Photography - The Common Passion with Porsche - Photo Tips

I watched this video on F1 photographer Darren Heath today and was reminded how many of us here share in common the passion that is photography:

http://vimeo.com/59842169

I thought it would be helpful to have a thread on "Car Photography Tips" for our members. This may include composition, settings, equipment, Photoshop tricks, vantage points, how to maximize iPhone shots, etc. I used to run the darkroom in college and could lose a whole day in there without ever coming out!

Your generosity would be very much appreciated.

One of my favorite themes is a photo made to look "in period" with absolutely no distinguishing features to give it away as current day. Here is one of my favorites shot by Martyn Goddard of my "Sebring MGB" during the 2006 Carolina Trophy:

Was just discussing the merits of B&W photography over at Werk Crew the other day.....

I took this one back around Thanksgiving of Mark Morrissey's car.... It might be a bit over-'shopped, but I like how it brings all of the attention to the lights.

Attachment 242669

A HDR experiment of my 996.....

Attachment 242670

if anyone ever wants input they can contact me privately. I'd love to help any way I can. The biggest advice I can ever give is challenging someone to explain why they think the photo is good, and why they think its strong.

My suggestions:

Get low, or get high. Just normal standing height makes for uninteresting pictures.
Try to keep the backgrounds simple so that the focus remains on the car.
Bracket you photos - especially for dark cars.
In the first or last hour of light during the day.
Use a wide angle lens and get close for drama.

Seth

Who shoots film? I though I remembered seeing a Leica thread on here a while ago

I shot medium format for fun till about a year ago. I just dont have time. I miss film quite a bit. Even my newest stuff doesnt snag color like film did.

I have a Contax G2 I still shoot with on occasion and well as an old Yashica. I have a thing for rangefinders, but every time I buy one, I wind up selling it. I had a Hasselblad Xpan which was a truly wonderful machine, and I may buy another one before going out to Wyoming and Montana this summer.

I had both a Leica M7 and an M8. The M7 was a good camera, but I found I was shooting digital more, so I sold it. The M8 was a fantastic shooter, and for static subjects, it really couldn't be beat.... But I wanted something that was a faster shooter. (Kids, you know.)

As a pocket camera, I carry a Sony RX100. I never liked Sony cameras before this. I always thought the colors were garish.

My primary camera right now is a Nikon D2Xs, which is starting to get a bit long in the tooth now. The high ISO capabilities of the newer cameras make them quite enticing.


Seth

Thanks for posting the link for the interview. Heath shows that two passions can be combined and done very well. Do we need a photography thread?

This could be a great thread. I've looked at a few here but not sure of any dedicated to photography. Several talented folks in this group too.