How do I take a good picture of two cars?

[Feddersen]

Hi

I need some help. My son asked to get some pictures of our cars in the same photo for desktop backgrounds. Recently I have managed to take pictures that are of decent quality of a single car but when it comes to have two cars in the pictures I have difficulties to get the scene/composition right. I would like to have the cars represented equally well but I am not satisfied with the results so far so any advice is appriciated.

I know location is everything but this was the best we could find yesterday. Camera wise I have a DSLR with various zoom lenses that cover 16-480mm after crop factor is applied.

This is probably the one I think is best in terms of representing bith cars equally well but also boring.


I really like this setup but now there is a 80/20-represention of the cars.


This is cool but too distorted.


Too much background.

[A20C]

I agree with you on the 3rd photo, but maybe try go for a high to low angle? So grab a stool or something you can stand on and try from that angle

[VisualEcho]

A couple of things that have helped me in the past with multiple car shoots is first, like always, location. Get them away from EVERYTHING. One car is busy enough, 2 cars = hella busy, so you want your background to be super plain.

Second, try to think about the character of each car. Some cars look best from the front, some from the rear. That's basic, but you get the idea.

Third, ALWAYS consider a ladder. Getting higher up usually really helps with multiple cars, as it gives a different perspective, and allows the viewer to focus on more than one thing better.

If you can have one closer, and one further away it usually helps as well.

Anyway, that's just some things to get you started. Here's area a few shots by a friend of mine that shows how to position 2 cars correctly. Forget all the processing and razzmatazz, just look at the position of the cars.

[tracer bullet]

I like #3 as well. Some distortion can be taken out by physically getting farther away with the camera, and then using the lens to zoom in, assuming it isn't fixed.

Photoshop or similar might help as well but you'll need extra empty space around the edges of your subject matter to make up for the parts that'll get stretched and later removed.

Hope those make sense. I can explain better if needed.

[Feddersen]

Originally Posted by tracer bullet

I like #3 as well. Some distortion can be taken out by physically getting farther away with the camera, and then using the lens to zoom in, assuming it isn't fixed.

Photoshop or similar might help as well but you'll need extra empty space around the edges of your subject matter to make up for the parts that'll get stretched and later removed.

Hope those make sense. I can explain better if needed.

No need to. It's a 10-22mm lens and the picture was taken at 10mm. Normally I do those in steps and I don't know why I didn't do it this time. I could easily had taken a step backwards and zoom a bit more. The cars are setup at an angle of 90 degrees. I will try to make a remake somewhere else with more distance to the background and maybe set the cars at an angle of 120 degrees in order to include more of the side/end of the cars. And then of course back of in steps and see what turns out best.

[rcsummers]

Near/Far Composition, and a clean unbusy background.

[VisualEcho]

I just wanted to add my personal 2¢ to this thread. And that's that I don't like dual car shoots at all, and much prefer something interesting with 2 cars rather than showing 2 full cars. Below are my favorites from Webb Bland and Frederic Schlosser.

[Feddersen]

Looks like my son has given me an impossible task. Based on all of your input I have been trawling website after website with “xx top photograph tips” and apparently photographing two objects well is almost impossible. Only way of photographing two objects and have the image look good is to have one of them to be the primary or both appear as a single object like my second picture.

We will go out and give it a go again when I have found a better place and try out the suggestions.

Any one else having nice pictures of two cars please post them for inspiration.

[bosstones]

Personally, I like the background of your 4th picture. I'd probably edit out the light fixture but it is not too busy of a background and is uniform. I'd suggest watching uniformity, though.

10-22mm was my favorite lens when I shot w/ a crop so it is no coincidence that 16-35mm is my go to lens on a full frame sensor. You'll want to watch/be mindful of how close you are to your subject when you shoot w/ an ultra-wide lens. It can very easily give a lot of distortion. That is totally valid depending on what you want to accomplish w/ a given shot. Other times....not so.

You could not worry about background scenery and just work on composing the 2 cars. Perhaps replicate some pics that see online and like? That might give you more flexibility to practice. Get that down and then go scene hunting?

Either way, keep at it!

[tcphoto]

No matter the subject matter, I consider the location with emphasis on the background and then placement of the subjects.