Motor On, is the "wolf camera" photo another HDR (thought you were stopping with those)? I ask because it has that familiar HDR "hazyness".
I looked at Harniman's photos via the link you posted. Great photos, but I'm struggling to determine where the photo ended and the industrial strength PS work began. I think we need a behind the scenes info to one of his photo shoots.

I attempted to use the Filmtools car mount last night, but had issues with it loosing vacuum after 30 seconds. I tethered it securely, so my camera wasn't at risk, but I think more time is needed to learn about it. Tsukiji, do you mist the mount point for the grip with water? I was wiping griots speedshine until it was dry on the paint to make sure it was clean, but now I'm wondering if that was causing some vacuum leak issues? It stayed on the glass better than on the body panels, but eventually came loose too. It was a very humid ~30ish degrees last night too when I was experimenting; could the temp outside bugger the grip up?

Went up to Napa last Sunday to get some vino for our New England trip next week. Grape vines on the left side of the road are devoid of leaves, but there are still a lot of trees that still have some leaves left.

Motor On, I wanted to post this photo to show you what I was talking about on having the road going somewhere for your eyes to follow. The composition isn't perfect (maybe get up higher, 10' or so to see more road?) and anything I post here is fair game for comments too, so don't be shy everyone.

 

Thanks Phil! Thats for Christmas Morning. Next on the queue will be the 10 - 22mm for indoors (wife does a lot of those shots) ... now to save .... sigh.

Speed, excellent photo. Your eyes follow the road, great blue sky (polarizer?) ... and the great part, not sure if you did this on purpose or not, is that the tree branches "frame" the object of interest ... the car. Thats Composition 201 ... wasn't going to discuss that with Motor yet

I would not be 10' up more (maybe I dont understand what your saying). I might have stood a few feet back more to see a bit more grass?

 

I think he wants to be up on a ladder to get a steeper angle on the road, making it more prominent in the photo. That was my first thought, but it would lower the tips of the branches, and I would have looked to raise them up a bit in the shot so they didn't drape into the outline of the hillside.

 

OK, maybe. But I would still move back a few feet (but not center the car). I love the branches. IMO, they make the shot turn from a good pic to a great pic

 

Chows, agranger was correct in figuring out my train of though and I agree with the analysis. It's one of those "coulda-shoulda-woulda" situations when reviewing the images later on. This was taken behind a winery on their private road where I suspect I should not have been, but couldn't resist. Just tried to shoot quickly plus not annoy the pregnant wife in the passenger seat. Oh, there was more grass below and to the left of the Mini, but it was cropped when resizing for the web. And yes, polarizer; funny how strong the effect is at 12:30pm. Thank you almost winter solstice.

Motor On, forgot to also tell you I did a curve adjustment layer and masked only on the boot as it was too dark. Can you tell?

 

Your side-only shots, especially so many together, are boring. They are essentially portraits, but the lighting is not good, and as it is not MY car, the photos do not move me. You have seen examples or "art" photos of cars, which are close-ups of discreet elements usaually with reflections. These also get boring fast. I believe that the most interesting photos of a sports car show the car in action. Action photos are "narrative", in that we can anticipate the action, the physical forces on the car racing around a corner or approaching a curvacous country road. A sports car photo should make you want to BE there, behind the wheel, so you must include enough environment in the photo to provide the narrative. Is this what you were hoping for?

 

So I follow some of the basic "composition rules" with the lines and divisions, yet this tart is still quite hideous IMHO. I've gotten pretty good with the rubber stamp tool, but it just isn't worth the time IMHO to clean up the power lines and poles. This photo just seems too cluttered, but I can't explain why. Maybe it's the dead grape vine leaves and the raisins-in-progress on the vines. Shadow on the bumper isn't helping either. The focal point at the end of the road in the horizon yields only disappointment. So much for following rules.


However, turning the camera 180 degrees yields the same almost dead leaves, only they're highlighted with low horizon sunlight and looking much more attractive. Attempted to work this subject into the monthly contest of "red & green", but the results sucked and I'm not sharing those.


Last shot before the 2 hour drive back to S.J. Ms. Speednut was reclined and sleeping in her seat, so I used the side mirror to block her face. This photo is weighted too heavy on the left, but still seems to work IMHO. Perhaps the organic stuff outlines a similar shape as the Mini?


Col.Bobby, I think I've got time today to get a "Mini Motion" thread going with some new photos. I assume this might be more what you'd like to see. I certainly would rather have photos my MCS in motion and quite a few of us here are working on figuring out safe ways to do so. We're open to any suggestions.

 

You cant do that with power lines. The poles are there and it wouldnt look right. Sometimes, telephone poles add to old America charm.

My wife photochops out dogs leashes and anything else she hates in a pic but its tedious work.

Second shot very sharp. nice

 

Sorry, you (and I) have to admit to taking boring shots. The wheels in shadow also don't help. And the fuzzy plate really bugs me.

Finding uncluttered backgrounds is tougher than it sounds.

 

CS2 the have is fromt he drop to 16 bit, there was anothe rmethod I will use enxt time however the preview of that method came out grossly under exposed. Still need to get used to playing with curves, I don't "think" like that yet so its still stabbing in the dark (minus the preview window lol) until i get more practice with it under my belt.

I happen to live in Suburban Hell if you hadn't noticed, any road within 100miles is busy, gated, straight, illegal to park on or any combination there of. I have 3 parking lots w/in 20 miles I can shoot at w/out beign bothered. So shots of windy roads happen few an far between (and are usually ar esult of a 1k mile road trip)

As far as motion shots, when I can I get them. I am developing detrailed plans for a pro level rig, which will help in that aspect other wise I tend to have the 2 location 1 person issue. Also no longer have a Motoring/photo buddy to try this kind of stuff out with regularly, I've been wanting to do some C2C shots for a while (which would require yet a 3rd person). When I get onto the car photog forums I also notice many have easy acess to a track that is in use on a regular basis, in my area unless I'm going to the track to drive, there is only maybe a monthly oppurtunity during half the year.

Chows I do framing more than you may think. Much is a result of the ones I do frame not being to my liking, Als the majority of the P-Lot photos I try yo frame with the lighting.


I think managed to condense everything into one post.

 

 

Whee!

 

Guess I'll take that under constructive criticism

 

Here are some motion shots
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=87426

 

HELP!!!

OK, got a camera ... 2GB card

Frigging card reader (PNY .... 5 years old) says corrupt files, cant read.

Files read fine in the computer

Tried it the hard way using usb to camera and EOS utility, a major pain. Nothing happens ... it never recongizes the camera
I have NO intention of ever xferring files that way anyway

So do I need a new CF reader. I'm thinking its too old to handle the 2GB+ cards? Works fine on a 512 Mb car

Anyone?

 

Ahhh I knew this would happen someday, They've (I really don't know who but "they") been updating the type of flash processing on the cards to get them to hold more and read faster, I guees "they've" finally out dont the card readers (I know I have to be careful when selecting 4+GB cards for the same reason (except my camera won't regonize the new format card). If I were you I'd get the Camera to work w/ the comp for the rest of the day, and get a new card reader tomorrow (you can find them for less than 1/2 the cost of a tank of gas at Wal-Mart). Also if you can get the comp to recognize you camera you can shoot direct to the HD, something that can come in handy with a lap top and field/event work or if you do still life/studio stuff.

 

Problem solved

Reformated the card and it worked:impatient

The manual say to have NO other USB ports plugged in ... Right

and to not use a hub

Or your camera may not work properly

Plugged it in directly ... no work
plugged it in via a hub, it works

Go figure

Sorry, no pics yet

My wife had me editing XMAS video tape all night and I'm exhausted. Making DVD is SO much slower than digital pics.

 

Hence eveoles the philosophy of don't RTFM Can't wait to see how the photos turn our as you get into the swing of things

 

Hell, the manual is bigger than a MINI owners manual

 

Have they thinned it down to 1 book yet?

 

They got one book nothing but spanish!!!

So many options in there my brain is tired

 

I had 4 books 2 spanish 2 english with mine. guess we didn't warn you. I suggest starting off in th P mode as you get used to things; at least then you wont have a ton of drastically under or overexposed shots. HAve fun the best way to learn is simply shoot everything

 

I think I got this HDR thing down much better now....

And some others....

I don't know it brakes so much convention but I like it

 

Bump for some C&C Not sure if I'll get more up tonight or not.

 

The extreme low angle is so much better than the third shot, which looks like you just jumped off the shuttle bus.