Genres and Topics

Car Photography

Car Photography

There are many reasons and ways to photograph cars and motorcycles. If you want to sell your used car, a good photo can increase your chances of actually selling it. You can also focus on lifestyle portraits with interesting cars, or capture the atmosphere of car races and events. 

I focus on classic car photography—vintage cars, American cars, and the people associated with them. I do this all during meetups of classic car groups and events. In addition to admiring the beauty of these vehicles, these events are good opportunities to meet the proud owners and arrange individual photoshoots.  

car, View from the front, Buick.
View from the front, Buick.

Automobile portraits

I’ll start with what I call automobile portraits. I take pictures of cars from the front, back, profile, and three-quarter view, usually while squatting to highlight the car’s body lines. I use a lens with a focal length of 50mm or longer, to avoid shape distortion. On rare occasions, I use a 35mm or 28mm focal length to incorporate the surroundings into the composition.

car, Rear view, not from the streets of Havana, but Vrchlabí, Czechia.
Rear view, not from the streets of Havana, but Vrchlabí, Czechia.
car, Three-quarter view, with nice chrome highlights. 
Three-quarter view, with nice chrome highlights. 

I keep the front wheels straight, or turn them so the rims stand out, because the wheels make the car. I focus on the headlights because they are the “eyes” of the car. The background also plays an important role. I am always sure to check for distractions in the background.

car, The roofs of Opočno, Czechia. The background plays an important role in car photography. 
The roofs of Opočno, Czechia. The background plays an important role in car photography. 

I am working on gradually building up a list of interesting locations for photoshoots. Some are industrial, others are more natural. An important factor is light. In my opinion, there’s no such thing as bad light, just a lack of creativity. 

A basic piece of equipment I cannot do without is a polarizing filter to help eliminate glare.

If I don’t want to shoot using a tripod and stitch together multiple images, I have to account for glare on the rounded surfaces of the car’s body. Eliminating all glare is not realistic. The solution is to only eliminate unwanted glare. On the other hand, it’s a good idea to leave the glare that accentuates the car’s body lines. Moreover, if someone has taken the time and care to polish the car, it would be a mistake to eliminate these glossy effects completely.  

car, View from the front.
View from the front.

Remove license plates using the handy Anonymization tool in the Develop module of ZPS X.

Details 

Chrome grills, lights, mirrors, steering wheels, dashboards, seats, pedals. All of these are the defining traits of a make of car. Again, a polarizing filter with a longer focal length and shallow depth of field can help. I use the contrast of highlights and shadows to bring out interesting details.   

car, Close-up of the Chevrolet Corvette C2 vent grill.
Close-up of the Chevrolet Corvette C2 vent grill. The shallow depth of field helps highlight what’s important. 
car, Taillights on the same car.
Taillights on the same car. The glare around them intrigued me. 

If the final photo needs some more light, I use masks with curves, and adjustments to White Balance. I supplement full shots of the car with various close-ups. When there are a lot of people around, I focus solely on the details.   

car, Sometimes you don’t even need to open the car door to photograph the steering wheel.  
Sometimes you don’t even need to open the car door to photograph the steering wheel.  

I also talk to the owners about what they find most interesting about a particular car. Some have special builds or own one of a few rare cars in the country. 

car, Use panning to track your subject.
Use panning to track your subject. I usually use a shutter speed between 1/30s to 1/250s, depending on the speed of the car. I turn my entire body smoothly. They don’t always turn out, but it’s all about practice. 

People and their cars

By combining a person and a car or motorcycle in a photograph, another layer and story is created. This is what captivates me most about photography.  For car enthusiasts and “petrolheads,” their car or motorcycle is part of their lifestyle. I shoot portraits of drivers with their vehicles, close-ups, and when at races, I photograph the riders and mechanics at the pit stops. 

car, Sometimes I opt for a tight crop, to keep only what’s essential. The driver and the vehicle.
Sometimes I opt for a tight crop, to keep only what’s essential. The driver and the vehicle.

At car and motorcycle races, I try to get as close as possible to the center of the action, the pit stop or the start line. This is easy to do at smaller club events. No accreditation is required and everything can be arranged on the spot. At these events, the driver is often also the mechanic. Again, I use a lens with a longer focal length and low f-number.  

car, Waiting for the start. At small events, you can get close enough without accreditation.  
Waiting for the start. At small events, you can get close enough without accreditation.  

I would like to point out that when moving around cars, you need to be mindful of your safety and the safety of others. Constantly monitor the area around and behind you, and don’t stand in places where the car could go off the track.   

You need to be prepared to escape quickly if there’s a crash. Most importantly, don’t enter the track. Doing so may result in a lifetime ban from that circuit. Also, never touch the cars without the owner’s permission, and keep an eye on your bag to avoid damaging the cars.   

car, Race cars need spare wheels,
Race cars need spare wheels,
car, Gas canisters,
Gas canisters,
car, And maybe a small snack.
And maybe a small snack.
car, Mechanics at work.
Mechanics at work.

In closing

If something goes wrong, don’t worry. For every good picture, there are many mediocre or bad ones. With regular practice, the ratio of good photos increases. I get my inspiration from some of the best car photographers, like Amy Shore, Laurent Nivalle, and Bart Kuykens.

Each of them has their own unique approach to photography. Larry Chen also makes great YouTube videos on car photography. Remember that everyone always showcases their best work on social media, but the road to success is often full of obstacles and downfalls. Car photography is not just about taking good pictures, it’s about making new friends and meeting interesting people. 

Check out more car photos in our gallery: 

car photo, galerie, View from the front, Lomax.
View from the front, Lomax.
car photo, galerie, American style policeman. Exposed to the lights. Badge and glasses glare were accentuated in post-production using ZPS X.
American style policeman. Exposed to the lights. Badge and glasses glare were accentuated in post-production using ZPS X.
car photo, galerie, Frozen motion. The short shutter speed of 1500s was enough to freeze the motion of the motorcycle and rider. I used this composition where the rider appears to “fall out” of the picture to
Frozen motion. The short shutter speed of 1500s was enough to freeze the motion of the motorcycle and rider. I used this composition where the rider appears to “fall out” of the picture to
car photo, galerie, Leather gloves belong in a sports car.
Leather gloves belong in a sports car.
car photo, galerie, The light beautifully renders the monopost racing grill.
The light beautifully renders the monopost racing grill.
car photo, galerie, This photo reminds me of 1950s racing movies—high speed, zero safety.
This photo reminds me of 1950s racing movies—high speed, zero safety.
car photo, galerie, The whole car doesn’t have to be in the photo, just two halves. Two Minis.
The whole car doesn’t have to be in the photo, just two halves. Two Minis.
car photo, galerie, Start! With another photographer, we told her to jump as high as she could.
Start! With another photographer, we told her to jump as high as she could.
car photo, galerie, A moment from the Brno pit stop. I was intrigued by how everyone is caught up in their own thoughts.
A moment from the Brno pit stop. I was intrigued by how everyone is caught up in their own thoughts.
car photo, galerie, A portrait from a smaller series, Friends through Photography.
A portrait from a smaller series, Friends through Photography.
car photo, galerie, A fleeting portrait from an event.
A fleeting portrait from an event.
car photo, galerie, Mechanic refueling.
Mechanic refueling.
car photo, galerie, profile view
Profile view. Some cars have an unmistakable iconic design. Here the Mini Cooper R50, exposed to the lights. The sky serves as a giant softbox.
car photo, galerie, View from the back.
View from the back. This picture was taken on an unplanned trip from the gas station. I still carry a small Fuji X100 in the glove compartment of my car.