What makes a good setting for a car photograph?

[jimmy156]

On the verge of a potential new car purchase, I got to thinking what makes a good setting for photographing a car.

Dropping a car into an amazing landscape shot works well, but unlike GetCarter we don't all have the Scottish highlands round the corner (or his talent for an amazing landscape shot!)

So is there are key to what works, simple backdrops, limited colour/lots of colour etc etc. What works?

[V8Wagon]

Yes it's a Vectra....and I'm sure most proper photographers would scoff at the shots but I was pleased with these pics of my old motor in a tunnel under the railway at night...

[kman]

jimmy156 said:

On the verge of a potential new car purchase, I got to thinking what makes a good setting for photographing a car.

Dropping a car into an amazing landscape shot works well, but unlike GetCarter we don't all have the Scottish highlands round the corner (or his talent for an amazing landscape shot!)

So is there are key to what works, simple backdrops, limited colour/lots of colour etc etc. What works?

simple backdrops would be easy to work with - you don't want distracting 'junk' in the background only things which add context to the image really. I would also say the context should match the characteristics of the car to some extent at least.

the other main thing to consider is lighting - if you're taking simple snaps without access to lighting equipment then avoid shooting in dark areas or night time in places where its not lit up (especially if its a dark coloured car).

[jimmy156]

I like the vectra shots, as backdrop goes that's relatively simple but with tunnel leading away it does add an element of interest that wouldn't be there if it was against a similarly coloured/lit wall.

I guess simple is the key unless you really know what to look for. I am sure I have seen some shots by nick grant on here using Industrial/barn doors as a backdrop that work very nicely.

Interesting what you say about mirroring the character of the car. Sounds like a good idea! May be quite tricky in practice?

[andy-xr]

I prefer simple. I had a yellow car on ebay, so I used a green backdrop (easy enough to find). Use colours, avoid graffitti and remember that the world probably doesnt need another moody underground car park shot

[jimmy156]

andy-xr said:

I prefer simple. I had a yellow car on ebay, so I used a green backdrop (easy enough to find). Use colours, avoid graffitti and remember that the world probably doesnt need another moody underground car park shot

The car i a going to see is a deep metallic grey (boring I know, when I think about it every car I have owned is silver or grey!) so would lots of colour to contrast work or keep it relatively monotone.

Understanding colours and what compliments what is something I have never got to grips with in photography. My passion is wildlife photography and you don't get a lot of choice in that!

[andy-xr]

If you look at a colour wheel, you can decide whether to go with something contrasting or similar, depending on what you want. For that yellow car I did, I wanted something complimenting it, but that was darker (brighter stuff comes towards you, darker stuff goes away from you) so the obvious one was green, and there's lots of it

The idea is, go 1-2 steps around the wheel from your base colour, or go directly opposite it, so yellow would work with green or blue. Red would work with blues and they'd give contrast instead of compliment

Anyway, you're fked with silver

Good luck

[Craikeybaby]

Another vote for fairly plain backgrounds, the fence at the back of my work car park is one of my go to locations:

Fiat 500 Demo Car by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

But some colour is good too:

Fiat 500 by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

Unfortunately there is usually a lorry parked there, so rarely get to use this background.

To show that I don't only take pictures of Fiat 500s and that the best setting is actually Scotland:

MX-5 on a cliff by Lewis Craik, on Flickr

[tim-b]

jimmy156 said:

The car i a going to see is a deep metallic grey (boring I know, when I think about it every car I have owned is silver or grey!) so would lots of colour to contrast work or keep it relatively monotone.

Understanding colours and what compliments what is something I have never got to grips with in photography. My passion is wildlife photography and you don't get a lot of choice in that!

I would go bold with the colour, think of a silver/grey car as a chicken breast - can be bland on it's own but is a great carrier of flavour..

Obviously the shot below is an extreme example, being a very glossy black with contrasty background, but even a very light metallic paint will pick up a nice glow from a brightly lit colourful backdrop.

Donington Historic Festival 2014 by motion_captured, on Flickr

[thespannerman]

How far are you from central North Yorkshire? I'm slap bang in the center of the Dales and could just continue to list place after place for scenic backdrops! I would go out and shoot some pictures this afternoon, but I'm afraid my dirty old shed would spoil the views!

[jimmy156]

Well haven't had a chance to put any real effort into shots of the new car yet, but i was quite pleases with this of my friends 130i



Please ignore the naff p'shop blending, i was in a bit of a rush and will re-do it when i get a sec.

10 PH points if you can guess the location, near a place of petrol head interest...