People often see shots like below and ask things like: "How fast were you going!!?!?" "What'd you do, lean out of a chase car at high speeds?" "How in the world?!?!" Well, I'll spoil the magic for you and show you a before and after ;)
2013 5.0 Mustang
It's ours and it's awesome.
A Weekend With The Driver's Edge
Have you ever had a dream of driving your car on an open track? You really don’t know how close you are to being able to participate in the greatest sport of all. Performance Driving!
Rolling like a BOSS
A before and after answering the famous question - How'd you do that?
Oh Ladies!
You've gotta see these fun shirts for the female auto enthusiast!
Then & Now
We all start somewhere. Somewhere for me was purchasing a digital SLR to take better photos of my black 2000 mustang GT so that I could follow in the steps of the graphics gurus on Black Mustang Club and create awesome signatures for my forum posts. At the time, I never imagined those steps would bring me here. I'd like to show a photo that I considered a favorite back then, in all it's horribly contrasted glory. Let's step back to June 2007.
I loved this photo. Everyone loved this photo. People still ask about the location.
Photo taken with a Canon Rebel XTi & 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Non-IS len. Without a circular polarizer. And long before a even knew the real differences in the letters on the camera mode dial. Why this one was shot in shutter speed priority? I couldn't tell you. ISO 400, f/13, 1/500 sec. Shot as a jpeg. (Because I'm not sure I knew the term RAW then either). For starters, a little bit more detail in the shadows of the front bumper would've been nice.
Fast forward to August 2012, and together, Justin and I are able to accomplish this:
No matter where you are on your journey - just keep shootin'! You can't learn it all overnight. So try some new things and have fun doing so!
I loved this photo. Everyone loved this photo. People still ask about the location.
Photo taken with a Canon Rebel XTi & 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 Non-IS len. Without a circular polarizer. And long before a even knew the real differences in the letters on the camera mode dial. Why this one was shot in shutter speed priority? I couldn't tell you. ISO 400, f/13, 1/500 sec. Shot as a jpeg. (Because I'm not sure I knew the term RAW then either). For starters, a little bit more detail in the shadows of the front bumper would've been nice.
Fast forward to August 2012, and together, Justin and I are able to accomplish this:
No matter where you are on your journey - just keep shootin'! You can't learn it all overnight. So try some new things and have fun doing so!
2010 Sunset Gold Metallic Mustang
We're back with two more photos from the parking garage! Yes, I think the black car looks freakin' fabulous...because it's mine. But everything else is so much easier to photograph. And more fun to edit. Colors are pretty. Haha! This is our friend Trent's V6 Mustang...and he found the location for us. We've attempted to photograph his car with the lights twice before, always forgetting an important detail...the cord connecting the battery to the strobe... the adapter that holds the octabox on... third time's a charm I guess! Trent, hope it was worth the wait! Note to everyone... check lists. Learn 'em. Love 'em. Use 'em. ;)
2013 5.0 Mustang
We've had the 2013 5.0 Mustang for a month now (traded in the 2008). Packed with the brembo brakes, 3:73 gears, & recaro seats, she's hit 2000 miles, been around Texas World Speedway, and become very well loved already. But until last night, we hadn't gotten any good pics of her (outside of the track, more on that later). In the middle of more than a week straight of rain, we gave her a quick wash and headed across town to a new parking garage. And then promptly got rained on again today. Hmph. The washing was worth it tho. See for yourself ;)
Equipment used:
Canon 5D Mk III, Canon 17-40 f4L, Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS
Photogenic StudioMax III strobe, 3' Octabox, Canon 580 EX II, 16" Softbox
Equipment used:
Canon 5D Mk III, Canon 17-40 f4L, Canon 70-200 f/2.8L IS
Photogenic StudioMax III strobe, 3' Octabox, Canon 580 EX II, 16" Softbox
I Race In Heels
As if we didn't have enough going on? A few years ago I realize what a lack of automotive clothing & accesories there are out there that area actually geared toward females. There's plenty of us out there that enjoy racing down the drag strip or flying around the road course and enjoy wearing heels otherwise. So I decided to tie the two together. Now if I can just figure out how to get photography tied in there, I'd be good to go! Please check out my other adventure : IRaceInHeels.com!
Location Location Location
Seems like I've been in a rut lately when it comes to finding decent locations. I think its pretty tough with car stuff sometimes. It's not like you can just throw on a 50mm f/1.2L like Rebecca does with portraits and make the background a blur in a razor thin depth of field.
A friend of mine found a little location in the back of a subdivision. As we where driving in I was not exactly sure what to expect. To the naked eye, there was not much to shoot and the sun was a little bright that day. But pair it with a 5d Mark II & a 24-105L, and this little nook turned out just fine.
A friend of mine found a little location in the back of a subdivision. As we where driving in I was not exactly sure what to expect. To the naked eye, there was not much to shoot and the sun was a little bright that day. But pair it with a 5d Mark II & a 24-105L, and this little nook turned out just fine.
Forum + New Site Design
Hey folks! You're probably noticing that the links up top are gone... oops! We're in the middle of changing to a new main page layout, which is going to be a big improvement! The links will be back, promise! :)
In the mean time, please access the forum by visiting http://www.autocaptures.com/forum or find us on facebook.
New posts coming soon featuring our '66 Mustang & a mustang cruise to Brazos Bend Park.
Hope y'all had a great 3-day Memorial Weekend!
In the mean time, please access the forum by visiting http://www.autocaptures.com/forum or find us on facebook.
New posts coming soon featuring our '66 Mustang & a mustang cruise to Brazos Bend Park.
Hope y'all had a great 3-day Memorial Weekend!
A Weekend With The Driver's Edge
Have you ever had a dream of driving your car on an open track? You really don’t know how close you are to being able to participate in the greatest sport of all. Performance Driving!
I found out about an event in Texas through some friends, called The Driver’s Edge. The Driver’s Edge is a performance Driving school with one thing in mind: teaching you to drive your car and drive it well. They use slogans like “Stop Dreaming and Start Driving” and “We don’t care what you drive we care how well you drive it”. They honestly mean just that. In the two events I have participated in, I have learned more about driving then I thought possible. I remember right before my first driving weekend, I told my wife, “you know all that stuff I said about me driving really well? Well I was just kidding.” I was actually a little nervous. But I have to say, after about my first lap around MSR Houston, every bit of nervousness I had went away, and I was absolutely having the time of my life.
My wife decided to take her first shot at The Driver’s Edge last weekend. She has always been a drag racer, and so we thought throwing turns in the mix might be a challenge. Contrary to our concerns, she did fantastic. Giving her the chance to drive this event gave me some time off to walk around and get more of an idea of what goes on behind the scenes.
Let’s take a look at a typical day. The track opens early on day one. This gives drivers time to set up, check the cars, tire pressure, brakes, etc. The mandatory driver’s meeting is at 8am. I know what you’re thinking, a boring meeting. Think again. Rick Schwalenberg heads up each event. He is upbeat, funny and can really make the whole day that much more enjoyable. He gives his speeches each morning, they run through all the flags, and you usually get in a good laugh or two or ten. Yet when it’s all said and done, you are presented with every bit of information you need to know for the day.
After your morning meeting, the driving begins. There are four groups of drivers that rotate through the day: Green, Blue, Yellow, and Red. The groups take turns driving and rotating in and out of the classrooms. In class, you watch videos, give feedback, and figure out your objective for the next run session. Green and Blue group drivers run with an instructor in the passenger seat. Each group runs four, 25 minute sessions a day. At the end, you are graded by your Instructor on a number of things. Your ability to acknowledge flags, give proper passing signals, and drive the racing line are just a few of the things that might determine whether you get promoted to the next group. It’s definitely not just about going fast.
One of the neat features about The Driver’s Edge is the opportunity to drive parade laps during lunch, for anyone at the track who wants to participate. Friends, family, and spectators can get in their own vehicles and follow the pace car around the track at a very slow pace. It gives people who are undecided about signing up for an event or who might not otherwise have the chance, to experience something really cool. After lunch is finished, you run your last two sessions and have the opportunity to participate in a pizza and track walk. You team up with an Instructor who escorts you out onto the track and you take a look up close and personal at a particular section. Maybe it was a turn you had been having trouble with. It makes for a nice end to a wonderful day of driving.
People come from all over to drive with the Driver’s Edge. There are always so many new drivers at just about every event. The staff and everyone who participates are very kind and helpful in every way. For people just starting, it makes a huge difference in the whole weekend. I myself have yet to meet one person out there who would not go above and beyond to help you get an answer. At the end of the day everyone is out there for the same reasons, to learn and become a better driver. Just about everything you learn out on the track can be used in everyday driving. In my opinion there should definitely be some sort of insurance discount. If you have any questions at all about The Driver’s Edge please contact Rick.
Finally I’d just like to thank my wife for pushing me into giving it a try. Like many people out there, was stressed about costs and wear on the car. All I can say is I’m glad I went for it, otherwise I would have been missing out on some of the best weekends ever.
Thank you Driver’s Edge!
See You At The Track!
-Justin Davis
http://www.autocaptures.com/
http://www.randjstudios.com/
How to Photograph Cars
How to Photograph Cars!
by
Jurien Minke on Chasing Asphalt.
As with photography in general a stunning car photo is a mix of a great location, magnificent point of view and exceptional lighting. A great side effect of having a car as a model is that a car never complains about the thing you want to do, although the owner might…
Creating a superb car photo can be quit a challenge but we have a few tips for you.
•Make sure the car is clean. Especially when you do detail shots
•To get the best lighting, photograph during the golden hours (just before sunrise of just before sunset)
•Get to know your subject. Read about the make and model of the car. If you can, drive around a little in the car you are taking photos of. It will help you to discover what is unique about the car and that will make your photos better.
•Choose you location wisely. Read all about locations in our blog post on choosing a photo location. Read full Post Here!
-Justin Davis
Weekend Sneak Peak
So it was quite a long weekend, especially sitting on the side line this time around. I did however have a good time supporting the wife and making sure the car was good to go before every session. I know just like I did, she learned quite a lot about driving. I'm trying to have a blog/article up documenting the weekend with The Driver's Edge soon. Spending time out at the Track and meeting the new people has been such an awesome experience and I can't wait to get back out there and Learn some more. Here is just a quick one of whats to come!! -Justin
SouthSide Airport Shoot
I guess it has been about a month now that our SouthSide Mustang group took a cruise had some lunch and ended up at a private Airport. We had quite a few cars that day and we just all took turns going through and taking pics. I've been working on a lighter side of processing and I think these show the direction I'm heading in.
(click to view best quality)
All of these pictures where taken with a 70-200 2.8 IS, on a tripod. They were also all shot with natural/available light. Enjoy!
-Justin Davis
www.autocaptures.com
(click to view best quality)
All of these pictures where taken with a 70-200 2.8 IS, on a tripod. They were also all shot with natural/available light. Enjoy!
-Justin Davis
www.autocaptures.com
Space City Cruisers Car Show
So this weekend I participated the Space City Cruisers Car Show with my Local Mustang Group (Southside Mustang Car Club). It was a really great weekend. Rebecca and I spent Thursday night and ALL DAY Saturday cleaning both of our cars. Now normally I'm not a show type person...I usually just show up and and visit. I have to say though...it was a lot of fun participating with a group...Plus the cars really needed it :-)!
Check out the host clubs photos here!
We had three of our members win 1st in their class which I think was GREAT considering there were over 200+ cars there. At the end of the day we ended up beating out the SpaceCity LX for group participation! We were all pretty excited to get that award for our first official group show!
Be sure to join us for the Fall Extravaganza, October 20th, 2012!
After the show was over most of us made our way to the weekly show at Chic-fil-A in Kemah. It was a pretty nice evening and the cars were already polished up! Finished the evening off with a bite to eat a Chili's. 530am-1145pm...what.a.day! -Justin
Something New
Something New by Justin Davis
http://www.autocaptures.com/
So I’m beginning to find out that lighting in photography is more or less like riding a bike. Once you can see it, see what you want to be accomplished, the easier it becomes. I started figuring out lighting when I started with automotive interior shots….I’m not going to say I’ve done a Ton of them but I do have a few good ones that I like to show off from time to time. Rebecca and I practiced in the garage for hours one night, with reflectors, flashes, sheets, white poster board and more. We eventually were able to get the light to fall how we wanted. That said…most of my recent lighting attempts have actually been through post processing. 99% of it being created with dodging and burning, creating from multiple layer masks etc. While this is fantastic to do with pictures you have taken on the fly, at car shows or other events, using lighting with natural light has really started to intrigue me. Moving Forward.
For now I honestly don’t have a particular style, I feel I’m just honing my skills “In camera” and “Post processing” wise. I’ve bounced around a lot, most of my work being on the dark side.(I’ve always seemed to lean towards the darker type images for some reason). Looking at images and other photographers blogs on the web I ran across SEAN KLINGELHOEFER. He did an article or blog about High Key processing.This really grabbed my attention. As much as I love the dark images this really made me want to dig in and give this a try! Rebecca(Wife) helped me get the shot set up and worked the camera, helping me get the exposure the way I wanted it. The setup was as follows: Canon 5d Mk2, 17-40L, 580 II, and softbox. Nothing crazy, just simple. The shot was composed of 3 pictures, one very over exposed, one for the flash lighting and the last was an exposure I wanted to use to remove a large glare on the hood. The glare exposure was taken by blocking the glare with a reflector. The shot turned out exactly like I imagined it and it looks like I am leaning more towards this style than any other so far. There are of course tweaks and such that I do for my personal liking. I do still like have a slight gritty feel to it.
A few rough pics of the setup.
It really is amazing what you can create by getting out there and just trying new things, experimenting, just shooting! I’m hoping to have some new things to shoot this week and if not, I just might have a few more garage pics, who knows. Thanks for the Read! –Justin Davis; www.autocaptures.com
Photo Locations by Chasing Asphalt
Tips on Photo Locations by Chasing Asphalt
www.chasingasphalt.com
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.
Read More Here!
First photo: Justin/Rebecca Davis
Second Photo: Dale Martin
A Mustang Sunset
It's amazing what a little time and a few photoshop skills can get you. A few weeks ago while we where out shooting a friends 55 Ford Custom Line for the Mecum Auto Auction, Rebecca snapped a few pictures of her car while we where there. It was an interesting location but quite a bland day, over cast and cold. Got in the mood to edit one evening and this is what I came up with!
2008 Ford Mustang GT, JLT Cold Air,SCT programmer,Bassani Axel Back,Bassani x-pipe, MGW Shifter, Ford Racing Hot Rod Cams.
Future plans include Upper Intake and Throttle body, Boss S Wheels.
