Stangman98
Senior Member
I have had some ask about shooting cars shows so here are some general tips.
1. Bring the widest angle lens you own. Unless you are going to a high end show, all the cars are going to be jammed together and trust me, you will not have enough room to back up and zoom in on just that one car.
2. FILTERS...I am not a huge fan of using them a lot, but lets face it, windshields are a pain in the ass. Make sure to bring a CPF if you have one. You don't want to get a great shot ruined by window glare
3. Luggage. Don't bring everything you own. Most owners don't want your bag straps or anything else swinging anywhere near their $10K paint job!
4. Talk to the owner of a car if you really like it. The owners love the attention (trust me I used to take mine to car shows, I know). This may lead you to be able to do a full shoot with just that car at a different location. It's about the owner feeling comfortable with you. Also, ask the owner to be in the shot. It will help with sales too.
5. Dress well. This doesn't mean show up in a suit. This means don't show up to a show with ripped jeans and your worst tee shirt. If you wanted to be treated well, try looking the part. People will take you more serious then.
6. SHOES SHOES SHOES. They better be comfortable because you are going to be doing a lot of walking. At big shows, you can put on 10-20 miles without even realizing it.
7. Business Cards. If you have them you had better bring them. If you don't you are just another fan walking around with a camera. Differentiate yourself.
8. Patience. We all hate it when someone walks into the shot. Let's face it, this is a car show where everyone walks around. You have to learn to be patience to get that shot. Some people pay attention to you shooting and some just don't care.
These are just some of the tips that I have aquired over the years. I have been on both sides of the lens at car shows. I was taking my car to shows for years and now I am the one shooting the cars.
1. Bring the widest angle lens you own. Unless you are going to a high end show, all the cars are going to be jammed together and trust me, you will not have enough room to back up and zoom in on just that one car.
2. FILTERS...I am not a huge fan of using them a lot, but lets face it, windshields are a pain in the ass. Make sure to bring a CPF if you have one. You don't want to get a great shot ruined by window glare
3. Luggage. Don't bring everything you own. Most owners don't want your bag straps or anything else swinging anywhere near their $10K paint job!
4. Talk to the owner of a car if you really like it. The owners love the attention (trust me I used to take mine to car shows, I know). This may lead you to be able to do a full shoot with just that car at a different location. It's about the owner feeling comfortable with you. Also, ask the owner to be in the shot. It will help with sales too.
5. Dress well. This doesn't mean show up in a suit. This means don't show up to a show with ripped jeans and your worst tee shirt. If you wanted to be treated well, try looking the part. People will take you more serious then.
6. SHOES SHOES SHOES. They better be comfortable because you are going to be doing a lot of walking. At big shows, you can put on 10-20 miles without even realizing it.
7. Business Cards. If you have them you had better bring them. If you don't you are just another fan walking around with a camera. Differentiate yourself.
8. Patience. We all hate it when someone walks into the shot. Let's face it, this is a car show where everyone walks around. You have to learn to be patience to get that shot. Some people pay attention to you shooting and some just don't care.
These are just some of the tips that I have aquired over the years. I have been on both sides of the lens at car shows. I was taking my car to shows for years and now I am the one shooting the cars.