There’s something about cars that attracts people. Even in these digital times, images of fast cars, luxury rides and daring stunt drivers continue to capture our imagination. This love for all things automotive is also a great opportunity for photographers who are willing to explore this niche further and specialize in automotive photography.
If you have a passion for cars and cameras, you could consider establishing a career as an automotive photographer. Whether you want to become an automotive photographer as your primary profession or just as a side project, keep reading for some helpful tips on getting started in this growing field.
Determine What Focal Length You Need
While we may get carried away by the lenses we use in our cameras, the focal length is an important factor to consider when selecting the lens for an automotive photoshoot. The focal length determines how much of the car you’ll be able to capture within the frame. Spend time with your client discussing what they would like the end result to look like, and this will help you to determine what type of lenses you will need for the shoot.
Consider The Angle Of View
As with focal length, you’ll want to decide on the angle of view before the shoot. As an automotive photographer, you may want to shoot from above or perhaps from a side angle when looking for a way to create a more interesting composition. The best way to decide on an angle of view is to talk to your client and find out what they want to feature.
If you’re going for a dramatic effect, try shooting from below the car to focus on the wheels and make them look larger than life. Alternatively, shooting from above with a wide-angle lens will allow you to get the whole car in the shot. An angled shot from the side will allow you to focus on the car’s profile, while a straight-on shot will allow you to capture the presence of the car’s front design.
Keep An Eye On Your Depth Of Field
While deciding on the type of lens to use, you must also keep an eye on your depth of field. This refers to the area in focus when taking a photo. If your depth of field is shallow, only a small part of your image will be in focus. If your depth of field is broad, the entire image will be in focus.
When shooting car images, you can use a shallow depth of field to bring attention to the specific details of the car. This is especially useful when you are shooting the inside of the car and want to highlight some specific details.
Choose The Right Lighting
As an automotive photographer, you’ll likely come across all sorts of cars in various conditions. You may find yourself photographing a classic car in a garage or a high-end sports car that’s been dusted off for a show. Regardless of the car you have in front of you, you’ll need to decide on the best lighting for the job. When photographing a car, you’ll generally want to go with a soft light to create a clean and crisp look.
Alternatively, you can use a hard light if you’re going for a dramatic, edgy look. However, it’s important to remember the reflections when using lighting, as you don’t want to end up spending too long in editing taking out anything picked up during the shoot that you and the client didn’t want.
Convert Your JPGs To PDFs To Improve Sharing
Before you start shooting, you might want to think about how you will share your photos with potential clients. A great way to showcase your work and make it easier for customers to view your photos is to convert your JPGs to PDFs. This will enable you to send image series via email or other sharing tools without having to worry about resizing the image, which could reduce the quality. To update your image file and create a PDF that houses the whole image series in one place, check out the handy conversion tools online.
Set Up Cloud Storage
As an automotive photographer, you’ll likely find yourself shooting many different cars in many different locations. In fact, you may even find yourself travelling to different countries to photograph some of these cars. If you’re hoping to build a successful career as an automotive photographer, you’ll want to make sure you have everything saved. Unfortunately, hard drives can fail, so you’ll need to find a more reliable storage solution.
Cloud storage is one of the most reliable solutions, and it’s completely accessible from any device, anywhere in the world. With cloud storage, you can safely store your photos and be sure they’ll be there when you need them. It’s also a great way to collaborate with other photographers and share your portfolio with potential clients.
Shoot The Car Lights Separately
If you’re shooting a car during the day and you want to include car lights in your images, it’s a good idea to shoot the car lights separately. This is because you want the lights to be as bright as possible, and shooting the lights during the day won’t produce the desired effect. Instead, shoot the lights in a darker environment and edit the end result onto the main image during the editing phase of your work.
Without any lights on, your car shot will appear dark and uninteresting. By taking the time to add the lights in later, you can create a crisper composition to wow your clients.
Use Polarising Filters
One of the best accessories you can buy as an automotive photographer is a polarising filter. A polarising filter will help you to cut through the glare on certain types of surfaces and create a more dramatic effect. It’s perfect for shooting cars, especially when you’re shooting in bright sunlight.
It will help to reduce the glare and increase the contrast, which will make your images pop. If you want to ensure that your images look as professional as possible, a polarising filter is a must-have.
Consider Using Assistants
Depending on the type of shoot, you might need an assistant to help you with lighting and other equipment. While you can use a friend or family member as an assistant, it’s often best to hire a professional assistant who has experience in this field. Not only do they know what they’re doing, but they also know how to operate in a professional setting and can help you get the most out of your shoot.
While you may be able to handle everything on your own, it’s often best to hire an assistant for certain tasks. This will allow you to focus on your work and help you to get everything done on time.
Conclusion
Automotive photography is a great way to combine your love for cars and photography. With the right equipment, lighting and filters, you can create photos that are truly unique. While the equipment and settings are important, it’s also critical to understand the subject and the kind of shot you want to create. Once you have a clear idea, you can work towards creating interesting automotive photography that represents the car’s beauty and features.
