How To Photograph Your Car Like The Pros

The single biggest mistake made by people taking a shot of their car is the background. Put your car in front of something that isn't cluttered--a tree line, a crossroads intersection in the country, someplace where the background isn't taking your attention away from the car. Also watch for reflections in the paint. A polarizing filter on the lens will remove reflections from windows and glossy paint. Lens filters are one of the bells and whistles we use.

Another common problem is shooting the "wrong" side of the car. Notice this car's shadow in the shot. Always position the car so the shadow is on the other side of it, in relationship to where you are standing--you don't want to be able to see its shadow. Set the car so the sun is behind you (you're between the car and the sun) while you're taking the picture. This way, the side of the car you want to photograph is well lit. It's also best to shoot when the sun is low in the sky--before 10 a.m. and after 2 p.m. The low sunlight will light up the side of the car, while the sun high in the sky (late morning and early afternoon) will only light the roof and hood, leaving the sides of the car shaded. Always try to take pictures of your car on clear days with lots of sunlight, avoiding cloudy or overcast days. Your car's paint looks great with the sun dancing off of it, and that shows on the film. Cars shot on overcast days look flat and just don't "pop" out of the picture.

Okay, it's not a pretty engine bay, but it illustrates lighting. Another common problem with car photography is harsh shadows in the engine bay and interior. The engine shadowing is caused by the hood being raised and blocking half the sunlight to the engine but strongly lighting the other half, while the interior is just the sunlight streaming through the windows. There's an easy fix.

There are two ways to fix bad lighting on engines and interiors--wait for clouds to cover the sun, or move the car to a shaded area, such as under a tree or awning. This will slow your shutter speed, so a flash or a tripod is required. Many pros prefer to use a slow shutter speed as opposed to a flash, because a flash can make harsh highlights on chrome and other brightwork. Also notice that the photographer is shooting down into the engine bay, rather than standing on the ground in front of the car. This shows more of the engine and looks better in the final photo.

Look at the difference between this engine shot and the previous one with the poor lighting. By raising the camera a couple of feet higher, you are able to see more of the engine, and the angle of the photo is looking down into the engine bay, rather than "skipping across the top" of the motor.

Engine and interior shots come out best when shot with a lens somewhere between 28-35mm. Any longer (higher than 35mm) and it's hard to get close enough, physically, to the car and get a good angle. Any smaller (below 28mm) and the image starts to distort, or "fish eye"--everything looks like it's in a fish bowl.

Also pay attention to little details. Here, the steering wheel isn't level and straight across. Other common detractors are keys in the ignition and things hanging from knobs and the rearview mirror.