Subscribe to Updates

    Get the latest creative news from FooBar about art, design and business.

    What's Hot

    13 Webtoon XYZ Alternatives For 2023- Noteworthy Choices!

    March 24, 2023

    20 Vipleague Alternatives for 2023 – Comparing the Best Streaming Platforms

    March 24, 2023

    The Cameras for Streaming on PC Options for Professional-Quality Gaming Streams

    March 23, 2023
    Facebook Twitter Instagram
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    Facebook Twitter
    Connection Cafe
    • Small Business
      • Biz Tech
      • Marketing
      • Sales
    • IoT
    • IT
      • Big Data
    • Security
    • Software
    • Internet
      • Web Apps
      • Social Media
    • Mobile
      • Android
      • iOS
    • Gaming
    • Other
      • Gadgets
      • Blogging
      • VOIP
    Connection Cafe
    Home»Tips & Tricks»7 Secrets When Shooting Cars At Night
    Tips & Tricks

    7 Secrets When Shooting Cars At Night

    RichardBy RichardJune 13, 2019Updated:June 14, 2019No Comments5 Mins Read

    Taking pictures of cars at night combines a few things that the average photographer does not like. Nighttime shots, which are plagued by poor lighting conditions that make it hard to get enough light in the shot. Cars, which tend to have reflective glass as windows, which further complicate picture-taking. Finally, there’s the chance that they need to shoot the car as it moves, bringing even more challenges.

    Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/bMVlCANFJA8

    However, as proven by nighttime shots of cars moving in the dark, this isn’t impossible. Not every shot is going to be complete garbage just because of the conflux of bad conditions. Here are seven of the most overlooked secrets to taking great photos of cars in the dark of night.

    The Trouble with Reflections

    Reflections will always be an issue when taking photos of a car, even at night. Anything that reflects off the windows, whether it’s trees behind the photographer or the crew, can distract from the design lines that should be the focus. One way to avoid this is to have an open space for the shoot itself, rather than in an enclosed area or one with a lot of other clutter.

    If you can’t avoid yourself being reflected in the shot, put the camera on a tripod, set the timer, and walk away. If you do this right and align the shot perfectly on the tripod, you won’t get a reflection at all.

    Get In A Moving Vehicle

    If you need to take driving shots, there are a few methods to employ. The best technique here is to take the shot from another moving vehicle. This removes the annoying tendency of photos of moving cars to reduce the vehicle itself to nothing but a colored blur. By being on the move yourself, you can better keep up with the subject.

    If you do this, be sure to tweak your camera settings. A shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second will help you capture all the details without turning the motion itself into a blur. The result is a beautiful action shot of a car driving at night.

    On a driving shot, you also need to turn Drive Mode on. Set it on a two-second delay, eliminating the slight shaking that comes with you taking shots from inside a moving vehicle.

    Get The Best Gear Available

    Get the very best equipment. A nighttime photo shoot of a car is a serious challenge, and there are few scenarios more daunting for most photographers. For this, you want cameras that are high-end, along with attendant accessories. This means light sources, a variety of lenses for specific functions, reflectors, and more.

    A good external light source can help “paint” the image. It can add a bit more lighting if things are just that dark. A Soonwell LED light panel can be useful for this function.

    You want a DSLR, rather than a point-and-shoot model. Going full manual lets you control every detail of the shot before you press the button, so you can manipulate as many of the variables as possible. You will need to spend money on the gear, though you don’t necessarily have to spend thousands of dollars. Find good deals and don’t go off the deep end right away.

    You also want a steady tripod. This will help with those times when you need longer exposures to compensate for the lack of light. Go for a branded one, rather than a generic. The generic ones may be cheap, but they tend to wobble at the slightest breeze.

    Be Patient

    If you need to take photos of a car at night, wait until the sun is completely down. You don’t want it setting over the horizon. You want it dark, with the moon and stars out. Sunset conditions or the lighting just after it can produce an amount of light that is difficult to work with.

    Source: https://unsplash.com/photos/bMVlCANFJA8

    Use Manual Mode

    Manual mode is the key. Switch the camera to that and start tinkering. Turn on live view mode, because it helps in getting the right exposure. Set the aperture to the sharpest it can go when you have the car in focus. The focal length will vary based on how far away you are when you’re taking the shot because we want as much light as possible getting into the lens.

    Lower the ISO setting to 100, which is as low as it can go on most cameras. This makes the lens less sensitive, reducing the amount of noise that gets into the final image. Less noise makes for a clearer image and a better outcome overall, reducing blurriness and grainy elements on the outcome.

    Experiment with The Exposure

    When taking pictures, wait for the exposure is over. You want to let the camera do its work, rather than just pointing and shooting. Take a moment to tamper with the exposure, increasing or decreasing it as needed. Do this until you get the right level for your purposes.

    Tackle Multiple Angles

    Be sure to experiment with angles as you take shots. You never know when going to a different angle might give you a little additional light or paint the car a little better. Don’t be afraid to walk around the car, play around with the moving parts, and see if you bring out a highlight you didn’t realize was there.

    Conclusion

    Taking shots of a car at night is not easy. There are a lot of things to keep in mind, which make taking good pictures a challenge. With the secrets here, you can work towards better photos. It might take more preparation than usual, but the results are going to be worth it.

    Richard
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Related Posts

    Important Call Center Technology Trends To Watch In 2019

    November 10, 2022

    Adam Ferrari, CEO Of Ferrari Energy, Shares The Essentials Of Balancing Entrepreneurial And Personal Lives

    November 8, 2022

    Build Your Net Worth: Jason Kulpa Shares Five Steps You Can Take

    November 2, 2022
    Categories
    Editors Picks
    Top Reviews
    Auto Search

    31 USphonebook Alternatives that Help Track Down Phone Numbers and Addresses

    By Richard
    Auto Search

    11 Autotempest Alternatives That Are Worth Checking Out

    By Richard
    Marketing

    How To Successfully Incorporate Blogging To Boost Marketing Efforts

    By Richard
    Facebook Twitter
    • Home
    • About Us
    • Advertise
    • Write For Us
    • Contact Us
    © 2023 Connection Cafe, All Rights Reserved

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.