curious to learn and improve, you can go far 😄
Awesome video for me as a beginner.
May I ask you where did you find cars to photograph at the beginning?
It's kinda fun because I study mechanical engineering and I don't find any car to shoot and I honestly don't know where to start. Thank you, keep it up with the great work 🤙🏻
thanks Tommy! I shot friends' cars, cars at events (not my favorite), and old vintage cars I found parked on the street. The types of cars are parked on the street really varies from place to place, but shooting those taught me a lot about framing and light and making the most of a situation you don't have control over. Shooting cars at race tracks (like for HPDEs) is fun because the cars are usually great and race track paddocks usually make for cool backgrounds. Hope this helps!
@@capturingthemachine thank you sooo much man ❤
Jealous of the locations you get to shoot in! It’s my biggest problem currently finding places to practice and that are Interesting. Awesome content 👏
It's hard, I live in Houston, TX, which is a pretty ugly city with almost zero natural beauty. 😬 I look for public parks, old buildings, interesting parking garages, look for an industrial area of town that's quiet on the weekends, and where they haven't yet torn down all the buildings and signs that have character. (it's where I filmed this: th-cam.com/video/SpQix2zOMqU/w-d-xo.html)
And when I can, I take trips or road trips that allow me to shoot in different and beautiful environments. I like having a lot of space to shoot. The first time I went to West Texas, a friend and I parked a car off a gravel road, and shot pictures of it at duk. It was the first time that I had been somewhere where the setting looked beautiful in every direction, as far as the eye could see. I've been hooked on that ever since.
@@capturingthemachine Nice.......yes im frequently on Google Maps scanning, and driving but open areas are hard to come by around the South East of the UK it seems. I love industrial / derelict kind of settings to contrast the beauty against. Trouble is everywhere like that is getting pulled down and rows of houses erected in their place :-( I laso have an aversion to reflections ( especially trees and bushes) so open spaces really are my jam......gotta keep searching :-)
@@andytaylor1 how far away is ... Wales 😅
@@capturingthemachine ......ha! just a leisurely 5 hours to get there ;-) But a weekend shoot would be on the cards i guess
Photo Challenge. You up to it? I am a photographer / beginning videographer hobbies that love the automobile. I live in an area that have several car clubs that do a lot of monthly activities. So there is always vechiles to shoot. My challage is this. You are to shoot the best images you can while the vechiles are parked like you see in an ordinary store parking lot. Side by side front to back. Love to see how you'd handle this.
It's a very cool idea! I don't have time at the moment, but I would love to see it.
You should try Gran Turismo 7, they have "scapes" which is a very nice photography feature built into the game.
Hey Steven, I love GT7! The sound effect in the opening of every video I do is actually slightly modified race start sound from Gran Turismo (don't tell Sony 🤫). The Scapes are great, I want to do a video about photography in GT7, I think that would be fun.
Great video, thank you. Tip #8 at round 7:20 regarding the straight on views and the wheels in the background/behind lining up with the foreground wheels was a good "ahhhh" moment for me, as I tend to obsess about perspective and lining things up. Something similar and related I struggle with is which "height" to shoot cars at if I'm going for a side profile shot. I know it depends on what the intention is, but for a regular standard side profile shot, I've sort of come to the conclusion that I might start shooting side profile shots so that the background top of the inside of the door/door car/door insert/door panel "lines up" with the top of the foreground door, if that makes sense? Like so I can't see the background inside door, but also that I don't want to go too low. Do you have any tips regarding this? Also can I ask if you always use a polariser, unless of course you want more intense reflections. Thanks!
that's a good question! I've never considered that, lining up the top of the door with the opposite side door ... it definitely would help give a consistent look among your photos. I usually get one super-low shot, and a sort-of-low shot, and then see which one I like better when I'm editing. But I will probably notice the opposite side door now 😄
For polarizers, it depends on the color of the car, the location, the conditions. I would like to do a video on this subject!
If I'm shooting wider than 70mm, I don't use a polarizer, I just don't keep one on the lens because I hate to worry about getting a 'polarizer sky.'
If it's in direct sun, I usually don't have a polarizer (or don't mess with it if I do) because the CPL won't help with a direct sun reflection.
For dark or medium toned cars, a CPL is helpful with unwanted reflections.
In indirect light, it depends on the surroundings. If the reflections are nice (and natural) I want to use the polarizer to accentuate the highlights as much as I can. If it's a place with ugly reflections (power lines, etc.) I might turn it to reduce reflections at the expense of making the car look flat. I also pay attention to the windows (especially windshield) to try not to have it look completely white. Hope this helps!
@@capturingthemachine Thanks for the response. Yeah On a recent shoot I did a bunch of shots varying from low to the ground to standing up and none of them looked right and I thought about the inside of the door thing, so I will try it on my next shoot. Yes thank you that helps. And yes you should definitely do a video on using polarisers, and your editing/post processing! I've heard a few car phtographers say "always use a polariser" but you're right, like everything it all depends
Great video as always. Can you explain what you meant by :"the best highlights on the surfaces"?
Thank you! This is a great question, I plan to go into depth about this in an upcoming video. It involves a bit of scientific terminology that's over my head, but I'll do my best to summarize what I know.
In the right light conditions, such as in an open area after the sun has set, a car's surface will have specular highlights/specular reflections (I've seen both terms) along the side surfaces. The sky is white (or pink/orange/etc) and bright, the ground is dark, and you're seeing the horizon reflected in the side of the car. The specular reflection appears a crisp white highlight along the side surface, and it gives the car definition and volume.
The specular highlight is present in many more scenarios, and you can see it in the Subaru at 5:42 in this video, but it's less ideal becuase it's reflecting a building and lightpoles, etc.
If there's messy stuff in your horizon, such as fences or trees or buildings, it might not look great reflected in the side of the car. One option is to reposition the car so that maybe there's less stuff reflected in the side, or use a polarizer, which can eliminate the specular highlight altogether. You will lose that beautiful definition and highlight in the surfacing, but sometimes that's the best option in a busy/ugly environment.
Looks like my video on this subject is mostly written now! 😂
@@capturingthemachine Wow, great, thanks for long answer, I love it. Currently I am reading the book "light science and magic: an intro to photographic lighting" which talks a lot about the concept called "family of angles", and I think what you explained is related to that topic (but not sure, ofc). I would definitively love to see video about that. :)
@@IgorHorvat I have that book, I should double check to see if any of this is right 😂
You didn't mention that using a polarizer can be really helpful for dealing with reflections especially when shooting cars.
Definitely! I have plans to do a video just about polarizers
Kevin, this is a truly fine group of tricks. I do have a question: I notice you are wearing sunglasses a lot in many of these segments. I cannot wear sunglasses when I am choosing light levels. Also the lens polarization messes with what the camera lens is seeing. Thoughts?
Thank you! That's a good observation and question: I pretty much trust the camera regarding the exposure. It usually is pretty close, and I'll probably adjust it later anyway. I definitely wouldn't wear sunglasses while editing on the computer! Thankfully I don't have the polarization issue
Don't agree with you about the front wheel angle but then again... I grew up rallying and in my brain front wheel is the only reference for direction in a car photo.
thanks for watching, if it helps, I think if the wheel is turned toward the camera and the car is *in motion,* thats looks really cool 😄
My biggest personal concern is gear. Although you said not to worry I feel that I'm going to disappoint myself because I'm not able to fully apply what I learned because of not having polarizers or such gears available. I'm very new to photography so maybe I'm thinking about it much but I'd like to be well prepared
I get that for sure. It all depends on what gear you have and what types of shoots you're doing, but the best thing you can do is master the gear that you have. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of your camera/lenses in lots of different situations. That will give you a better idea of what else you need, and you won't be overwhelmed when you introduce new things into your camera kit.
Which lens(es) do you use and which settings do you prefer to shoot at?
My go-to is a 50mm and i shoot at f2.8 most of the time
I love a 50mm, esp at 2.8 or 1.8, it's an awesome all-around lens. For car exteriors, I lean pretty heavily on my 70-200 2.8 - it's really versatile, and cars look amazing at those longer focal lengths.
I have a video about lenses here: th-cam.com/video/TKpu8-T1-hg/w-d-xo.html
And a playlist of tutorials here: th-cam.com/play/PLp0CpEYwHSBP0HUi2vOymExaq7oLo-VQo.html
thanks for watching!
Which lens are you using in those shots of you? Is that a third party 70-200 2.8 on a Canon?
It's a Tamron G2 70-200 2.8 for Nikon. It was a great lens, I liked the stabilization even a little more than Nikon's VR for DSLRs. I switched to Nikon mirrorless after this video, so now I have the Nikkor 70-200 2.8 S instead
I use a Nikon D5600 for photography. Is that a good camera for car photography aswell?
For sure, if you're comfortable with it and know your way around it, it will work
Always use all available time.
Did you finish a job earlier than planned? Then do something unplanned!
I got my by-far-best-picture-ever (well, so far) by experimenting with something (have a drone carried behind me), and I never expected the result of the composition have bizarre-perfect lining, recognized by even the biggest layman. If I didn't took the time for that, I never would have made that shot.
Yes, this for sure! I think I'm infamous for saying "Ok, last shot" while on a shoot, and then finding 20 more things I want to capture 😅
These vids are so good, shouldn't have watched at work now I want to pull a sickie and go shoot
😄😄😄 - thanks so much! Happy shooting
Thanks for the Video but...why is there an M3 badge on this Touring?
Good question! This is the "M3baru," it's an S54-swapped Xi touring with AWD. I made a vid about it last summer and it's one of my favorites I've done! th-cam.com/video/RLaw7pb7yDk/w-d-xo.html
i think turned wheels looks more agressive and straight wheels gives more status. Which dont rllt make sense but im mean that with straight wheels the car look in charge like the ceo of some company and with turned wheels it looks like some celebrity posing or something. both good looks
haha, I like turned wheels, I just don't like the tire tread turned toward the camera! But I laughed at the "CEO" bit 😆
@@capturingthemachine i think i like turned less because ive been doing it forever so its a new look
Bring out that Epiphone for a shoot!
hahaha
Yeah. Pretty much all the photos on my Instagram look the same…
It's never too late to mix it up! 😄
@@capturingthemachine #truth
All good Info! Thanks so much. I really did enjoy this video, but telling me to keep anything negative to myself made you sound like a 8 year old. You strike me as someone who thinks removing the dislike counter was a good move. Ill still hit it though. Keep it to yourself if you dont like my comment please.
thanks for the kind words, I can definitely see how that statement rubs people the wrong way - I really can't believe anyone stayed all the way to the end to hear that. 😅 But seriously, I appreciate the feedback, I forget that there are people who watch these who don't know me personally, and aren't intimately familiar with my generally self-deprecating 'humor.' FWIW, there are a lot of other videos where I welcome dissent!
Shoot in RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW but that doesn't make you take it a Good Picture XD !
🤣
I liked the video and found it very helpful, but “keep it to yourself if you didn’t” is a bit self serving… criticism makes people better. If someone disagrees with you and knows a better way to explain something then why not encourage it? Your attitude is self serving like you’re the only person who knows photography.
Hi, thanks for watching, it was meant to just be a lighthearted line, but I can see how it sounds elitist or dismissive, which was never my intent. I genuinely enjoy hearing other photographers’ points of view and experiences, especially when they differ from my own - I forget that there are people that watch these that don’t know me in real life 😭
@@capturingthemachine I really appreciate your willingness to reply so quickly on a comment on a 6 month old video. Thats impressive viewer engagement. Also, I get what you’re saying. Just keep in mind… you look through a camera lens… the internet view you through a microscope.
Thanks man, I am going to need to know this 🤍🤍
Thanks for watching!