Warning, if you absolutely hate modern vehicles don't click this thread. Mods, I know how this forum wants to stick to traditional, so if it gets deleted I'll understand. But here's the deal, I've seen a ton of great photography here, so I'm looking for those of you that are photographers and can see past what is being photographed. I want honest input on these photos. I've had a online magazine ask me to submit work for them, and I thought what the heck, get my name out there, gotta work up from somewhere. So I had a photo shoot today, I'm only putting these photos up for them to get a glimpse of the truck and see if they want me to do a feature article on it. I would like some honest feedback: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/57755873/ http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/57757478/ I've taken a lot of photos of auto's before, but this was my first for a photo shoot, most of the previous come from car shows. So anything I should do next time? Anything you wouldn't have done? There is a download button on the left you can download a full res copy of it. And if you're close to ND with a traditional rod that is bagged, and are interested in having some publicity (like I said it's only an online magazine), I wouldn't mind doing a shoot, I would rather shoot classics anyways.
Ok, I'm not a pro, but will throw in my .02$ The shadows (tailgate and front left) could use a bit of brightening up with some fill flash or big old reflector panel. They may also help to get rid of the sort of half reflection in the front windshield. Good luck getting published and maybe post some more photos on Wed. photo show or Fri. art show. I would like to see some more work.
Actually, those are very good. Heck, I even like the truck- not too overdone, at least compared to some of the lets-glue-on-all-the-trinkets-we-can-find crowd. First off, you've got a great backdrop. The old-timey look is a great counter to the modern truck, and the colors are consistent and muted, letting the subject take center stage. You don't have any errant shadows, the lighting is fairly consistent, and the truck's cool. Now, that said... First off, both shots should be landscape, not portrait. I understand you might have needed to cut off some background junk, but what that gives you is quite a bit of dead space both above and below the subject. In the rear shot, the triangle of bright sky in the upper right is distracting- cropping would lose the "Occident", but that's a good thing here. That lettering is a bit too obvious in that shot, and cropping part of it would tone that down a little. Second, also from the rear, you needed to fill in some of the dark areas both on the tailgate and the rear window. Something like an umbrella flash on low power is the "right" way, but even a helper standing there with a big sheet of white cardboard to reflect some natural light would have helped. Doesn't have to be much, but it's too dark as it is. On the front, you have a distracting reflection across the windshield- try a polarizing filter. You'll see more of the interior, but it'll even out that glaring reflection line. You also have a single line, probably from an overhead powerline- a polarizer would help get rid of that too. Also with that, your lighting across the nose is uneven- bright on the passenger side, almost dark on the drivers'. Here, either move the truck about four or five feet to the left, or again add some fill light- a small remote flash, maybe. And last, the little things; lose that dark rock or whatever it is, to the left of the passenger door. Turn on the parking lights so the lower lamps are on for the front shot, and the tail lights are on for the rear shot. And watch the reflections- note how much "smoother" the from-the-rear shot looks as far as stuff reflected in the side of the body. Rear is cool, front is not bad, but definitely a little more "busy". But really, it's pretty damn good even as-is. That heavy camber on the front wheels annoys me, but that's the gearhead side talking, not the photographer. Doc.
I am by no means a pro or guru but the first thing that struck me is that if the truck is the subject, the first place my eye went was the wall painting. Removed the painting for Ha,Ha's.
Thanks a lot Doc, I remember you if you're the same Docs Machine that builds paintball guns. I used to follow your cartoon and posted on your forums occasionally when I owned my paintball field. The camber wasn't really that bad, but on that one he actually got the tire to suck up a little more, his valves were sticking open a little so it would slowly raise the front.
I get what you're saying, I think that's probably why Doc said it should be landscape and not portrait. I got plenty more shots both landscape and portrait, and in different locations as well, just haven't uploaded them.
Alright so I caved, I want some criticism on one out in the sunlight: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/57785168/
The darkness of the first couple shots didn't enhance the subject, at least in my eye. The low angle shot in the sun is pretty good, except for the building (and especially the ladder) that seems to be growing out of the bed. By the way, I might be the world's worst photographer, and have drawers full of hot rod pictures with similar "flaws." Hope I sound constructive here.....
51 Merc, that does look good, I may have to photoshop some of the photos we took on the parking ramp, as much as I don't like doing that much work to my photos. AnimalAin, ya looking at the photos I really wish I would've had him move out onto the street in front of the building to get him away from the shadow of it. The road wasn't that busy that people couldn't go around (after all I was sprawled out on it for some of the shots I took).
The Jalopy Journal
