Ideas to photograph car shows with your Pentax DSLR.

[yvon_bourque1]

I know...the same ideas can be used with other brands of DSLR but this is, after

all, a Pentax Forum!

 

I am not sure about all Countries in the world, but here in America, it seems like

every town has regular car shows. I'm not talking about a three day event, inside a

coliseum, with a steep admission fee. I'm talking about local shows, involving local

car enthusiasts and usually held in a parking lot of a restaurant or along the Main

street, and free for all. It's a place where everyone can go and look at all the work

some guys have done to their car, antique car, roadster, Pick-up truck, etc.

 

 

We have several of these shows each week where I live and since we are along

the path of the old Route 66, it even more prominent around this region. Every

Thursday night, in the parking of "Farmer Boys" restaurant, people gather to look

at the restored old cars and customized cars and trucks. Usually, there is music

supplied by local talents. It's a place for owners to show their beloved machine and

a place for everyone to admire them.

 

 

There is something about the love of automobiles in the heart of all Americans. It

seems that most like to photograph cars. One problem I found in these car shows

is that it is difficult to photograph the cars without having someone in your way, or

having a cluttered background, or the cars being too close together. About two or

three weeks ago, I went to the show with my K20D and brought two lenses; the

DA 10-17mm lens and the DA 16-45mm lens. Most of the pictures I took were with

the DA 10-17mm lens. It allowed me to get very close to each car, and by getting

very low to the ground, I was able to isolate the cars successfully. Some of the

pictures were just a portion of a car, but easily recognizable.

 

 

I think that one of the biggest mistakes that photographers do, including me, is

that we don't get close enough to our subjects. Sometimes, we are so far from our

subjects that it becomes hard for someone else to look at our pictures and

recognize what is the actual main subject.When I take my time and really think

what the picture I'm about to take should be entitled, or what message or story it

should convey to the viewers, I find that I am more successful. So, for this kind of

events, get close, think about what the picture should be entitled, ask yourself if

the image in your viewfinder will convey the intended message or story to the

viewers, and if the answer is yesﾅ click! If the answer is uncertain, move to a

different location or angle. If you just shoot at random, you may still get good

pictures. However, you might even surprise yourself at what message the pictures

convey, and it might not be even close to what you intended it to be.Simplicity is

also a key to good photographs.

 

 

This is just my way to photograph. I am not trying to be condescending to anyone.

Some like my pictures, and some don't. The important thing is...go out there and

take some pictures.

 

 

Thank you for reading,

 

 

Yvon Bourque<div></div>

[yvon_bourque1]

Here's another...

pentaxdslrs.blogspot.com

 

Let's see your car pictures. Let us know if you do the same in your Country.<div></div>

[mharris]

No Pentax Yvon, they are nice and it's a camera system I'm going to try someday. When I do cars I go for wide and close or tele and detail:

 

 

 

<img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f158/mharris660/BuickWEB2.jpg">

 

<img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f158/mharris660/CherryWEB.jpg">

 

<img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f158/mharris660/CarShow10web-1.jpg">

 

<img src="http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f158/mharris660/CarShow16web.jpg">

[frygge]

Yvon

 

The fisheye looks like it was made for taking cool pictures of old cars

 

Michael

 

That Triumph shot is great!! British roadsters are the finest automobiles I know.

 

Need to keep your arms closer to your body to increase stability though, not having Shake Reduction ;-)

 

Cheers

 

Fredrik

[johankruger]

That is a very good tip, also concentrate on the fine detail, badges also make very nice photos. All of the below was taken at Cars in the park 2007.<div></div>

[johankruger]

number 2<div></div>

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number 3<div></div>

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number 4<div></div>

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number 5<div></div>

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number 6<div></div>

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number 7<div></div>

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number 8<div></div>

[johankruger]

number 9<div></div>

[johankruger]

number 10<div></div>

[johankruger]

last one<div></div>

[jay_hector]

Yvon, if you're shooting for yourself do exactly what you want to do to make yourself happy. If you're shooting with a mind to get published in magazines and books and would like your archive to have value, you have to look at it a little differently. I shot F1 (as a freelancer <a href="http://www.jaypix.com/pix/bss.jpg"> for example </a>) with Road & Track , and also worked with a French press agency, Autopresse International, for whom I shot many car shows of the major event type. My opinions are based on my experience.

 

I had a four page spread in L' Automobile of the 1981 Pebble Beach show. Great, but I was spanked for using a 20mm lens. PB was crowded so I wanted to get the whole car in and I was close to 'em hence the 20. After that the agency made a 50mm lens mandatory for most shots. They said their clients wanted a plain, sharp shot made with a 50mm (i.e. normal perspective) as that's what the readers liked to see. They also said that in the long run a good, plain and normal perspective shot would sell the most, especially to books. Obviously not all would be shot this way as a more artistic shot would be good for the lead, but then you might sell ten or twenty more of the plain shots.

 

This is how I shoot a car show for my own entertainment, so I can study the cars for the rest of my life -- <a href="http://www.bmw2002faq.com/component/option,com_forum/Itemid,57/page,viewtopic/t,304317/highlight,british+car+automobile+show/"> Example </a>. I cheated a little using a 25-50mm lens at 25mm on a D300, so it's still slightly wide angle. I only shoot in RAW, so PPing was minimal for this use. These pictures can be sold even if there's nothing to them art wise as they can be studied by a reader, as readers ultimately hate art.

 

It's funny though, when I shot the <a href="http://www.jaypix.com/pix/r5web.jpg"> cover </a> of this book on the R5 Turbo, it was for the guy who chastised me for using the 20mm, and I used the 20mm for him and he was totally happy with the same perspective. What the hell.

[johankruger]

Thanks for the tip!! But my photos still make me happy ;-)

 

cheers JK.<div></div>

[mc2imaging]

I think the lens choice depends on what you are shooting, and who you are shooting

for. A wide angle or fish-eye can be great for accentuating the lines and details

while keeping them in context, and adds a fun angle. A concours show at Pebble

Beach is a little to 'stuffy' for a fish-eye though.

 

I have a friend that started this little trick a few years ago in Oklahoma City, and I'm

thinking about doing it on Sunday at the Lake Afton car show (the world's largest

free open air car show): Print up a stack of business cards with a web address on

them (I use a smugmug gallery, but you could use flicker and an email address) and

photograph every car you can (even the F*rds). Be patient and wait for people to

move out of your way - you are trying to make SELLABLE shots. Hand the card to

the owner, or leave it on/in the car before moving on. Upload the pix and wait for the

orders to come in.

 

I'm not saying you can retire on the income, but car guys love pictures of their cars.

If you are out shooting to have fun anyway, why not make a little coin too...

[brad_n]

When I shoot cars I use the 10-17 almost exclusively and always make a point of getting some fisheye photos. (If you need to you can accomplish the fisheye effect pp in PS. Its easy, works great and allows you to control the amount of effect.)

 

Bring long several slave flashes on small cheap pocket tripods to add some sparkle on low contrast days.

 

I've done a couple contract shoots of cars which give you more time and space to be creative.

 

1. Bring a step ladder and a telephoto zoom. Shot high and inline from in front of the car for a neat telephoto effect with infinite DOF. The 200/2.8 is better than a zoom if you can afford it.

 

2. Experiment with "painting" with your flash.

 

3. Get a couple cheap slave flashes for interior fills in the engine compartment and interior.

 

One problem I haven't solved contract shots is glare on the windows. Any ideas?

 

<img src="http://smile-123.smugmug.com/photos/245703663_Lnhkr-L-3.jpg" /><br/><br/>

 

<img src="http://smile-123.smugmug.com/photos/197328852_vJAo5-L-1.jpg" />

[michael_kuhne]

I too enjoy car shows. Excellent photos here- I especially like the green Buick. Looks like about 1949 or so.

 

I believe there is one coming up soon around my area. For shooting photos at a car show, I have found a 35mm FL is near ideal for me with full frame 35mm film, and with a DSLR, the 21mm Limited. Just enough closeup exaggeration for effect, wide enough to get the whole car in at a close distance, without backing into the way of people, and also good for closer shots of a car's features.

 

Here are a few from last summer, which I attended with friends while on vacation, taken with my Pentax FA 35mm f/2 on my Pentax MZ-S, using Kodak UC ISO 100.<div></div>

[michael_kuhne]

The images are from a photo cd supplied with my prints.<div></div>

[michael_kuhne]

another....<div></div>

[michael_kuhne]

and another...<div></div>

[michael_kuhne]

yet another....<div></div>

[michael_kuhne]

one more...<div></div>