Insight Into Automobile Photography

Setting a Scene :

Image Credit : Nilesh Kakade (Client : DC Design PVT Ltd)

Shoot a vehicle in a location that reflects its “personality”. For example, if you are shooting a street racer it will look more attractive on location than indoors.

For outdoors mostly automobiles are shot during dusk or dawn. Both dusk or dawn gives nice warmth and even light to the vehicle that will get the vehicle standing out from the background.

Wash the vehicle properly :

It is very important to wash the vehicle properly and for automobile shoots, there is always a dedicated washing and cleaning team required, if the vehicle is dirty it will look really bad in the image and it will be very difficult for the post-processing.

Washing and drying before shooting will add great reflections which will help for highlighting the different planes, surfaces and paintwork of the vehicle.

Always use any soft drink to clean the tyres initially and then rube and polish the tyres with boot polish which will highlight the tyres.

The dulling spray is highly recommended to cut the unnecessary reflections on the vehicle, which can be removed easily after the shoot.

The angle of the front wheel :

Turning the front wheel which will be facing the camera will give more dynamic looks to the vehicle. It creates an interesting frame than the straight facing wheels.

Creative Viewpoint :

Image Credit : Nilesh Kakade

Eye-level angle is advisable and commonly taken by the photographers and required by the clients as well.

To engage the viewer, always use your visualisation to try a really unusual angle in which the vehicle will look dynamic.

Shooting above the level will make the vehicle look even more attractive, locations like mountains, bridges, rivers, lakes etc will add creativity to your frame.

Low angle again gives a very powerful and dynamic look to the vehicle, this angle is mostly used for heavy and big vehicles.

A two-Third angle is the must angle and the first requirement of the client because this angle presents the vehicle at the three-dimensional view, and it gives a very dynamic and powerful look to the vehicle, Point the camera at an angle that allows to zoom in if required.

Image Credit : Nilesh Kakade

Panning shots :

Panning shots are again required shots for advertising purposes, it also gives you the feeling of speed and motion to the image.

It’s important to show all the four wheels to get that 3-dimensional image. while capturing a low angle from ground level especially two/third angle make sure the back wheel is visible.

Concentrate on reflections and make sure the camera, lights, equipment or any other things around are not reflecting on the vehicle.

Image Credit : Nilesh Kakade

Details are Important :

This is one of the major requirements of a client. Clients always require each and every detail of the vehicle for advertising purposes, during shooting the entire vehicle you can shoot small details creatively and get brilliant shots. Go as close to the vehicle and walk around with the camera and equipment and stop wherever and whenever you come across the details of the feature to your eyes, for example, logos, seat leather texture, steering wheel, dashboard etc.

Author – Nilesh Kakade