Automotive Photography

I am looking to an Automotive shoot with some friends cars. I've read much about rigs, and shot styles and blah blah. For lenses I have been looking at a Tokina 11-16, a Nikon 35, or 50mm prime, and a 24-70mm f2.8 (Just to try out because they are crazy expensive for an amateur photographer with no current intention to make money on the shots.). I was also going to attempt a shot with 70-300 (probably set around 150-200) while the car is moving and going around a corner.

What recommendations does anyone have? Any thing is better than nothing. What lighting recommendation does anyone have for inside a parking garage, and outside on the road?

Just to reiterate, I'm an amateur with a D5200.

Do you have the 18-55 that came with the camera? For still shots in the parking garage that will probably work just fine. How close are you to where the car is going around the corner? If you are at 200mm you are pretty far away and it the car is moving then you are going to have problems tracking it and stopping action.

Yes I have the 18-55mm kit lens. I enjoy working with it, but I want something more. You are correct about the 200mm not working, I wasn't thinking when I wrote that one. I chose the others thought because I would like experiment with a various group of wide angle, close in, depth of feel, as well as motion. I have plans to set up a rig and have the cars only roll a short distance so to get that fast motion feel.
I like to experiment, but I also would like some advice before I get myself in over my head. I have a local photography shop that rents equipment, so the lens will be rented until I find one I enjoy working with.
Thanks for the input.

Parking garages are usually so dim that I'm not sure you'll get nice results there unless you're after that special effect. As for focal length, this is something that you will have to find out by trial and error. I think you're idea of renting is an excellent one. It might look expensive, but if it prevents you from getting something you won't use... then it gets cheaper.

If your inside a parking garage, your going to have to have a really high ISO to get the shutterspeed up to about 1/500th if you want to freeze the car in motion. If you want some blur, then you can get away with really low shutterspeeds, 1/50th or less in a garage.

Outside, before noon, clean light unless your want an effect fog or haze will give you. 10 or 11 in the morning with decent glass on a D5200 will give you nice bright contrasty colors usually.

Will this be on a track or just out in public?

Thanks for the information. I was planning on doing a number of the shots in a parking garage on various floors, and some street shots. I wasn't planning on being in a busy area for too long.

POTN has a great section regarding automotive photography and rig setups

Link: Official Automotive Rigs - DIY Thread - Canon Digital Photography Forums

While the site is Canon focused, it's a great resource with friendly folks

I know it has been some time since I have talked about this topic, but I am almost done with my camera rig, and if the weather holds this weekend, I will rent some lenses and get some shots.

The lenses I was plan on renting are the Tokina 11-16mm (or a fish eye lens of some kind) for some close in shots of emblems, and curve details, as well as some interior shots. The Nikon 35mm for stills and possibly to attach while on using the rig. (I plan on buying the 35mm 1.8 after reading all of the reviews, but I want to try it out first.) Finally I am going to rent something with some distance probably up to 300mm for some motion shots.

If anyone has any gear recommendations that have not been mentioned, or any other gear I should probably acquire, please let me know.

Also If any one is curious about the rig, I made everything out of aluminum and steel. No cheap PVC tubing. It will be mounted under the front of the car and will be as close as @2.5ft and as far out as @5.5ft. I made it telescoping so I could have options. I don't plan on the car going any faster than 5 mph while shooting for safety of my equipment. If there is too much engine vibration I will push the car to get the effect I want.

Thanks all for previous tips. I will hopefully have something to post soon.

Looking forward to seeing your work. The Tokina is great for some interesting perspectives. 35 mm is razor sharp.

Trick to the Tokina is keeping the lens level and straight. Before shooting put the lens on and put a tree on the side of the viewfinder. Now looking through the viewfinder tilt up and down and watch how the tree warps. Sometimes it is a cool effect... other times it messes up a shot. Keeping it level will prevent the curling.

Thanks for the tip. Hopefully I it gives me some cool shots.