Parking lot shots

hyunsoo1803

I know I posted this on the photo section but I wanted expert opinions on these shots ! I'm learning as I go...

Most of them were taken with 70-200mm f4 / 24-70mm f4











On the side note I want you guys to choose a lens for me

I've always wanted a prime lenses despite my lack of skills... known for their sharp and large aperture , etc

Would you recommend 24mm? or 50mm? maybe even 85mm?

Here is my favorite local photographer's blog.

The Glass Eye

599 GTO + 458 Italia - a set on Flickr

One day.... I want to take photos like these...

What are some tips to taking such sharp photos?

Oh, critiques are welcome by the way !

Thanks in advance.

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Jasonle

These pictures look nice. I wish I knew how to use my camera like this

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ElVee

Ok, that pic with the hoods off? I think I serious need to take care of something under my desk now. Evo? s2k? Z? If I could have three cars, those three be it. Nice!

RiCharlie

You seriously need to learn and watch your background,,.,.Notice how the background in the Ferrari shots is plain and stark..Nothing to interfere with the car..The background should either complement the subject or get out of the way..The plain background on the Ferrari doesnt enhance the car but it doesnt distract from it either,,

Compare that with that very distracting thing (??) in front of car number one..

Notice how interesting the lighting is on car 2 (background much better..nicer bit of blur) and compare that car with the others and notice how interesting two is compared to the others..(maybe you might want to lighten it just a bit..??) Just enough to brighten it but not so much as to destroy the nice atmosphere you have..maybe tone down some of those lights on the left just a bit..they are distracting..


Do i really have to tell you what is wrong with car 4?? Just in case ..what is the blue thing in the center doing there and is this an ad for air filters..if so light the box..if not get it out of there..along with all the other crap in the background left..

As far as lenses go..( I dont know what your background is so pardon if I tell you what you already know)

.long lenses..telephotos.. bring up the background..Make distant objects larger....wide angels can distort the close areas...good for special effects or when your craming a whole lot in or cant get back far enough


Only you can answer what lens to use because it depends on what you want to achieve
,..Try shooting a close-up shot of your girl with a 28mm lens..just for learning..notice the distortion of her nose and notice the objects in the back are very small..now shoot her with a 300 mm and notice distortion is gone and objects in back are much larger and closer..) but her face seems flat..

Now try 105 mm or thereabouts and notice how her face looks..


So you pick the lens depending on what you want unless you are trying for something unusual stick with lenses 125mm and over and you will stay out of trouble..and PS I looked at the photos of the Glass Eye you mentioned,.,they are cluttered and the background is sometimes distracting,,, but the guy had no choice ...he had to shoot where they and he were..sometimes you do the best with what you are given...

NickTurnon

Wow, "TheGlassEye" just got bookmarked.

Those shots are incredible. I wonder how he/she does that...

Also, your shots look great as well.

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Zbrah

RiCharlie: I don't know a damn thing about photography, but everything you typed about background and distractions just made sense, gonna go practice on my camera phone

RiCharlie

Good luck ! Most of all Have Fun!

RiCharlie

He (the Glass Eye) takes full advantage of natural light, including great use of shadows,,,,,That is one of the keys to these photos...

saber

GlassEye...takes really nice shots but after reading RiCharlie's post I couldn't help but think "I'd photoshop ALL these people out of this bc then it'd be MAJESTIC".

Thanks dude for ruining it for me

I've noticed in my shots I get really annoyed with shadows and tend to up the blacks / shadows too much, making my photos flatter than they should be. I'm working on it though. GE gave me some ideas that I should try.

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RiCharlie

Problem with shadows..Try using a bit of fill flash or bounce some light off a card into the shadows..try this as a learning experiment.. put a bunch of flowers or a figurine in the bright sun...notice the light and shadows...then hold a piece of paper in such a way as to bounce some light into the shadows...notice how much better the light looks now that you have reduced the excessive contrast...play around with this and try to remember this when you shoot..

Also look at any woman's magazine with outdoor shots....ever notice that in a bright show like a beach for example..the face still looks smooth and they are not squinting..that is fill flash.. They put there backs to the sun and use flash to light the face...the trick is to add just enough to fill and not flood.. Try it and let me know how it works out...

6spd

Alright, nothing technical, here goes!

I'd start with a prime lens. Here's the low down from my experience: a 50mm (1.8 or 1.4) is a great lens to start with. It gives you the classic "through the eye", "human perception" focal length. I use my 50mm 1.8 a lot. The sharpness in the center is stellar, while the sharpness on the edges is also worth noting as very good, especially compared to a kit lens. 1.8 lenses are cheap also, 1.4 are more. Bokeh is ok, not great, but ok.

85mm 1.8: Awesome, awesome, awesome lens, period. Tack sharp all over, even at extreme corners. The good thing about the 85mm is it gives you a voyeuristic perspective compared to a 50mm. This perspective is used A LOT in car photography in order to single out the subject car. The 1.8 at this length too gives you a melted away background. Priced around the same as the 50mm 1.4, I'd opt for a cheap 50 1.8 and an 85 1.8 (thats what I use).

One thing to also note is that under low lighting, both lenses sometimes suffer from an inability to focus on what you want them to. This can be frustrating, but there are ways around it, so when it inevitably happens, don't get discouraged.

Flashes: Ok, this is more complicated. Using flashes properly takes skill, time, and patience. How many do I use, where do I put them, how much power, aperture, composition, etc? There are many good guides to be found to start learning, most of which I find at book stores actually, not online. Plus, there is no replacement for experience. Every location is different, therefore every shoot is different. Once you learn the fundamentals, the rest falls into place.

Sorry for the novel, but I hope this helps you out. You have a good eye, that much I can see. Once you learn some new techniques, you'll really enjoy what you can do!

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RiCharlie

God almighty..I have been reading my own posts,,what the hell happened to my grammar and spelling???!!!

But i really do enjoy helping others with their photos..