528i @ Sunset

[spngr311]

I took some pictures of my friend's car today on the Eau Gallie Causeway at sunset. I played around with my wireless flash triggers and had a blast. I need to be more observant about how I positioned the car, some of the images have the car slanted away from us in an otherwise excellent sunset! I also need to learn about positioning the flashes a bit better. My friend really liked them, but I know I can do better.

1. No flash.


2.


3.


4. Edited some in photoshop.


5.


6.


7.


8.

[JK6065]

Hi Rob,

I like the location you chose and the sunset works for me. Although I think the flashlight is a bit too much and a bit too harsh. Did you use any diffusors? For example #2: The side of the car near the front is a bit over exposed as well as the foreground. But the light on the side near the rear looks very nice. The light around the rear lights and the back window (Although a little bright too).

You could use photoshop to correct it, but it's essential to have it right straight from the camera.

What do you think?

[Dave Humphries]

Good series Rob and you learned a lot (well, we all have).

They certainly show promise, well done.

Rob, Jeroen,

I found myself repeatedly scrolling up and down comparing images so, by the power invested in me as a moderator, I 'quote' included the original of #2 into the above reply to make comparison easier. Hope you don't mind.

Cheers,

[JK6065]

I wondered for a minute how the original got there, ;-) but it's indeed quite useful to have them side by side.

[spngr311]

Thanks guys, I can't wait to get out there again and try again. I'm happy I found that backdrop, finding good locations for car shoots is half the issue. I found a few others, but the first one was a little sketchy. Besides the "No Trespassing" signs, there was a dead body found there a few weeks ago! Too bad, it was exactly the spot I was looking for! The search continues...

Jeroen, I definitely like what you did. How did you do it??

I have to pick up some diffusers or soft boxes for the the flashes. I think they are a little bit too harsh, but I don't have a lot of settings available on the Sigma flash. Maybe if I could spread the light some, it would be helpful.

[MiniChris]

Nice sunset but the 528i is a boring beamer by anyone's standards, including beamer owners...using that car in that setting kills the setting rather than enhancing the car.

Do a nice Mini next time!

[FrankMi]

Do a nice Mini next time!

LOL! I wonder what made you think of that, Chris!

Hi Rob, to me, #2 looks similar to what I see in the automobile showroom brochures, very nice! I think it would be better if the sun wasn't right on the left edge of the image. How do you feel it would work if the sun was about 1/3rd the way from the left edge toward the front of the car?

[spngr311]

Nice sunset but the 528i is a boring beamer by anyone's standards, including beamer owners...using that car in that setting kills the setting rather than enhancing the car.

Do a nice Mini next time!

LOL! I do agree that the E39 is a bit bland, but if my friend got some nice 18" BBS LM's on it with the M-Tech kit, it would step it up some. The thing I liked best about his car was the silver color - it helps contrast it from the colorful setting.

I'd be up for a Mini, but I don't have one on hand! I did snap a few of my car, but my flashes were dying on me and my car is much darker and is a bit tricky to properly expose.

[spngr311]

LOL! I wonder what made you think of that, Chris!

Hi Rob, to me, #2 looks similar to what I see in the automobile showroom brochures, very nice! I think it would be better if the sun wasn't right on the left edge of the image. How do you feel it would work if the sun was about 1/3rd the way from the left edge toward the front of the car?

Thank you for the compliment - that is what I'm trying to go for! I'll have to try getting the shot like that. It's always a challenge trying to get it at exactly the right time - the lighting is always changing behind the car, complicating things even more!

[Wirefox]

These shots took me back to the car mag shots from the eighties The body of the car is nicely lit on the paint work but you start to lose some definition on the glass and door pillars. A bit of dodging may help. Also i am not a great fan of the BMW looks anyway but presenting it a**e first was not a good move. Very few cars look good from the rear quarter. It looks as if it has been abandoned. I feel that there would have been more interest and better dynamics if shot from the front quarter.

[JK6065]

What I did was basically what I said that could be improved in the shot.
To go more detailed:
I set the white balance a bit warmer, especially the foreground is a bit too cold for my taste.
Than I took down the overall exposure and at some local places like the foreground, at the side of the car near the front wheel, a little at the rear light and also brought down the license plate.
I finished with some over contrast adjustments by altering the a curves adjustment layer.

Diffusors are quite usefull but the also can be quite expensive. Placing your flashes further from the subject will give you a softer look, but can illuminate than more than you want them to. So using diffusors is wise. If you're a bit skilled yourself you can easily make them yourself whit some wood, cardboard, fabric and paper. This would be great :-). Although some simple reflection screens can do great things.

[spngr311]

Jeroen, thanks for the feed back and instruction. I have a lot to learn, especially when related to post processing. That was some helpful advice.

Steve, thanks for the comments. I need to get some more light up higher on the car, I think that would help the most with the pillars and where I'm losing the definition. BMW's are definitely not for everyone, however, I think the rear of the E46 w/ an M-tech II kit or M3 is very attractive.

Here's one of my car from the same shoot. As you can see, it has a host of other issues to deal with: