Car photography is a niche by itself, considering the amount of skill and artistic eye you need for it. This includes setting up the car, taking photos, and even editing the image too. Unlike a shoot that involves animals or people, a car might seem to be easier to handle because you can just move it into place and snap away. However, it takes special skill to capture a flattering shot for such a huge, inanimate object.

If you are interested in running your own shoot, or if you just want to take a good car photo for your blog or social media, perhaps even design your own photobook, you have come to the right place. While you can opt to use a high-end smartphone camera, nothing really beats the quality of a professional camera. But aside from equipment, you must take note of the following tips so you can start taking amazing photos of your car.

Mind The Purpose Of Your Shoot

It’s very important to know why you are taking car photos. If you are taking pictures for a dealership, your shots should be simpler and more straightforward than if you were taking photos for advertisements, blogs, or a creative portfolio. Ultimately this will play into the kind of shoot that you have to set up.

For example, if you are a social media blogger and you’re taking pictures for Instagram, you might want to get really creative and play around with angles and colors during the shoot. For more ideas, you can check out these hashtags for car and auto photos.

Location, Location, Location

Finding the right time and place to take your pictures is going to make all the difference. Every car is different and might require a different location to extenuate its features. The general idea, however, is to find a place that compliments, the color, make, and style of your car. You might also want to think about geometrical lines and different textures that will work well with your vehicle.

Don’t Shoot On Eye Level

Everyone sees a car from eye level. Hence, shooting from eye level would not bring much interest to your car photo. The key is to show aspects of the car from different levels and angles to offer a fresh perspective.

So, try shooting from high angles or from the ground and use these to showcase different details and features of the car. These includes the tires, its headlight design, or even the interior. Don’t be afraid to get nice and close if there are cool leather seats or modern gadgets inside.

Make Use Of Reflections

For most photographers, reflections are usually annoying and get in the way of taking a good shot. But in car photography, you can use this to your advantage and take some great photos with it. Just make sure that your car is as shiny as it can be so you can use this sheen to showcase the car’s sleekness and even emphasize all its angles and curves.

Aside from that, play around with shadows and the light to create more creative and elegant shots. If you are taking photos for blogs and social media, you might try adding VSCO filters for a more dramatic effect.

Conclusion

The most important tip to remember is to get creative. Don’t be afraid to try new and interesting angles. You can also play around with the lighting, filters, and presets. Also, remember that a car has tons of features, and it’s your job to capture all these features and showcase how beautiful or interesting they are.