Car Photography Lighting Setup

osbornsm · 08-22-2013, 11:25 AM

Hello all,

I wanted to see what ideas / suggestions are out there to "properly" light a car for photography. I have recently purchased a 2-softbox kit for studio lighting and wondered how i might apply this to vehicles instead of portraits.

Lens suggestions also welcome.

While i realize that this is the ideal lighting system for a car... it's also $50,000 item. lol

I was thinking more along the lines of this:

Suggestions are welcome but remember i only have 2 softboxes to work with here.

Thank you all,
~ Sean

6spd · 08-22-2013, 02:58 PM

I usually use 2 speedlights, but I usually can't use my soft boxes becuase its too windy, even when I use my stand weights. It also depends on what color the car is. Lighter colors are much more forgiving because they disperse light better, whereas dark colors don't and more light is needed. The process is pretty much the same as shooting a model. You can backlight it too. The options are endless.

A 2 light setup could be if you were shooting the front quarter angle: 1 light directly facing the front of the car, the second facing the driver side perpendicular to the car (or an angle to feather the light). Pretty basic setup right there. Once you learn this, you could shoot cars all day.

I'd recommend a prime lens, canon or nikon, like the 50mm 1.8.

Slynky · 08-30-2013, 10:11 PM

Tinkering at photography myself, I watched Tim Wallace training sessions on KeblyTraining.com. I can't say I've a lot of people to compare his work with but from what I have seen, he's the best in the business.

He uses softboxes mostly. And battery strobes. He's an absolute artist. I don't think his site explains how he does it and you probably don't want to spring for the Kelby class but you should take a look at his site:

Tim Wallace: Car Photographer and Commercial Automotive Advertising Photography

6spd · 08-31-2013, 06:54 AM

That guy is amazing. I can tell you that car photography like that involves extensive post processing time on top of the skill to take the initial photo.

Are you well versed in photoshop?

Slynky · 08-31-2013, 04:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6spd

That guy is amazing. I can tell you that car photography like that involves extensive post processing time on top of the skill to take the initial photo.

Are you well versed in photoshop?

Well, I guess I do OK in Photoshop. I'm not a guru but I'm not a putz.

I watched the guys "work it" at car shows. You know, where they are a vendor that show up and get business by taking photos of people's cars in the show. They shoot the car at several angles and then ask the person which one they want. Then they edit the pis$ out of it and make a poster. I was most interested in how they removed all the glare and blown out highlights from the overhead lights of the showroom but I couldn't figure it out by watching them from a distance and I didn't want to ask to see how they did it. That's my main problem. Glare from lights and reflections from other things around the cars.

6spd · 08-31-2013, 04:55 PM

The process people use is usually a closely guarded secret. Ways and means can be figured out, but a person's specific method is usually a secret. If everyone knew, then anyone could do it, you know? I get asked a lot what I do to my pictures and I can't say. What I can help people with is basic lighting for car shots.

The OP is one the right track by opting for soft boxes, all that is needed are a couple inexpensive speed lights, wireless triggers, and time behind the camera!

Slynky · 08-31-2013, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6spd

The process people use is usually a closely guarded secret. Ways and means can be figured out, but a person's specific method is usually a secret. If everyone knew, then anyone could do it, you know? I get asked a lot what I do to my pictures and I can't say. What I can help people with is basic lighting for car shots.

The OP is one the right track by opting for soft boxes, all that is needed are a couple inexpensive speed lights, wireless triggers, and time behind the camera!

Well, I had looked at your site before I posted. You're certainly no slouch. Your work looks very nice.

6spd · 08-31-2013, 09:50 PM

Thanks man! If you ever have any questions or need help, PM me any time!

osbornsm · 09-03-2013, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 6spd

That guy is amazing. I can tell you that car photography like that involves extensive post processing time on top of the skill to take the initial photo.

Are you well versed in photoshop?

I'm a graphic designer so i breathe photoshop

- Can't wait to try this in a dark parking garage (studio)

6spd · 09-03-2013, 09:55 AM

Awesome! Yeah, I love parking garages, perfect for controlling the lighting.

XPNSD IT · 11-14-2013, 04:55 PM

Like said above lighter color cars > darker, blacks are always a pain to light but to help here are a couple tips. If shooting in day, get a huge diffuser if possible (even a white bed sheet can work) to diffuse the light on the car so sun spots dull out. Setup lighting in a couple locations with camera on tripod and shoot at diff exposures for that HDR. Now just blend the good parts of each image together in PS and presto!

HKYStormFront · 11-17-2013, 10:14 AM

Some good posts above^ Tim Wallace is amazing, he has commented on a few of my pictures on facebook from time to time, seems like a really nice guy.

At the minimum, you need two lights, three or more is preferable for the most even lighting. Softboxes are both a blessing and a curse. Having the boxes will make the flash hot spots larger than bare bulb but give you a more even lighting. The key is to finding exactly where to place them to reduce these reflections.

I use Alienbee strobes and I can't recommend them, and Paul C. Buff, enough. They are, at least in my experience, the best bang for buck you can buy for lighting equipment.

paulcbuff.com

08-22-2013, 11:25 AM	#1 (permalink)
osbornsm A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: WHAT Posts: 2,551 Drives: 2018 Camaro SS 1LE Rep Power: 423	Car Photography Lighting Setup Hello all, I wanted to see what ideas / suggestions are out there to "properly" light a car for photography. I have recently purchased a 2-softbox kit for studio lighting and wondered how i might apply this to vehicles instead of portraits. Lens suggestions also welcome. While i realize that this is the ideal lighting system for a car... it's also $50,000 item. lol I was thinking more along the lines of this: Suggestions are welcome but remember i only have 2 softboxes to work with here. Thank you all, ~ Sean __________________ 2018 Camaro SS 1LE (455hp) - 2011 Nissan 370z (333hp) - 2004 VW R32 (240hp) - 2000 Civic Si (160hp)

08-22-2013, 02:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,001 Drives: Q50RS Rep Power: 24	I usually use 2 speedlights, but I usually can't use my soft boxes becuase its too windy, even when I use my stand weights. It also depends on what color the car is. Lighter colors are much more forgiving because they disperse light better, whereas dark colors don't and more light is needed. The process is pretty much the same as shooting a model. You can backlight it too. The options are endless. A 2 light setup could be if you were shooting the front quarter angle: 1 light directly facing the front of the car, the second facing the driver side perpendicular to the car (or an angle to feather the light). Pretty basic setup right there. Once you learn this, you could shoot cars all day. I'd recommend a prime lens, canon or nikon, like the 50mm 1.8. __________________ -Jay- jonathanjamesphotographer.com

08-30-2013, 10:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
Slynky Track Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: McDonough, GA Posts: 595 Drives: 2010 Red 370Z T/S/N Rep Power: 16	Tinkering at photography myself, I watched Tim Wallace training sessions on KeblyTraining.com. I can't say I've a lot of people to compare his work with but from what I have seen, he's the best in the business. He uses softboxes mostly. And battery strobes. He's an absolute artist. I don't think his site explains how he does it and you probably don't want to spring for the Kelby class but you should take a look at his site: Tim Wallace: Car Photographer and Commercial Automotive Advertising Photography __________________ A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life."

08-31-2013, 06:54 AM	#4 (permalink)
6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,001 Drives: Q50RS Rep Power: 24	That guy is amazing. I can tell you that car photography like that involves extensive post processing time on top of the skill to take the initial photo. Are you well versed in photoshop? __________________ -Jay- jonathanjamesphotographer.com

08-31-2013, 04:55 PM	#6 (permalink)
6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,001 Drives: Q50RS Rep Power: 24	The process people use is usually a closely guarded secret. Ways and means can be figured out, but a person's specific method is usually a secret. If everyone knew, then anyone could do it, you know? I get asked a lot what I do to my pictures and I can't say. What I can help people with is basic lighting for car shots. The OP is one the right track by opting for soft boxes, all that is needed are a couple inexpensive speed lights, wireless triggers, and time behind the camera! kazman likes this. __________________ -Jay- jonathanjamesphotographer.com

08-31-2013, 09:50 PM	#8 (permalink)
6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,001 Drives: Q50RS Rep Power: 24	Thanks man! If you ever have any questions or need help, PM me any time! __________________ -Jay- jonathanjamesphotographer.com

09-03-2013, 09:55 AM	#10 (permalink)
6spd A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: South Florida Posts: 3,001 Drives: Q50RS Rep Power: 24	Awesome! Yeah, I love parking garages, perfect for controlling the lighting. __________________ -Jay- jonathanjamesphotographer.com

11-14-2013, 04:55 PM	#11 (permalink)
XPNSD IT Enthusiast Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 298 Drives: 09 370z/16 Hyper STI Rep Power: 13	Like said above lighter color cars > darker, blacks are always a pain to light but to help here are a couple tips. If shooting in day, get a huge diffuser if possible (even a white bed sheet can work) to diffuse the light on the car so sun spots dull out. Setup lighting in a couple locations with camera on tripod and shoot at diff exposures for that HDR. Now just blend the good parts of each image together in PS and presto!

11-17-2013, 10:14 AM	#12 (permalink)
HKYStormFront A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Greer, SC Posts: 14,954 Drives: 06 Frontier SE 6spd Rep Power: 52	Some good posts above^ Tim Wallace is amazing, he has commented on a few of my pictures on facebook from time to time, seems like a really nice guy. At the minimum, you need two lights, three or more is preferable for the most even lighting. Softboxes are both a blessing and a curse. Having the boxes will make the flash hot spots larger than bare bulb but give you a more even lighting. The key is to finding exactly where to place them to reduce these reflections. I use Alienbee strobes and I can't recommend them, and Paul C. Buff, enough. They are, at least in my experience, the best bang for buck you can buy for lighting equipment. paulcbuff.com __________________ Patrick // 06 Frontier 6spd Nismosis // Mods: Uprev Tuned @ Z1 Motorsports: 257whp & 292 ft lbs 09 Pontiac G8 GXP // M6 // Sunroof // Tint... For now

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