Taking better pictures

[Bababooey]

I'm getting a website finally and want to put some pictures of cars I've done on it. My computer conveniently crashed a few months ago and lost everything so I've got to start from nothing again. For the better picture takers, what are you doing that makes your pictures look so good? Lights? Settings?

These are of a car I did today. They look presentable, but just don't pop like others I've seen. The lighting in the room is a bunch of tiny strip lights and they show up as little dots all over the car. Aside from taking mobile lighting for just pictures, is there anything I can do for pictures in the field?

Also, make sure the dealer knows what cars NOT to sell film on. This car had 25k on it and the bumper was filled with little pits on top of being a repaint. I would have turned it down if it wasn't done through a dealership.

[Tint Wife]

Good photos are about composition... forget about traditional snaps and play with angles. The shot you've posted of the hood, could be made more appealing if it was taken from the side instead of face on, that way you'd still see the detail of the hood but also some of the side of the car which would draw the eye.

Lighting is important, but probably not the way you think. Try to find a space in your shop that has good lighting but not direct lighting. Direct lighting can work against you, look at the reflection of your lights in that hood, something that you could have avoided though if you had shot it on a slightly different angle.

When you're taking photos, take more than you think you need, mix it up and shoot from lots of different angles.... you can delete later.

Get a good photo editing program... learn to edit, crop and highlight (you can compensate for your lighting)...

Practice, you'll learn what looks good.

[Guest kccartint]

There is a lot to this. Would help to know what your taking pictures with equipment wise.

Just a quick edit on the first pic. Not much to work with due to several factors but can help narrow them down after knowing what your starting with. With the right settings the noise in the edit can be eliminated. Can also pull a lot more detail out of the photo.

[Bababooey]

That looks great. Looks like I have to "procure" another copy of photoshop. I'd rather not touch up photos, but at least I'm not clone stampping over flaws or adding flares. Some guy on a detailing forum got caught doing that a few years ago and was never heard from again. I'll also try some different angles, if anything to put some variety in them so it's not the same shot over and over.

[cool dude]

In the beginning when I was taking pictures, I thought a picture was a picture until a friend who has a hobby in photography showed me some pictures he had taken. I was really impressed of the photos and like KC mentioned there is alot to know techniques, equipment, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, lenses etc. I used to use a point and shoot camera and purchased a canonT1i and plan on getting a wide lens for installation pictures. You can still take good pictures with point and shoot cameras with the right settings.

Here are some pictures taken with the canon T1i

http://clearbraofjax.com/?page_id=9&al...1&nggpage=2

[XPEL Jeff]

In the beginning when I was taking pictures, I thought a picture was a picture until a friend who has a hobby in photography showed me some pictures he had taken. I was really impressed of the photos and like KC mentioned there is alot to know techniques, equipment, ISO, aperture, shutter speed, lenses etc. I used to use a point and shoot camera and purchased a canonT1i and plan on getting a wide lens for installation pictures. You can still take good pictures with point and shoot cameras with the right settings.

Here are some pictures taken with the canon T1i

http://clearbraofjax.com/?page_id=9&al...1&nggpage=2

I like the fact that you included a shot or two of actual installation pictures. It's hard to do as a one man operation, but not difficult if you borrow a friend's help. It always cracks me up to see pictures of a bunch of cars that may or may not have film on them. It is also nice to get a few extreme close ups of wraps and/or tight tolerances on kits, so they get a good idea of what to expect.

[Bababooey]

It always cracks me up to see pictures of a bunch of cars that may or may not have film on them. It is also nice to get a few extreme close ups of wraps and/or tigh tolerances on kits, so they get a good idea of what to expect.

I've always hated the fact that when you do a perfect job on a car, you can't tell you did anything to it.