Recomendations for an Auto Show.

[madhu_menon]

Hi,

 

I have never covered an Auto Show in an photography perspective. I am

planning it this time around in DC in the coming weekend. Any recommendations as

to what are the lens to carry and what kind of issue we can face and what are

the best setups for the photography at the auto show. One thing for sure are

there will be crowd and there will be lot of lights some in favor and some not

so much so what are the tips and tricks from the experts who have done it before.

 

Thanks in Advance.

[johnw63]

Fast lenses and a big burly guy to make a path in the crowd !

[illusive dreams]

I second that. If you have never shot an auto show, be prepared to be one frustrated guy because NO one, and I mean no one will give you the room to shoot what you want. Ive covered MANY, MANY automotive events and I deal with that everyone time! But a friend or two to make a clear shot is definitely a good idea. Bring a monopod if you have one as well.

[andrew_dodson]

There's no room for a monopod- go with your widest lens possible. I got some pretty decent

pictures with my 12-24. The lighting is actually pretty good- you can get some wild colors

and such from the lights they use at displays.

[hughes]

Madhu

 

The light will coming from all over so my advice would be to use flash but use a slow shutter speed to take advantage of as much aavailable light as possible. The attached picture was shot using a Nikon D70 with an 18-70mm lens, I used the pop flash as the main light with a Vivitar 285 hand held as a slave this was pointed at the front end of the car it worked quite well illuminating the car fairly evenly.

As far as the crowdsgo I can't help much, if you go real early it might help. I will say be assertive even pushy to get your shot.

 

good luck

Steve<div></div>

[jeffrey_blake_adams]

Reflections and color balance are really awful, set yoru white bal to the ambient light, use a gel on your flash, be aware of the angle of incidence/reflectance. Some like to use a polarizing filter to try and cut down on reflections. J

[yoni_perlmutter]

See if there is a photographers' session which avoids the crowds.

In the summer of 2000 I shot (professionally) an auto museum in Mulhouse (France). Wonderful place.

 

I used a film cameras (F3, F801, F100), an SB-17, SB-22, reflectors, Fuji Reala, Pentax spot meter, AIS 20/2.8, 28/2.8, 35/1.4 and 85/1.4

with a borrowed 1325 tripod.

 

I used no filters other than either skylight or UVs. I used shades and other light deflecting tools (a hat always works for me) to defeat lowered contrast pics.

 

I overexposed 2/3 to 1 full stop in order to "have room" to correct WB/colour in the printing stage. I found the WA lenses the most useful and was able to be "creative" within my limitations.

 

The ambient lighting was ghastly with a mix of colour temps

impossible for me to evaluate.

 

If I were to do this today I would use Sigma 10-20, 28/2.8, 3 or 4 sb-800s, the same tripod (or similar), and would overexpose by 2/3 of a stop. At least, I think I would.

 

Today, I would correct the WB & colour using PP software after the shoot and would spend less of my time in trying to evaluate it on-site. With digital gear it's possible to make trial shots

and do your evaluations on-site on a neutral, colour balanced monitor.

[michael_huizenga]

I shot at one recently for fun. If the show starts on a weekday, go right when it opens on friday. The crowd is usually very light for the first hour or two.

[squiggs77]

I would bring a fast wide lens. Such as the Tamron 17-50mm f2.8 and shoot ambient light with no flash. A monopod might help if the crowd is thin.

[jeff h.]

Go midweek at an early hour. Use a wide lens.

[john_cox7]

Madhu,

The only auto show I ever photographed was a big rig truck show a long time ago. Recalling that reminds me also of the open day at an indoor aviation museum I photographed a few years back.

 

Use the widest/fastest lenses you have. Be prepared to use you elbows to shove people out of the way, because they will deliberately stand in front of you. (The only time contrary to one of the unwritten rules of photography when you are supposed to tuck you elbows into you side to steady the camera when using slow shutter speeds).

 

Learn to say "sorry" when you elbow someone in the ribs when you actually mean "fxxx off".

 

Am I allowed to say that or should I have said "go and fornicate someplace else"?

 

I used a 20/3.5 Nikkor for the truck show and a 15/3.5 Nikkor for the aviation museum. You will get distortion with ultra wide lenses but its better than having some undesirable person, whom you don't want, in the photo.

 

Film (back in the good old days) was basically 100 ASA using whatever available lighting there was.

 

Good luck.