As car photographers, or any photo genre really, at some point we’ve all been guilty of relying on the subject to make our photos look good. Whether it’s a stunning model, a sleek sports car, or a breathtaking landscape, we often assume that the subject itself will carry the photo.
The truth is, a good photographer can make nearly any subject look amazing. It’s not about the car, the model, the landscape, or even sometimes the equipment we use – it’s about the skills and techniques we bring to the table.
In this short article, we’ll discuss this as it pertains to car photography.
The Power of Skills and Techniques
So, what makes a great car photographer? Is it the equipment, the software, or the subject? Those help, but it’s the skills and techniques you’ve developed over time. It’s the ability to create mood and atmosphere with lighting, to frame a shot that tells a story and to evoke emotion through the use of composition, lighting and color.
There are certainly times that your vision requires specific equipment, like light painting a car for example. No amount of knowledge is going to make a light wand appear out of nowhere, when you’re blessed with an unexpected Ford GT in front of your lens. But your knowledge of light, and how to modify it, could mean this lack of equipment isn’t a problem.
So you’re at a night car event and need a diffuse light source to shoot a that car’s interior? Grab a flashlight and a white piece of paper and get to work! Don’t know what a diffuse light source is? You have some studying to do. Point is…when you have the knowledge, you can often make do with what you have.
To slightly modify a saying from the late magician The Amazing Jonathan “Sometimes photography sounds like duct tape…”
(BTW, I photographed Jonathan in Las Vegas with his vast car collection and he was indeed an amazing guy…I’ll post about that another time.)
Beyond the Golden Hour
We’ve all heard of the golden hour, that magical time of day when the light is diffuse and warm. That beautiful light which wraps the car in silky soft reflections. Magic hour can make a stunning image and should be used!
Sadly though, you only get that magic light twice per day and for roughly 45 minutes depending on your location. In flat areas like here in Florida or in the desert southwest, you get it a bit longer.
But what happens when you have shoots the rest of the day or night?
You’re going to need to know how to use fill flash, light wands, reflectors, additive & subtractive lighting with large flats, polarizing filters, Duvetyne and such. You’ll have to know how to modify light to your purposes!
I see a lot of car photographers on Instagram exposing for the highlights of the environment and just trying to rescue the shadow detail in Lightroom. The shadows end up filled with noise and there’s no definition of any lower body lines, brake calipers, rotors, bumper details, etc. They’re heavily reliant on retouching methods to rescue poor technique.
Let’s face it, retouching can save some elements of an image, but lighting is lighting. It’s there or not! And while it’s sometimes possible to fake it on the back end, but it can get expensive and time-consuming.
The Importance of Composition
Composition and storytelling are essential skills for any photographer. Have you taken the time to learn about compositional elements like leading lines, the golden mean, negative space and others?
You should study paintings, pictures and award-winning graphic design to see how the masters use compositional elements to draw the eye around the space. Learn about visual hierarchy so even if your subject is small relative to its environment, it still stands out in the final composition.
Another thing I see a lot on lower quality work, particularly on social media, is an utter lack of attention paid to the reflections in the car. Not every shot needs a clean horizon line snapped across the side, but definitely put some effort into composing the car and camera to avoid unwanted reflections of people, power poles, other cars and such. Clean reflections keep the body lines the focus, not what the car is reflecting in it’s environment.
Elevate With Storytelling
Are you considering the story you’re trying to tell with every photo, rather than just shooting a vehicle at a car show, or a super car in a parking lot at sunset? Cranking out vertical phone shots might suit forgettable social media content, but where is the lasting value or your images?
You should be:
- Capturing the car owner’s favorite details they fell in love with when buying their car. Cars are a reflection of their owner and are a highly personal choice. Your images should highlight those choices.
- Discussing with the Creative Director how the image will be used in the magazine spread or ad collateral. Shooting for the layout is a compositional skill that will get your more editorial and ad work. You’re easier to work with when framing the shot to leave space for text & gutters.
- Seeing the car as art. If your images might be printed as a large art print, consider how it will look four feet wide on a wall. Do the details hold together? Did you adequately light it so the shadows aren’t a noisy mess? Is the shot worthy of someone paying money for it, just to look at it for 10 years?
Finally…The Test
To see if your leaning too much on your subject, try this simple test the next time you shoot:
“If I replaced this supercar with a 1980’s wagon, would anyone still want to look at this photo?
If your composition is good, your lighting is on-point and you’re telling a story by tying it all together visually, then the image should at least stop people long enough to wonder “Why’d they shoot a bad-ass picture of a wagon in that cool location? They need to source some better cars…”
Conclusion
So, the next time you’re out shooting, remember that it’s not just about the subject – it’s about the skills and techniques you bring to the table. Take the time to develop your skills, to learn about lighting, composition, and storytelling.
Learn why the car designer included the elements they did, or why the car collector client fell in love with this car, or what message the agency needs to convey in the advertisement.
With practice and patience, you’ll be taking photos that will amaze and inspire your audience….that happen to have some awesome subjects in them.