innovative photography

Hi,

I'm not really sure which forum to post this in, but I think this is the closest. I'm a very keen amateur photographer, and I'm always looking to add new techniques to my repertoire. I've done a fair few of the usual types of car pix - putting it in a cool location, getting really close with a wide angle lens, and a few more interesting pix like the one below.

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3241/237929inside_rocco_low.jpg
(no manip)

If there's anyone who's got some good ideas to share, I'd be very interested to listen. I think my next approach will be pix from outside (but attached to) the car while it's moving. :)

Thanks!
Jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi

Nice Pic.....

As for ideas, im not really sure if this is possible, but how do people get still to motion pictures? Like blurred background but perfectly still accelerating car. I think that is manip only. If you can do it, it would own, and id love to see some.

I think it's got to do with shutter speed, i've seen something else like that before and it had to do with shutter speed.


BTW Cool pic.

I've done it before. BTW, this thread should be in coffee break (off topic)>photography

HighRev, depends on the shutter speed and the quality of the camera itself.

It will show blurred action if your shutter speed is set less than 1/125 sec. It looks like that is at least more than a 1 sec shutter speed.

BTW, this thread should be in coffee break (off topic)>photography

Sorry, I must have missed this forum when I was searching for the right one to post in.. Thanx to the admin(s) for moving the thread. :)

Here's a slightly better pic than the one I originally posted:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3241/237929drive_03_s.jpg

Both pix were taken with an exposure of between 10 and 15 seconds. I was traveling quite fast at the time and the 'rocco had hard suspension so the softness of the interior isn't because it's out of focus, but due to motion blurr.

And here's a pic of the car I used:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3241/237929scirocco_05-05-2002_02.jpg

If anyone's got any ideas for other cool effects without having to buy any expensive hardware, I'd be very interested to hear. :)

tnx,
Jules
'89 944 Turbo
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi

I was thinking that was an amazingly sharp image of the dash for a 10sec exposure, you must have help the camera very steady.
Then I saw what you were in, possibly the softest riding car Iv ever driven.


What sort of Camera are you useing and how familiar are you with it?

sounds like the 'rocco you were in either had dampers that needed replacing or you're used to a bone shaking ride!

anyway, i digress... the camera was a canon g5 with the wide angle teleconverter attached to a manfrotto 055clb with a magnesium 3d head strapped to the passenger seat. i doubt there's any way you'd be able to get a pic anywhere near as sharp as that without attaching it to the car somehow. it's a very simple technique and easy for anyone with a tripod and camera with remote release to try out for themselves. :)

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 824 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2

I really like that second pic :)

cheers dude! :)

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2

here's a few more hot off the camera...

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3246/237929Img_5281-med.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3246/237929Img_5305_lo-med.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3246/237929Img_5293_lo-med.jpg

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3246/237929Img_5324-med.jpg

this time the camera was sticking out the passenger window and then the sunroof.

i really want to get one where i can see the instruments in the dash lit up AND be able to see the bonnet (US:hood) as well as the road in front of the car. i guess i need to find someone with either a rag top or a dual sunroof car as the problem is i can't get the camera far enough back to fit it all in whilst still keeping it cropped fairly tight. i.e. if i used a wider lens, there's be way too much extra crap in the frame, which i don't want.

any ideas?

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2

Well you will need a car with a high bonnet that dosn't slope away to quickly. The Scirocco is not really the right shape for that.
Then you need to get the camera basicly where the drivers eye are.
Prehaps secure the tripod to the back of the drivers seat and shoot over thier shoulder.

And don't worry about getting extra crap in the sides of the image, remember its ok to crop after you've taken the photo :)

hi moppie,

thanks for the suggestions :) however... i've already tried back of the drivers seat, all you get is headlining and sun visor. i want to be able to have an unobstructed view of the road ahead. plus the biggest problem with seats is that they move going round corners. not by much, but enough. :(

it wasn't the scirocco! the scirocco's red... and i sold it over a year ago. :)

i crop in the camera. i only do post processing of the image as a last resort. i'm used to taking photo's the old fashioned way. ;) i just need to position the camera correctly and securely while still being able to fire it.

all,

next idea - from in front of the car looking back. i need to attach the camera to the front of the car, but obviously i don't want it bouncing around OR falling off! :( i think a bit of photochopping is going to be inevitable to remove camera support from the finished picture.

anyone got any bright ideas on how to affix the camera to the car? ideally i'd like the camera about 1m in front of the car, but realistically it's probably only going to be about 30 / 40cm. i can use the front towing eye, but it's not going to be very stable with only one mounting point... any ideas? that don't involve welding...

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2

Lots and lots of duct tape, also known as duck tape, 100mph tape, and race tape.

It will hold a light weight G series anywhere, the only problem will be getting the sticky stuff off the camera and car once your done.
Not to mention firing the camera! (I assume you have a remote?)

Some simple lengths of wooden doweling should be enough to hold the camera, then use a removable tripod head to attach the camera to the wood useing tape, and the dowelling to the car.
Build a tripod type arrangement out the front and it will be rigidly fixed to the car, making the car in focus.

Also try shooting at a wider apature to reduce your shutter open time, and so reduce the possiblity of camera shake.


To get the dash, front of car, road shot have you tried putting the camera further back in the middle of the car? You could use the center consol (depending on car) to secure the tripod.

ah, duct tape - my old friend. :) hmmm, my 6er's silver too....

unfortunatly i won't be able to get the DoF if i use a wide aperture, and i specifically want the road to be blurred.

using the cars i have available to me (mine and friends) we don't have anything tall enough with a big windscreen to get the dash, bonnet and road in. putting the camera in the middle of the car, but high enough up so as to be able to see over the drivers shoulder and see the dash results in the rear view mirror obscuring the view ahead. (see my 2nd 'rocco pic - this was as much as i could minimise it with the tripod straddling the center console). removing the mirror wasn't an option as it's bonded to the windscreen on all three of my cars. :( plus neither of the porsche's have much by way of a rear seat so i can't move the camera much further back anyway. i've only just bought the bmw, so i'll have to try it out once i get it back from the body shop.

i think the only way to do it is to have the camera outside the car looking through an open sunroof, with the road at the top, bonnet in the middle and dash at the bottom of the frame.

good idea with the dowelling BTW, it got me thinking on how i could make it adjustable for length though... i had a quick look on a local camera shop's web site and they have some cheap-ass monopods in stock. so i think i might buy one of those and then butcher a clamp or something on the end (to attach to the towing eye) and use the dowelling to help support it. :)

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2

Cool.

But remember that the vibration and movement of the car will generate an out of focus back ground anyway, so useing a wider apature will still give the appreance of a shorter DoF, and hopefuly make the car even sharper :)

And theres nothing wrong with useing a little photoshop.
Cropping and adjusting levels in PS is no differnt to croping and adjusting the levels when developing film, but I know what you mean about wanting to get it perfect first time.



As for attaching things to the towing eye, remember its threaded and designed to hold the weight of the car.
To that effect you could get a piece of steel rod from an engineers (ask about an off cut, or waste piece) and get them to thread it (easy job, worth 1/2 dozen beers) then bend it (the rest of the dozen) so you can just screw it into your towing eye then mount the tripod mount on the end.
You will be able to use quite a think piece of steel and it should be rock solid :)

Let's not get into this again. Adjusting in PS is not really on, in fact it's really cheating.

Which dance shall it be, Moppie? Perhaps the Tango.

Let's not get into this again. Adjusting in PS is not really on, in fact it's really cheating.


Theres a thread here for this argument: http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=294942

No need to drag others useful threads off topic.

oooooooo, i'm not going to get sucked into that one. ;)

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2

Here's what I did for attaching my video camera to the car hood. Those suction cup grippers used for moving glass? Yeah, those are great for holding onto a car hood. Just get a tripod head attachment for your camera, and then fasten it onto the suction cup grip somehow (I just drilled out a hole in the grip and used a bolt). Just to be safe, attach a leash onto the camera to make sure it doesn't go anywhere.

here's my latest pic:

http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/3240/237929car_front_1_lo.jpg

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2
Ex '90 Passat GT
Ex '83 Golf Mk1 1.5GL

DAMN!

That is very cool!
Can I ask you fired the shutter?

And what did you use for a mount in the end?
You obviously got it pretty rock solid! The car is in perfect focus but it almost looks like theres no one driving it :)


And have you tried doing a custom white balance first? Or was it shot in Sepia?

DAMN!

That is very cool!
Can I ask you fired the shutter?

And what did you use for a mount in the end?
You obviously got it pretty rock solid! The car is in perfect focus but it almost looks like theres no one driving it :)


And have you tried doing a custom white balance first? Or was it shot in Sepia?


:1:

one thing you could try, for a real cool effect, two cars, side by side, same speed, 200 speed film. Car appears to be constant in a blur...

Can I ask you fired the shutter?

Canon RC-1 IR remote. Unfortunately it wouldn't work through the windscreen, so I had to use it with my hand sticking out the sunroof. :) It was a 15 second exposure. It needed to be that long otherwise the light trails would have been very short.

And what did you use for a mount in the end?
You obviously got it pretty rock solid! The car is in perfect focus but it almost looks like theres no one driving it :)

2x custom aluminium brackets I fabricated myself, along with my Manfrotto monopod, 3D head and some fine but strong nylon thread to help stabilise it.

And have you tried doing a custom white balance first? Or was it shot in Sepia?

This was just my 1st dry run. I wasn't expecting anything usable as the car park I picked turned out to be a lot bumpier than it looked, so I didn't do a WB check first. There were sodium lamps everywhere which is what's given the picture the warm orange glow.

one thing you could try, for a real cool effect, two cars, side by side, same speed, 200 speed film. Car appears to be constant in a blur...

Hmm, I hadn't thought of having two cars in the frame...

:1:

:)

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2
Ex '90 Passat GT
Ex '83 Golf Mk1 1.5GL

the car park I picked....



I wondered where you had taken them!
I tried some from the back seat of car on saturday night, and although I got some good light trails I got nothing like the straight ones you did.
It was also unplanned, so the car had a dirty window which ruined a few potentialy good shots.

You know your going to have to post a photo of the set up next don't you?

And, your going to have to take some day time photos as well, if you use a chase car you can drive in front of the target car and use the remote from there, then there won't be any pics of you with your arm out the sun roof ;)


Does your G series have an inbuilt ND filter? I know the latest one does, and it would allow you to take some longish exposures in day light, giveing a very nicly motion blurred back ground.

Sweet pic (again) :D

I wondered where you had taken them!
I tried some from the back seat of car on saturday night, and although I got some good light trails I got nothing like the straight ones you did.
It was also unplanned, so the car had a dirty window which ruined a few potentialy good shots.

This was the first one not taken on the public highway. All my other ones had been on dual carrageways or through the town center. :) I was a bit concerned of my camera falling off and getting run over! :(

Post them! Let's see other people's efforts! Hopefully I've inspired more people to have a go and try out some 'unusual' pix.

You know your going to have to post a photo of the set up next don't you?

Yep, once I get my 6er back from the paint shop (hopefully Friday) I'll be giving it the full treatment - in car, outside, on top of, etc. I'll take some pix of the setup so people can see how I'm doing them.

And, your going to have to take some day time photos as well, if you use a chase car you can drive in front of the target car and use the remote from there, then there won't be any pics of you with your arm out the sun roof ;)

I tried a couple during daylight hours when I did the trial fitting of the brackets and monopod to the car. However it was too bright - even with the ND filter and ISO 50 the slowest exposure I could get that was correctly exposed was only 1/10th. :( I'll have to wait for a dull / overcast day to try again, which shouldn't be too long in the UK, ;)

Does your G series have an inbuilt ND filter? I know the latest one does, and it would allow you to take some longish exposures in day light, giveing a very nicly motion blurred back ground.

Yep.

Sweet pic (again) :D

Cheers dude! :D

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2
Ex '90 Passat GT
Ex '83 Golf Mk1 1.5GL

Cheers dude! :D

You're very welcome. The Photography forum is still pretty new so we appreciate regular posters, especially talented ones. It's a nice change from Moppie's cra- oops.... did i say that out loud? :grinno:


Only kidding Mops, glad you guys are posting your pics.. now all i need to do is convince my sis to let me use her treasured camera :uhoh:

...so we appreciate regular posters, especially talented ones.

:sunglasse :grinno: cheers!

now all i need to do is convince my sis to let me use her treasured camera :uhoh:

there are some pretty good but cheap digicams on the 'bay. i've often thought about buying a cheap camera that i wouldn't feel so bad about destroying for some of my more wacky ideas, like duct taping a camera to the end of a stick and taking a pic of the wheels as the car is moving, etc.

there's a canon a70 (which has shutter priority - a must for long exposures) that just sold on ebay.co.uk for £60 (~$100US). OK, it's not pocket change (well it might be to some people, but not me :( ) but it's not going to break the bank. just a though.

thanx,
jules
'89 944 Turbo SE
'83 924 Lux 140bhp
'87 635CSi
Ex '91 Scirocco GT2
Ex '90 Passat GT
Ex '83 Golf Mk1 1.5GL