I thought I would build on (pun intended) my last article Seeing Art in Architecture. It’s car show season here in the Midwest and shooting them can be quite fun, yet they pose some unique challenges. Many of the techniques and principles used in photographing architecture can be applied to shooting vehicles. Put Your Camera Down It can be overwhelming when you first walk onto the grounds of a car show, so many cars, so many shiny objects, and so many people. Walk around first and get the lay of the land. Are there groups of certain … [Read more...] about Shooting and Seeing Art in Automobiles
automotive
One Light Setup for Car Interiors
Whenever you photograph a still life or product, using soft backlight is a good place to start and car interiors are simply well composed still life arrangements. Try this technique for a simple one light setup that can kickstart your car interior shoot. This works with any camera and practically any lens (you'll need to consider your composition and distance from the subject depending on the lens you use). All you need additionally is a small softbox, like this indirect umbrella-style box from Phottix, and a speedlight you can trigger off … [Read more...] about One Light Setup for Car Interiors
Getting Taped Up
Here's a great tip I got from watching some grips quickly change gels on some frames. In the past, when you removed an old gel or diffusion material you always had the mess of the sticky material. Either the 2-sided tape, or the foam stuff from 3M double stick, which ever material was used it was a challenge. I was observing some grips used the following technique and it was fast. This is a standard 18"x24" frame. The first thing you want to do is apply Blue Painters Tape around the entire frame. Here you can see I'm using 1" … [Read more...] about Getting Taped Up
C-Stands 101
One of the most used tools on a Hollywood set, oh heck on any set, is the C-Stand. C in Roman numerals representing the numeral 100 is how the C-Stand got its name, 100's of uses. When closed it's 53" high, it can be extended to 10'6", it usually is ordered with a 40" arm and Grip Head. The C-Stand is a very versatile tool in the photographer's arsenal. Allow me to show you how to take advantage of the C-Stand. One way is a reflector holder:You simply secure a piece of foamcore or any material that you're using to reflect light onto the talent. … [Read more...] about C-Stands 101
No Sippy Cups here, just Baby Plates
Some of the most used tools on a Hollywood set are C-Stands and Apple Boxes. Then there are these little babies, Baby Plates. What is a Baby Plate you ask? It's a 5/8 stud, about 3" tall, welded onto a 3.5" x 6" metal plate. It has many uses. Allow me to share a few of those that I've used on the set. One of the most common uses for a Baby Plate is a very low light stand:It has a very solid feel and is very stable for most strobe heads. As you can see in the picture, this Baby Plate has 8 holes in its base. Some will have 4. The purpose for … [Read more...] about No Sippy Cups here, just Baby Plates
Shooting Personal Projects
A great way to challenge yourself and enhance your skills is to shoot some personal projects. Here is an opportunity to stretch your imagination. Building sets, buying props, coordinating wardrobe, scouting locations and casting talent are all part of the process of shooting your personal projects. When you apply all these things, your ideas will come to life. I'll get an idea visually, and then I need to make it happen. Like this 30's Hollywood glamour shot:Once I cast the beautiful actress, Sarah Deakins, I needed to get hair and make-up. … [Read more...] about Shooting Personal Projects
C-47: The most useful tool you have in your laundry room.
Most people refer to it as a clothes pin; in Hollywood it's referred to as a C-47. They were named that way because back in the day there were 47 pins in a pack. The C stands for clamp, hence C-47. We'll take them and reverse the way they clamp so that they have more of a pinch tip to grab stuff better: I like using these economical tools for clamping gels to lights and softboxes. Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft stores sells them in different sizes and colors. I like using the medium clamps to secure gels inside small to medium softboxes: The … [Read more...] about C-47: The most useful tool you have in your laundry room.
“What’s that say?”
There's a rule about having numbers or letters in a shot, "Your eyes will always go to the letters and numbers first to see what they say." I was planning on a personal project to have Wonder Woman breaking some binding chains on a set with some graffiti behind her. So I talked to a friend of mine, Greg, who is a painter on NCIS. I shared with him my idea, and he told me his son, Zach, is a graffiti artist. Great, let's do this! Greg and Zach show up to my studio, and we discuss how it should look. Zach started lining it out, so the process … [Read more...] about “What’s that say?”
Photofocus Podcast November 25, 2015 — Tim Wallace & Perfectly Clear
This week we catch up with professional photographer Tim Wallace to learn about lighting and the photo business. We then sit down with Brad Malcolm from Perfectly Clear to talk about lies that cameras tell (and what you can do about it). Get the show here or get it on iTunes Don't forget to post a review on iTunes. Tim Wallace Photographer Tim Wallace is the driving force and creative thinking behind Ambient Life. An award winning photographer his work is often described as both conceptual and dramatic. Tim works internationally … [Read more...] about Photofocus Podcast November 25, 2015 — Tim Wallace & Perfectly Clear
“What’s in Your Bag?” Stuff!
What's in your bag? Do you really think that the cameras and lenses that are in my bag are going to get you my job? Stop! I'm not being arrogant, however, how you shoot and I shoot are so radically different it doesn't matter if you use the same gear as I do. We are creative knuckleheads and do what we do as individuals. Wanna know about some of the "stuff" that's in my bag? Allow me to share with you my camera brethren:Altoids, gum, Mentos, or anything that will freshen your breath. I hate working around bad breath. Whether it is from food, … [Read more...] about “What’s in Your Bag?” Stuff!
Smoke and Mirrors
We have all used smoke machines on sets, they're great, they create mood and help enhance lighting. We have all seen those amazing light beams.Smoke machines are handled on set by the Special Effects crew. Over the years I have seen them apply smoke several different ways. Allow me to share a few with you if I may. In the video you will see that Scott from F/X is applying smoke to a scene I had to shoot for NCIS:LA. What you need to notice is he's bouncing the smoke from the back of the car and not directly applying it onto the set. Most … [Read more...] about Smoke and Mirrors
Printing is the Lost Art of Photography
Why are prints are so important? Printing is a part of many photographers business or workflow that can be improved. Most of us don't know how to print or even understand the basics of printing. Sure, the ease of going from one screen to another is often easy, while figuring out how to print at the right size and the right output can be daunting. Why Print? Printing can bring another level to your photography and client base. Prints obviously do not require hard drives, cloud storage, or a powered on device to view. A print is a tangible … [Read more...] about Printing is the Lost Art of Photography
Professional Color with Lightroom’s Camera Calibration
I started photography by shooting film in high school just before the turn of the century, and I don't miss film one bit. Its so wonderful to see a photograph on the back of the camera and see how the composition and the highlights are working, and then make changes. I don't know what I learned in school, but I learned it all again the first day I shot with a DSLR by looking at the LCD and making a change and trying again. Its powerful, but if you shoot RAW it may be frustrating, too. The camera shows a JPEG preview, and that just doesn't often … [Read more...] about Professional Color with Lightroom’s Camera Calibration
The Founder of 500px , Photographer Tim Wallace, and Hot Gear | Photofocus Podcast 9/25/14
This week's show is a triple header. First, Melissa Niu chats with Evgeny Tchebotarev who is the co-founder of 500px about their site and future. Vanelli then catches up with professional photographer Tim Wallace and his work with automotive and boating photography. Then Rich Harrington and Chase Reynolds sit down to discuss the hottest gear shipping from Photokina. Music on the show from our new partner SongFreedom. Get the show here or get it on iTunes Don't forget to post a review on iTunes. Evgeny Tchebotarev & 500px In 2004, … [Read more...] about The Founder of 500px , Photographer Tim Wallace, and Hot Gear | Photofocus Podcast 9/25/14
Avrohom Perl | Photographer of the Week
Photos of jewelry that makes you want to buy, subtle imagery of high tech devices in every day life, the perfect shot of food that makes your mouth water... who takes those images? If you're in New York, odds are you've seen some of Avrohom's work even if you didn't know it. "I'm a commercial photographer who shoots products, jewelry, food, headshots, some fashion, portraits, and more. After gaining some experience in different areas of photography, I decided to focus exclusively on the commercial side of the business. There is a string of … [Read more...] about Avrohom Perl | Photographer of the Week
Scott Basile | Photographer of the Week
Embracing new technologies while continuing to uphold the beauty of the old is something many do not attempt, instead focused on only the former part of that equation. For Scott Basile, he uses new technologies to bring old techniques to the forefront. "I make wet plate collodion portraits and landscapes. I shoot with large format cameras, from 4x5 up to 11x14. The images are made in camera and have to be processed before the plate dries, hence the name wet plate, but the process is fairly simple when you get down to it, light bounces off your … [Read more...] about Scott Basile | Photographer of the Week
A Free Webinar on Aviation Photography
We were pleased to have Moose Peterson join us recently in the studio to talk to us about some of his new projects and share photo tips. We'll have his interview released soon. But you can catch up and learn about his latest project on aviation photography. Hosted by Moose Peterson & Scott Kelby September 12th, 2014, at 7pm EDT Reserve your space Signup Here for Free Soar the Skies Join Moose Peterson, world-renowned wildlife and aviation photographer, alongside Scott Kelby, for a live webcast of the world premiere of Mooses latest … [Read more...] about A Free Webinar on Aviation Photography
Richard Thompson III | Photographer of the Week
Car-lovers rejoice, because Richard Thompson's photographs are the stuff of your dreams. Richard is a quiet, contemplative man who suddenly bursts with energy and love for his craft. Seeing him at work is a joy in itself. "I'd describe my style as location based, and car centric. I love cars! There's so much going on with them, they represent a great human technical innovation and are a central component of our rush to industrialism over the course of the past century or so. At the same time they represent an incredible form of art and … [Read more...] about Richard Thompson III | Photographer of the Week
Attaching a Camera to a Car
Take advantage of all that the GoPro HERO has to offer: learn how to get unique, interesting angles for your shoots when working with a car in this tutorial. Watch more at. Thanks to LensRentals.com for the gear support as well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVPYykf2KTQ This tutorial is a single movie from the Shooting with the GoPro HERO: Car and Motorcycle Mounts course by lynda.com author Jim Ball & Rich Harrington. The complete course is 1 hour and 28 minutes and shows how to grab dramatic video and photos with your GoPro HERO … [Read more...] about Attaching a Camera to a Car
19 Photos for Pollution Awareness
Our friends over at ViewBug had a great contest that was aimed to help bring awareness to the problems that pollution and waste cause. The photos shown are part of a selection of images communicating perspectives from close to 100 countries: The journey leads one through five continents, from the Philippines to Colombia, through India, Lithuania and Mali. The GreenVoice Project involves trainers, journalists, volunteer photographers and reporters who provide their own perspective about the environment, citizenship and volunteerism. Northern … [Read more...] about 19 Photos for Pollution Awareness
Meet Photofocus Contributor: Greg Sims
Some artists are born with a beautiful artistic eye, and others are very knowledgeable in the techniques of photography. This particular photographer possesses both characteristics and we are more than thrilled to have Greg Sims a regular author and contributor on Photofocus. Greg Sims was born and raised in the dynamic beach culture of Southern California. From an early age, Sims was heavily influenced visually by Hollywood cinema, beach life and the incredible visual carnival of So.Cal. Once considering himself a photographic purist Sims … [Read more...] about Meet Photofocus Contributor: Greg Sims
Non-Destructive Stamping (Cloning)
As a commercial advertising photographer that specializes in composites, I am continually developing my skill set to allow for easy unlimited tweaking of the images I create.When developing complex visual ideas with many layers, that most of the time, need to fit into a variety of formats, non-destructive techniques are essential. Composites offer a tremendous opportunity for collaboration with your clients. Because most important elements are created separately, your clients can take an active role in the final layout, mood and message of … [Read more...] about Non-Destructive Stamping (Cloning)
Featured Photo by Scot Hampton
This was shot on one of those warm nights we had in early November. (I was in a t-shirt...sorry East coasters!) Anyway, I had been wanting to shoot this building at night for a while. I've been to Cafe Zoetrope a few times and love the food there, and I'm glad that Coppola bought this building and kept it true to its original character. I set up right on the North corner of Kearny and Columbus, with my one of my tripod legs in the street, which was a bit dicey as the bus would come by every 10 minutes, less then a foot away. I was stopping … [Read more...] about Featured Photo by Scot Hampton
Fine Art Layout in Lightroom’s Print Module
I love a fine art print, with a well fit matte and a custom frame. Unfortunately, my walls (and my wallet!) are not big enough to accommodate all the prints I would like to make. I could cycle my images up and down, and trade frames, but they don't always look good in the ratios that the frame is. For instance, I may have a 16x24 frame that I can use to cycle different pictures through, but my next image may look better as a 1.5x2 crop instead of 2x3. Well, this video will show you how to use Lightroom's Print Module to create custom layouts … [Read more...] about Fine Art Layout in Lightroom’s Print Module
How crowd sourcing led to an HDR adventure
I think whoever invented the idea for HDR software must have been a car guy who wanted to make it simpler to show off his beautiful cars. Cars are such ideal subjects for HDR techniques because they always have bright highlights and sheen as well as sculpted forms revealed only with shadow. Last week I was excited to master Photomatix, which led to an automotive adventure in HDR. I could easily have used my own car to practice with, but I figured finding someone else's beautiful car would be a good opportunity to try meet new people and find … [Read more...] about How crowd sourcing led to an HDR adventure
Compositing in Photoshop Using the Clip Approach
I began adapting my photographic style and philosophy from hard core purist to compositor the first time I ever opened Photoshop. For me, within this type of application were the keys to unlimited visual possibilities. The only bummer? I had to learn to love and to effectively clip (select and extract) items from images in order to assemble them in another. I used to hate clipping. It was tedious. Adobe knows that and it and other apps have developed better tools to accomplish this task. Now I take a more "Zen" approach by appreciating the … [Read more...] about Compositing in Photoshop Using the Clip Approach
Never Underestimate the Power of Posting
In my opinion, it has never been a better time to be a creative image maker. Not only are the tools for creation becoming more sophisticated and plentiful, but the opportunity to post, share and have your work noticed has never been easier. I am a huge advocate of social media of all kinds. I was an early adopter and I love it all. I embrace much of that landscape and am an active participant on many sites and platforms. Case in point. I recently joined 500px.com, which is a fantastic site full of amazing images created by immensely … [Read more...] about Never Underestimate the Power of Posting
Using A Wide Angle Lens On A Micro Four Thirds Camera
Watch Scott shoot a great detail shot of a beautiful car. He's using a wide-angle lens on a micro four-thirds body. You can check out the whole class here and get a free trial membership here. Disclaimer: This is just one way to achieve this style of shot. ______ … [Read more...] about Using A Wide Angle Lens On A Micro Four Thirds Camera
Pre-Visualizing Details In A Car Photograph
I have been photographing my new girlfriend, well not really, just my 2014 Jaguar F-Type. At my age, the car is the next best thing! It's been challenging to think of new ways to approach shooting the car. I have tons of standard shots I haven't shared. They are mostly documentary shots. This is how the car looks, etc. Now it's time for something different. I want to show off some of the amazing details in this car. The headlights were the first place I wanted to go to work. I made some shots of the lights from different angles and under both … [Read more...] about Pre-Visualizing Details In A Car Photograph
The Five Most Basic And Valuable Car Photography Tips In The World
Short and sweet. If you know nothing about car photography beyond what I share here, your car photographs will be satisfying. 1. Always try to shoot at sunrise or sunset. 2. Always have a good clean background and pray for clouds. 3. Use a wide angle lens 4. Always shoot from a low angle 5. Always turn the car's lights on. That's it. You do those five things (all of which are there to be seen in this photo I made of my new Jeep Trailhawk) and you'll get a great result. _______ … [Read more...] about The Five Most Basic And Valuable Car Photography Tips In The World
