Just stumbled on this thread and I thought I would add a few tips for you in addition to what you have already been offered.
I guess I am a pro in this regards as photographing vehicles for magazines has been my job for more than 16 years now. I'm blessed in that regards.
The tips Ken gave were good points.
Some things to consider are first, what do you REALLY plan on doing with the pics? Taking photos of a vehicle for a guy's wall or photo album and taking photos to be published as a vehicle feature are really two different things. Decide which is most likely, this will save time and effort. Most people who are not photographers don't really recognize the difference between a decent shot and a really good one. To most, the decent is good enough and the really good is beyond their comprehension, they like it a lot, but don't know why.
I prefer shooting at or after sunset. That is the all-time best lighting, provided weather conditions are suitable. Clear, high pressure days or post storm conditions can render some very pleasing lighting conditions with crystal clear air. If you are going to shoot in daylight, choose the first hour or so of the morning, or the last few hours of the afternoon. Sun to the back. But always be looking at the vehicle as a canvas and watch how the light effects the areas. If you shoot when the sun is still up, put it to your back and shoot front 3/4 as your primary shot. As Ken stated, shoot some high, some mid level and some low. In sunny conditions you want the front and side lit the same. Turn the vehicle around to do the same for the rear 3/4. When shooting the straight on side side shots, have the sun at an angle instead of just straight behind you. You can use reflectors to bounce some additional light if needed, but focal length will determine if that is do-able.
If you try the after hours shots, the lighting is tricky, but can be magnificent and render dripping wet looking paint jobs as well as deep, mirror-like chrome features. The glass windows will have a nice gradient too. When shooting in the eve and at the 3/4 position to the vehicle, place the setting sun horizon at a 90-120 degree angle to you and the vehicle. Or to put it another way, with the sun setting due west, you are standing facing due south, the vehicle should best be positioned facing approximately northeast. This gives the best "light lines". If the sky is clear, just after the sun has set, the eastern sky will lighten and become a partial light box for a small amount of time. This is generally enough to lighten up the front end which is effectively facing opposite the setting sun.
Believe me, it works.
Use a tripod regardless of time of day.
If using film, shoot 50 or 100 speed slide. Velvia is really good for vehicles. Provia is pretty good too and better for the longer 20 second to 3 minute exposures. Velvia tends to oversaturate with the longer exposures.
If using digital, you will need to know the limitations of your equipment such as noise, mirror shake, raw capabilities, etc.
For the setting, like was mentioned in previous posts, its a preference thing, but to a point. The one thing that can make a nice vehicle shoot into a bad one is reflections in the paint from buildings, poles, trees, etc.
My advice is find a nice open place clear of obstructions to the west, south or north. I personally prefer nothing in the backgrounds. The subject is the vehicle, not Joe's car parked in front of a waterfall. Those farm road photos can be some of the best. But you may not have that option. Flat walls work well too. Old barns add to the nostagic feeling of an older vehicle. If you are shooting after sunset, the longer your exposure, the whiter the sky becomes and that white can blow out the upper outline of a vehile. Filters come in handy in these instances.
I try to shy away from green grass. Never really cared for it, but sometimes you have no choice. One of the best scenarios is a long open road where you can position the vehicle across the road, road coming into and and going away from the vehicle.
Go and scout out a few locations at the time you plan to shoot. Use your vehicle as the visual mock up. Position it in an area you like, step back and look at it. Use the old thumb and forefinger to thumb and forefinger to form a frame square and hold it up and look and see if that is the setting you think will work.
For lenses, a wide, mid and tele will all work and give different looks, which is good because it delivers selection options during review. For most of your shots you will want to shoot above F8 to insure good DOF. DOF is important for the exterior overall shots. For the front and rear 3/4 shots, focus on the A-pillar or the back of the front wheel well. Using F8 and above will give you nice DOF down the side of the vehicle and keep the rear tire area in focus like the front. That is very important to remember. Many a good vehicle photo was tossed in the trash because the back of the vehicle was out of focus.
If you intend on these images being submitted to a magazine, I suggest to you what I suggest to all of my query freelancers. That is to pick up some hobbyist magazines and examine the feature photography in them. What the magazine will want is right there in front of you as well as the angles and detail images they prefer. Good overall images of the vehicle are important, but so are the rest of the images such as the interior, engine compartment, etc.
When shooting these areas, do so in the shade or out of direct sunlight. If there is no area around to do this, throw a white sheet over the windsheild and side windows. This will give you nice soft light inside. If you choose to use a flash, try rear curtain sync at slow shutter speeds with a TTL flash. Even still, available light shots still render the best images for this type of work.
Good luck with your shoot.
BMC
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