Background work is important in car photography
When car photography’s working right, your eye is immediately drawn to the subject, right? The car.
Sure, but sophisticated photography also considers the background. The setting. Maybe even the driver or passengers.
It’s what sets the tone for what promoters want you to understand about the car.
Have a look at some photo galleries (try Motor Trend Magazine, for starters), and you’ll see a range of cars in a range of settings.
For instance, take a peek at the 2012 Jaguar XF, a sporty wagon. A silver model is pictured on a curvy, mountainous highway that’s winding toward an ocean. It’s a pretty backdrop, but it’s subtly giving viewers important information about the car itself:
• It’s practical, with the capacity to store vacation gear, maybe even kids.
• It handles like … well, a Jaguar.
• And it probably gets decent mileage — though if you’re buying a Jaguar, economy might not be your top priority.
The road’s blurred, too, which also underscores that you’re getting … well, a Jaguar, like we said.
A few more frames offer a few more pieces of information.
In one photo, the back is open, showing all that cargo space. And it’s parked in an attractive, upscale carport. A car like this, the photo seems to be saying, would sure be a nice addition to your driveway.
Or look at Motor Trend’s gallery for the 2012 Land Rover Range Rover.
Everyone’s seen a Range Rover crashing through the African bush, but they clean up pretty well and look nice when you’re out on the town, the gallery tells us.
The most prominently featured photo shows a smartly chromed charcoal-colored Rover in a distinctly urban setting, lights gleaming enticingly.
See? These aren’t just trucks for hauling tranquilized zebras. The dust rinses right off, and they make for trendy transportation.
The details are critical in car photography — contact us if you want professionals who know about background work.
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Steven is the Creative Director and developer of the studio business unit for izmocars. He is also the creator of izmostock. With a passion for cameras, cars, and computers there is never a dull moment.
