Shooting Better Allante Pictures
101 - The Basics
Author: Steve GarrityPhoto Credits: Steve Garrity
January, 2015
When I purchased my first Allante I wanted “CAR SHOTS”. Even though I had spent several years as a professional photographer I needed to learn the proper way to shoot “a car shot”. Here are a few tips to help you take a more professional picture. Make sure your car is clean and shinning, no splashes behind the wheel wells and the tires need to be clean as well.
Most importantly is NOT to stand too close to the car while shooting the picture, back away at least four car lengths. If you are too close it causes distortion of the car. Backing away from your car eliminates elongated hoods and fenders. Next, look for a great location background to photograph your pride and joy, but keep it simple. Different color cars photograph differently. Some colors look best in open sunshine, while others do very well in shade. Don't be afraid of trying different lighting situations in order to find what's best for your particular car color.
A few examples (see the first two pictures above), Teal when photographed in the bright sun is a brilliant blue. The same car photographed in the shade or on an overcast day, will be more to the green side of the spectrum. One of the easiest colors to photograph is Beige Metallic, it looks good in the sun or shade, plus it can be a little dirty unlike other colors.
One of the more difficult colors is Pearl Red. It seems to do very well in the shade, with light coming through the trees which gives highlights to the color. One of the major problems photographing Pearl Red in the bright sunlight is, it catches the sun and causes a flare or hot spot in the picture. Simply move the camera up, down or step right or left, so the flare is gone or it is in a portion of the car which does not reflect the sun. All the dark colors present this same problem.
Your Allante is a three dimensional item, so keep this in mind when shooting. Use the following as your mental checklist:
#1. Turn the front wheels, so they are NOT straight with the car.
#2. Three quarter front or three quarter rear shots will give you the best angle. There are exceptions, but not many, an example is when you want your car in front of a particular background (3rd photo) the St. Louis Arch as an example. In this case there was limited access. It shows the car has been to a particular location. Shooting a straight side, front or back shot is the least desirable angle to show off your Allante, because it becomes 2-dimensional.
#3. Always try to be at an angle when shooting your Allante and don't forget to back away for the best results.
#4. Try all sorts of low angle shots, you'll be surprised how changing the camera angle can change the end results. The Allante looks very good when photographed from a low angle. It gives the car a more prestigious look.
#5. When shooting tight shots (a picture where your Allante fills the picture) give some additional room to the front of the car, so it has someplace to GO in the picture.
Most digital cameras have a zoom lens, telephoto (long end of the lens) and wide angle (short end of the lens). It is best to shoot on the long or telephoto end. Why? It eliminates distortion. (see photos four and five above). Same car, same shot, but one is telephoto and the other is wide angle. Do you see the distorted fender in the wide angle?
If your camera has the option of the P (Program) setting, use it and set it to the lowest ISO setting. The lower the setting the better the picture quality. Look for interesting backgrounds, but keep it simple i.e. you don't want trees growing out of your car, or a statue rising from the driver's seat. Something to watch as well is for unwanted reflection and people in the background. The shot is ALL ABOUT YOUR ALLANTE. Sometimes the location is so great you use your Allante as an accent to make the shot more interesting. (see example, shot in Key West)
Do not take all your photos from the same height i.e. standing with the camera at eye level. The camera is mobile, so move it up, down, to the left, to the right. There are always exceptions to the above rules, but again not many. With today's digital cameras, I would suggest taking several pictures and when you view them later, discard the ones you don't like. Also, the better the camera, the better the picture quality, phones are phones, and do not compare to a cameras for quality. I hope this has been helpful for you obtaining better shots of your prized Allantes.
Remember, shoot lots of pictures in lots of locations!!!…
In the Nut Shell
#1. Back away from the car. Standing too close causes distortion. (Elongated hoods and fenders)
#2. Keep the background simple yet interesting.
#3. Unless you are going for an special effect always shoot your car ¾ front or ¾ back.
#4. Always turn the front wheels. Your Allante is a three dimensional, this adds a little flare.
#5. Try different camera heights, from very low to high. Allantés look great from a low angle.
#6. Using a quality “camera” and not a cellphone will help tremendously. Cellphones are great for snapshots, but if you’re going for quality you’ll want to use a camera.
#7. Camera settings should be on P (Program) and at the lowest ISO setting.