When taking photos of cars a thing to keep in mind is the location for your photoshoot. Finding the right location is key to a successful photoshoot. The right location has the perfect background and it matches the character of the car. A convertible might look very nice when shot with a marina in the background for example.

Also try to find a location that will have enough space to move the car around so that you can shoot the car from different angles with the best possible light. And giving you the possibility to use different lenses.

Avoid things like telephone poles, traffic signs, powerlines, trash cans or other stuff that might distort your photo. Sometimes this means moving the car to take a away the unwanted elements and sometimes you can move the unwanted elements. And when shooting an oldtimer try to find a location that matches the age of the car or one that is older than the car.

Also pay attention to the surface. Cars drive on roads so do not put them on the grass. Unless the car is a 4×4 ofcourse. Try to keep the surface as clear as possible to avoid unwanted elements such as painted lines and drain covers. But sometimes these elements might just add that little extra to your photo.

And last but not least make sure you know in which direction the light is moving so that you can anticipate to this.
Some great locations for carphotography are:

• (Old) Industrial or office areas.
• Bridges, tunnels and overpasses.
• Carparks, parking garages.
• Marinas, harbours or airports.
• Rural (winding) roads.
• Castles, palaces and beautiful mansions.
• Racetracks

But you might not always have access to these locations. So make sure you have the permission to shoot on your location. A great and easy way to research a location is the use of Google Maps and Google Streetview. And otherwise it might be a good idea to visit the location before the shoot to avoid unexpected surprises.

Here are a few great examples of photos with perfect locations.

Shelby-Gtown1 by Justin Davis on Flickr.

Envy by Gijs Spierings on Flickr.

Toyota Hilux by Ciprian Mihai on Flickr.

Bugatti Veyron by George Williams on Flickr.

Honda Civic by Philippe Coupatez on Flickr.

LP560-4 Spyder by Willem Rodenburg on Flickr.

Ferrari 250GTE by J.E. Minke on Flickr.

Jurien Minke

Founder of ChasingAsphalt.com | Internet Consultant | Motorsport & classic cars enthousiast and amateur photographer.

     

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