New Lens + Tripod + Boredome = Night Photoshoot

[nimdivino]

Well inspired by tips of Tenac1ousZ from my last post. I went ahead bought a lens that he recommended, and went to a better spot to play around with my new toy. Just want to share.

The car is dirty, haven't had the chance to wash it and it needs a little bit of TLC but I'm almost ready to buy my parts and paint the whole thing. These are probably the last pics of my car in red. =)

As always, criticism is welcome as I really want to be better in taking photographs.

I also did level adjustments and Unsharp Mask in Photoshop.

Thanks

niM

 

[DrVolkl]

I think they look great...especially the last one.

 

[quack]

wow! I like the fourth because you see a lot of scenery to the left with darker colors and then all of a sudden your car that blends in with the sky from the right. sick!

 

[Oyagi]

#4 gets my vote. I love the oem look.

 

[nbovelle]

Great shots!
That color looks awesome at night.
The only thing I would change would be to pull the car forward in shots 4 and 5 te get rid of that bright light on the right side. That electrical tower makes a nice backdrop also.

Nate in DC

 

[Jap4RE]

yay new wallpaper, thanks! any photoshopping done?

 

[bobert486]

nice job, do you have spacers for your wheels? seems to me it has a wider track.

 

[nimdivino]

Ah, glad you guys like it..

nbovelle:
I also don't like that bright light on the right, but if I moved the car to the left, it would be closer to the bright light pole so most likely half of the car would have had too much light. Does that makes sense? hahaha. But then again I never tried moving the car. I just remember somebody telling me "do not put the car under the light pole".

niM

 

[nimdivino]

bobert486:
Yeah it has a wider track. I used 25MM H&R spacers in the front, and 25MM TC Sportline in the back from Dali Racing.

I rub a little bit in the front driver side on some really bumpy roads but no big deal.

niM

 

[dlynes]

dont blame your love for your car based on boredom...come on!! be happy!

car looks awesome, great pix!

when you have an awesome looking car, next thing that creates the perfect picture is a beautiful background!!

 

[Semnos_NSX]

Car looks great!! Awesome Pictures!

 

[Tamoske]

very nice car

 

[Acura NsX Pilot]

For me the sky is too dark and shooting just before sun down would have yielded better results. Just my opinion.

 

[nimdivino]

dlynes:
haha. Nah, I wasn't blaming my car for my boredom. It was just an excuse to head out there. =)

Acura NsX Pilot:
Thanks for your opinion, I will try it out one of these days and hopefully in a better location too.


Thanks guys for your kinds words.

niM

 

[Veleno]

Nice detailed pictures. What kind of camera, model, lens, etc...

 

[nimdivino]

Veleno:
Thank you. I'm using the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS lens. This lens was recommended by tenaciousZ and I'm glad I listened. hehe.

niM

 

[my1stnsx]

Car looks great!!:smile:

 

[96cxt]

great pictures man. Car looks really good.
What kind of exhaust is that?

Rahim

 

[A_J]

Great pictures and nice car!

 

[WarpDriveKid]

Nim, sharing is always a good thing and I hope ya don't mind me posting. I'll start with saying I do not feel you had the end results in mind when shooting the shots posted. One suggestion is when positioning be aware of your subjects surroundings, such as in shot #5. The hood and front windshield seems to be highlighting or showcasing the tractor, this takes away the attention from the car. Also, try to take your time when shooting, think on how you want the shot to look before you take the shot. Be careful when sharpening, you can over sharpen which leaves those little highlights looking like white spots, things start to look unnatural as well. Just wanted to share a few quick thoughts, but keep on shooting and reading about composition. Staying open to suggestions is a beautiful attitude to have. You will get better!

 

[NeoNSX]

A good lens is the difference between a good photo and a great photo. The traditional rule in photography is it's all about lighting but - to a degree - a good lens will make the best of poor lighting.


btw, is your NSX red or orange? Seems the colour is not balanced. But otherwise AWESOME photos!

 

[PhuShizzle]

wow, very nice nim. I like the lighting and color of #5 and looks of the car in #7. And that spot seems like it has good light shinning equally from the left and right...no bright/dark spots. Good pick. I think at the same spot, if you faced the car forward you at an angle like pic #2, it could be a good shot. And the way you turn the front wheel is just right, I'm glad you didn't make the mistake I see so often of turning the wheel away, show the TIRES! lol, we don't want to see the tires...
But good to see you're enjoying the lens/photography!

some tips you might want to try out on the next shoot(recap):

-Get as low as you/your tripod can go (this is good for shots like #2,3,6)

-Zoom the lens in all the way, then walk back until your subject is far enough the way you want it (this creates compression and also help blur the background, allowing the subject to standout).

-Open the F stop as wide as you can on your lens (this also blur the background, focusing on the subject).

That would improve your shots even further I think. By the way, do you shoot with Raw or Jpeg? If Jpeg, you should try shooting with Raw also...it allows you to adjust color/sharpness/white balance/everything on so many different levels on your computer that shooting with Jpeg doesn't. "Digital Photo Professional" is a great program that comes with your XTi, but if you know PhotoShop, even better.

 

[nimdivino]

Hello mabuhay from the philippines. I'm in greenhills by the tyange area and let me tell you, if you need watches, bags, accessories, cellphones, etc.. you can find it here for cheap.. Its crazy, everywhere you look, its Gucci, LV, Bvlgari for like $20. hahaha.

Anyway, I'm waiting for friend and so I figured to drop-by and check my thread, and I'm glad I did..

96cxt:
thanks man.. The exhaust is comptech

WarpDriveKid:
Hey thanks for you input, I really appreciate it. However, I think I knew what I wanted when I took the pictures and I did spend some time composing my shots. I think the problem is, I do not have much experience so what I think is good (composition wise) may not be good to a professional or to a more experienced photographer. You know what I mean? But I do agree, composition could be better and your opinion is greatly appreciated because that will only make me better.

With the sharpening, do you think I over did it?

NeoNSX:
Thanks for the compliments. The car has factory red but with orange pearl of some sort. Not quite sure how they did it but the color looks exotic when the sun hits it especially in the lines. However I am not a fan of red, so I'll be switching color soon. hehe

 

[nimdivino]

Tenac1ousZ:
Hey man, I was about to PM you to let you know I posted photos, but you found it already. hehe.

Thanks for the compliments man, I appreciate it. And I will definitely follow your advises in my next night photoshoot, but this time using the G35. I've been using this tripod designed for videographers, its not low enough so I may have to really invest on a low tripod. I was trying to look for bricks or something when I took these photos, but didn't find any..

Anyway, my friend is here and I gotta go.. Thanks again man..

niM

 

[WarpDriveKid]

WarpDriveKid:
Hey thanks for you input, I really appreciate it. However, I think I knew what I wanted when I took the pictures and I did spend some time composing my shots. I think the problem is, I do not have much experience so what I think is good (composition wise) may not be good to a professional or to a more experienced photographer. You know what I mean? But I do agree, composition could be better and your opinion is greatly appreciated because that will only make me better.

With the sharpening, do you think I over did it?

If the shots did come out the way you intended them to, then you have accomplished your goal. Which is great and I apologize for saying otherwise. Photography is interpretation as well as expression (it’s writing with light), unless you are getting paid to capture or reproduce a certain look or style for a client. For instance, someone brings you a shot and asks that you capture their car the same way….this is where experience and knowledge as well as talent come into play. Practice, practice, read books, analyze shots you like as well as talking with others that shoot like Tenac1ousZ, it will make you better. Practice recognizing how the pictures are edited, their composition, lighting etc. train your mind and eye. Know the basics, know your cameras capabilities and go for it. If money is spent on a lens; if you can purchase L Glass, such as the 24mm -70mm…but it all depends on budget. You can get very nice shots from a cheaper lens but you must know that lens best settings for it to shine, but L is best, you won’t regret it. As for the sharpening, be careful that it’s not used to fix something that you could have fixed while taking the shot. Photo shop should enhance, create and at times yes, correct. But always try to obtain good input, and then output will be even better. Almost all digital pics can use a bit of sharpening etc. but the big boy cams are getting darn close to film. All this to say it depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.

I’m not an expert, just a person that likes photography as much as the next person. I have a 20d, 24-70mm 2.8 L that I use for most of my shots and I rent the 70-200 2.8 L IS for gigs.

I hope I did not write too much, I just like when I see someone working on getting better, without the chip on their shoulder.