How to shoot a black car at night (with one speedlight)?

[Synchromesh]

As per title, can anyone tell me how to shoot a black car at night with just one speedlight (Canon 430EX). Other than that will be using a canon 350D or 450D with the obligatory tripod. I've had very good results with a silver car on a 30 sec exposure and flashing manually across the car (probably at least 30 flashes but couldn't replicate the results with a dark green car, and a black car will only be harder still, so, how?

[davepoth]

What lens are you using? A 30 second exposure should be plenty to get an acceptable result if you've got everything else sorted out.

[Synchromesh]

davepoth said:

What lens are you using? A 30 second exposure should be plenty to get an acceptable result if you've got everything else sorted out.

Just a boggo 18-55mm kit lens. Just couldn't make the dark car stand out like I could the silver one, but I've seen other black cars looking good in night photos. I really want the car to stand out rather than blend in to the background.

[AndWhyNot]

You may strike lucky with the perfect combination of setting, ambient light and shape of car to avoid specular highlights from the numerous low-powered flash bursts you'd need to even begin to light the panels evenly. But it's unlikely, in which case you'll get a flat looking image in which the car is covered in pinprick reflections.

Better to lightpaint it with a continuous lamp of some sort (who guessed I was going to say that?) This lightpainting insight might help. Can't say these don't stand out:







Or scout your locations and compose the shot very carefully using ambient light only (ie streetlighting) so that what you see with your eyes and through the viewfinder is what you get on the sensor.

If you persist with the one speedlight thing, your best bet would be to composite multiple exposures as layers in Photoshop and maybe an extra frame for background. Nick Grant off here did a how to on this technique but I don't have it as a bookmark. Remember to account for the massive difference between light qualities of black panels and silver wheels when recording your frames for compositing.

[davepoth]

Synchromesh said:

Just a boggo 18-55mm kit lens. Just couldn't make the dark car stand out like I could the silver one, but I've seen other black cars looking good in night photos. I really want the car to stand out rather than blend in to the background.

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&pq=nikon+f1.4&xhr=t&q=nikon+f1.8&cp=10&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=14316505760466272777&sa=X&ei=pOycTYjwBtSz8QP1ybX2Bg&sqi=2&ved=0CCQQ8wIwAQ#

Something like this would be a real addition to your kit if you want to shoot in low light.

[Nick Grant]

Thanks for the plug

With one flash, using multiple exposures rather than one...

http://www.nickgrant.co.uk/content/?p=426



But I agree with AWN light-painting would probably be better...

http://www.nickgrant.co.uk/content/?p=842

Edited by Nick Grant on Thursday 7th April 08:29

[fozthedevil]

bit of a behind the scenes look, i originaly tried this with 3 lights to do the shot, couldnt get the look right, so in the end, left the 2 lights stand where they were switched off, and had a friend pointing the other one where i told them...

also you can see just a few of the many layers i was working on...

[tinman0]

Synchromesh said:

As per title, can anyone tell me how to shoot a black car at night with just one speedlight (Canon 430EX). Other than that will be using a canon 350D or 450D with the obligatory tripod. I've had very good results with a silver car on a 30 sec exposure and flashing manually across the car (probably at least 30 flashes but couldn't replicate the results with a dark green car, and a black car will only be harder still, so, how?

A lot of post production as far as I can tell. But the key seems to be the background.

The problem is that a black car at night is always going to be a black car in the dark. No matter how you light it, it will always be a black car. There just won't be any colour to pick out. So work on picking out it's features I figure.

Someone just posted a suggestion for nifty fifty, but I cannot see why. Unless you want to photograph a car at 50-100 feet away a 50mm on a crop is a total waste of time, regardless of aperture. Plus, most of these cars are in the public domain, which means people are around them. Unless people can actually see the photographer, they will get in the way, and if you are shooting from an upstairs window or across the road, they will never see you.

And even then, photographing at such a distance at f1.8 is a waste of time as you run the risk of the car not being totally in focus.

Had exactly the same problem photographing a black car at Ace last night.

[davidd]

I had real trouble with my black cerbera and a single flash (I followed Nicks tutorial but was let down by a lack of talent!)

[tinman0]

After all your superb shots on blip, you managed that?





Maybe I don't feel so bad now

[Synchromesh]

Thanks for all the ideas. I'll have a go at light painting it with a torch.

[AndWhyNot]

Synchromesh said:

Thanks for all the ideas. I'll have a go at light painting it with a torch.

Trick is to keep the light source moving, lighting with a torch from a static position will give you all the same headaches as using flash

[davidd]

tinman0 said:

After all your superb shots on blip, you managed that?





Maybe I don't feel so bad now

lol, I have to admit I did get a little cross that evening I might try and light paint it one night (unless someone buys it, ehem )

[chrisj_abz]

had a wee attempt at lightpainting tonight, think i need to have a better shield on the led torch i have. got loads of light leakage when i used the torch close up.



Mx5 lightpainted 1 by chrisj_abz, on Flickr


Nice and simple to try so will have some more practice!

[01101001]

The top one was using the light in a carpark

Licensed to ill by 01101001 01100001 01101110, on Flickr
The bottom on was done light painting with a modelling light

My Fiat 500 by 01101001 01100001 01101110, on Flickr

[abarth500]

If all else fails, just use the moonlight? Shot this hand held, it could have been a lot better with a tripod.