Found a pretty slick spot on campus...

[Sco0terzsl]

Friday night I was out and about with my camera gear. I wanted to get some lightning shots but the storms didn't come until late so I decided to grab a quick picture on campus with the new car.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/Sco0terzsl/06%20Mini%20Cooper%20S/IMG_8620copy.jpg

[spankis]

Very nice! I walk by there on occasion, and I've thought the same thing. I've often thought about setting up some shots w/ the car in front of the courtyard of Scott Lab. It's the mechanical engineering building, and it looks BADASS at night....problem is you'd have to drive on the sidewalk for about 50 feet to park there, and even in the middle of the night my car is too loud to go unnoticed.

 

Either way, veddy nice

[Drewhop]

The car would probally fit down the walking path....

 

But awesome looking picture.

[1fast5gp]

haha that was you scott?

[Sco0terzsl]

haha that was you scott?

 

 

Haha, yea buddy!

 

Very nice! I walk by there on occasion, and I've thought the same thing. I've often thought about setting up some shots w/ the car in front of the courtyard of Scott Lab. It's the mechanical engineering building, and it looks BADASS at night....problem is you'd have to drive on the sidewalk for about 50 feet to park there, and even in the middle of the night my car is too loud to go unnoticed.

 

Either way, veddy nice

 

Are you talking about getting the car right in the middle? That'd be slick! Maybe I'll have to see if I can work something out

[spankis]

Are you talking about getting the car right in the middle? That'd be slick! Maybe I'll have to see if I can work something out

 

Right in the middle would be hard to pull off but awesome, but just kinda on the cement out in front of it, before the grass starts obviously. I guess it would be just right next to the library at that point.

 

If you've got a hookup though, please get in contact w/ me, I'd be really interested.

 

Also, I have a D70 and a couple nice lenses I'm getting good with, I'd love a few pointers .

[2 Sweet]

Where is that exactly? AWESOME pic

[Sco0terzsl]

Right in the middle would be hard to pull off but awesome, but just kinda on the cement out in front of it, before the grass starts obviously. I guess it would be just right next to the library at that point.

 

If you've got a hookup though, please get in contact w/ me, I'd be really interested.

 

Also, I have a D70 and a couple nice lenses I'm getting good with, I'd love a few pointers .

Hehe, I have no connections but I may try it since I'll be graduating on Sunday... maybe Sunday night. Probably not.

 

What kind of tips are you looking for exactly? Are you looking more for technical information about the camera or do you need help with composition and such?

 

Where is that exactly? AWESOME pic

 

It's on the back side of the parking garage that sits next to the RPAC in the middle of campus, by the hospital.

[spankis]

Hehe, I have no connections but I may try it since I'll be graduating on Sunday... maybe Sunday night. Probably not.

 

What kind of tips are you looking for exactly? Are you looking more for technical information about the camera or do you need help with composition and such?

 

I think my composition is pretty decent, but they never seem to turn out as well as they could given the good lighting and scenery involved. I'd particularly like to get better at photographing cars, which it seems you have a handle on. It's particularly difficult to make a white car like mine look decent in pictures.

[Sco0terzsl]

What time of day do you usually shoot at? Also, what settings are you using for you camera Aperture Priority (AV on Canon), Shutter Priority (TV on Canon), or Manual (M). If you are using any of these make sure you are aware of your metering (the little bar that has +1/-1 to +2/-2) and you'll want to underexpose it by up to a full stop. Remember, that you can always fix an underexposed shot a lot more than you can with an overexposed shot since black still carries some color information.

 

Some general tips to use if you don't know them yet are: Shoot in the "Golden Hour" around sunrise and sunset. Shoot the sunny side of the car, not the shadow side. If you are having a problem with reflections try picking up a Circular Polarizer, that'll also make the sky a much darker blue.

 

That's all I can think of for right now, if you want feel free to send me a pm with some pictures and tell me what you don't like about them and maybe I can help you figure out how to make 'em a little better. The main thing is to practice, practice, practice. I can't tell you how many pictures I have of my old G20's from when I'd just go out and shoot for the sake of getting comfortable with something that I read. It's definitely something that comes with experience, but that doesn't mean you can't produce quality images right now. It just gets easier as time marches on.

[spankis]

What time of day do you usually shoot at? Also, what settings are you using for you camera Aperture Priority (AV on Canon), Shutter Priority (TV on Canon), or Manual (M). If you are using any of these make sure you are aware of your metering (the little bar that has +1/-1 to +2/-2) and you'll want to underexpose it by up to a full stop. Remember, that you can always fix an underexposed shot a lot more than you can with an overexposed shot since black still carries some color information.

 

Some general tips to use if you don't know them yet are: Shoot in the "Golden Hour" around sunrise and sunset. Shoot the sunny side of the car, not the shadow side. If you are having a problem with reflections try picking up a Circular Polarizer, that'll also make the sky a much darker blue.

 

That's all I can think of for right now, if you want feel free to send me a pm with some pictures and tell me what you don't like about them and maybe I can help you figure out how to make 'em a little better. The main thing is to practice, practice, practice. I can't tell you how many pictures I have of my old G20's from when I'd just go out and shoot for the sake of getting comfortable with something that I read. It's definitely something that comes with experience, but that doesn't mean you can't produce quality images right now. It just gets easier as time marches on.

 

Thanks a lot, that does help somewhat. I should have some time for photography here soon, as my quarter is over tomorrow. I'll be sure and send you a couple pictures.

[Sco0terzsl]

Thanks a lot, that does help somewhat. I should have some time for photography here soon, as my quarter is over tomorrow. I'll be sure and send you a couple pictures.

 

<-- Jealous

 

 

I'm done Wednesday night. My two hardest classes are back to back until 9:18

 

But after that I'll be done for forever!

[spankis]

<-- Jealous

 

 

I'm done Wednesday night. My two hardest classes are back to back until 9:18

 

But after that I'll be done for forever!

 

What's your major, sir? I'm an undergrad in ME, but considering a move.

[Sco0terzsl]

I did a bunch of switching and ended up at Turfgrass Science. I started in Business and jumped around a bit before I finally decided what I wanted to do with my life. I realized I don't want to be inside sitting at a desk every day, and if I do well in my career I easily make 6 figures. My boss down in Cincinnati is the Superintendent and assistant GM for the golf course. He wouldn't tell me any figures but he said he makes what a high level exec would make, and this guy dresses in jeans and a plaid shirt every day! Plus, you get to play on tractors and golf carts all day spraying and checking up on your crews.

 

Just imagine how much money the Super makes at Muirfield.

[AngryBMW]

I did a bunch of switching and ended up at Turfgrass Science. I started in Business and jumped around a bit before I finally decided what I wanted to do with my life. I realized I don't want to be inside sitting at a desk every day, and if I do well in my career I easily make 6 figures. My boss down in Cincinnati is the Superintendent and assistant GM for the golf course. He wouldn't tell me any figures but he said he makes what a high level exec would make, and this guy dresses in jeans and a plaid shirt every day! Plus, you get to play on tractors and golf carts all day spraying and checking up on your crews.

 

Just imagine how much money the Super makes at Muirfield.

 

A FUCK ton. Seriously.

-Marc

[TTQ B4U]

White can be tough. Keep in mind you're camera is likely metering it to protect against blowing out the white.

 

As noted, best time is early morning or evening. It's summertime, so I like morning as the sun will case some pretty intersting tones and avoids a wash out of color or overblown whites. Temps are usually more comfy to work in vs. the hottest part of the day. Make sure you rotate your car to be evening lit by the sun too. I often see folks trying but then only to find their lighting isn't flowing evenly as it would be if they just positioned it so.

 

Evening shots can be cool too. Especially if you can get the warms of the city lights in the shot and when combined with other cars moving by in the background and slow shutters, the motion trails can prove cool as heck while not being distracting.

 

Keep to low angles...headlight level if possible. Cars are viewed much better when shot low vs up high. Use polarizer too as it will cut down on reflections and darken up the sky when needed. One is especially critical on white / light colored cars.

 

Pay attention to overhead situations too. Overhead lines, trees or even puffy clouds will reflect on glass and paint. Especially dark colors.

 

Another thing is be aware of the surroundings...clean up parking lot lines and a personal pet peeve is to correct for lens distortions and perspectives. If you can, shoot a car like human portrait, 70-110mm focal length. Wide angles are wierd and zooming in too much can be too. Nothing like seeing a cool car shot with trees and buildings pointing at angles.

 

With todays digital cameras you can shoot a little wider, make perspective corrections and then crop vs filling the frame which won't allow for creative crops or corrections.

 

Lastly, and MOST IMPORTANTLY......get a hot chick to pose with the car. With that even the ugliest car can be made to look cool and your shots will get way more hits. :thumbup:

 

 

 

 

I think my composition is pretty decent, but they never seem to turn out as well as they could given the good lighting and scenery involved. I'd particularly like to get better at photographing cars, which it seems you have a handle on. It's particularly difficult to make a white car like mine look decent in pictures.