Capturing cars is the hardest thing!
Many years ago, another photographer told me that she liked my style. You would think I took it as a nice compliment. But I felt the opposite; I don't want a style. I want to continue exploring this area, continue to develop as a photographer, and I do this best by exposing myself to challenges. Test different genres and styles, let me be inspired by all the amazingly talented creators out there.
My photography has mainly moved around landscapes in different forms, magnificent views, and intimate details. But I have also photographed sports, people, macro, animals, architecture, street and everything else in between. But the hardest thing I know is to photograph cars and have their lines and expressions felt through one image. Almost everything else is relatively easy when you get a grip on it, not because all my pictures are fantastic or even useful, but still. Car photography is a whole other thing!
I think the problem is that there are so many things that you have to take into account, so many lines, so many details, so many separate parts in the same subject. At the same time, for me, it should be more of a documentary touch. My creative freedom and to describe more of the feeling I had there and then is somewhat limited. Although, of course, I know many photographers who are fully creative with their car pictures. They have my biggest respect! When it comes to creativity, I am incredibly non-judgmental.
So when I got a new car now, I thought it was an excellent opportunity to practice. I wanted to capture the vehicle in different environments, combined with what I often photograph, landscape, and sunset. But I also wanted to test some techniques I caught on the net. Among other things, to photograph details separately and merge them into one in Photoshop. For example, it is difficult to expose the car and its powerful headlights to be good directly in the camera, so there should be at least two pictures.
Another thing is to light paint the car with a flashlight. I can already say that it failed utterly. I have to practice more on that.
Overall, I am satisfied with these beginner images, and the desire to continue training in this genre has grown. Maybe next time I drive off on a hiking trip. Then perhaps I can catch several things in the same composition, stuff I like—landscape, family, hike feeling with my tent and coffee pan. And Exor, our Dobermann, of course!
Have a great day, take advantage of it to learn new things, and see opportunities! :)
