This article was first publised over at Culture|Garage.
Ahhh..... it's that time of the year again. Autoshow season! The inevitable questions for those who plan to go to these shows will ask me "I want to go to the autoshow, what camera should I use?" and of course "What lens should I bring along?". The good news is taking good images at autoshows aren't that difficult. The lighting is ample, the subjects don't move... well except for the exotic cars on spinning pedestals. So it really doesn't matter what camera you bring. Point 'n shoots work just as well as dSLR. Cameras with articulating screens allow different angle of shooting without you having to perform compromising Yoga positions in the public. The new Canon EOS 60D should be quite wonderful for this. There is also an increasing trend to shoot videos too thanks to HD technology for some cameras, so you can Youtube-fy your very own Car and Driver spoof.
Here are a few practical tips that worked well for me in the past and I hope will be of use to you.
Step back and get the "big picture".
Tip #1 - Crowds. Autoshows are notoriously crowded. So if you ever want to get good still shots without 50 other people standing around that hot new Volkswagen diesel, try to attend at odd times. Like during office/school hours! OK kids, please don't skip Calculus for this. Derivatives is an important subject! Alternately you should go early during weekends. If you are lucky, you may get 1hr all to yourself before the event is swarmed by the mob.
Tip #2 - Be Nimble. International Autoshows are usually large and span multiple levels and buildings. You will do lots of walking. Most times back and forth b/t various manufacturers' gallery. So wear something comfortable. Stay light. I see so many over-enthused photo-takers with their full line of lenses, flash and tripod in a desperate attempt to impress the cute hostess at the Lexus booth. Only to get winded by the heavy gear. Not to mention how clumsy it is to ingress and egress between cars. Unless you are arthritic, there is no reason to haul a tripod. I will touch on lens and flash next.
Knobs on this BMW Z4 lines up to trail the eyes.
Tip #3 - Glassware. There is really no need for a telephoto lens. I am always bemused at the undoubtedly a photography forum camper totting around big lens in these events. Again perhaps trying to impress that cute little missy at the Lexus atrium maybe? It's an autoshow, not an airshow! A telephoto is really not needed. Space is limited when crowds are factored in. With a telephoto, you begin to step back a little to frame in the car. Well guess what? 50 people will see that gap and proceed to occupy that space. So in this respect, general wide to medium focal range lens is perfectly fine. I use Canon's EF 17-40 F4L for most photos. For bokeh stuff use medium range fast prime.
Tip #4 - Lighting. The typical autoshows are usually very well lit. There is no need for flash. In fact with these Turtle Waxed-up cars, all you get is flash reflection. Which just makes you look like a noob. I once witness a guy using an external flash with the head pointing upwards in an effort to bounce light off the ceiling....300ft above. 8-/
Tip #5 - Composition. This is really subjective. What work well for me is to shoot the car at an angle. It gives an otherwise boxy subject some depth. Also try to lower the camera a bit. To about waist level. Other style includes, straight frontal for cars with aggressive and interesting front end. Half image just to include the headlights and part of the front is neat too. Audi and BMW often showcase really cool wheel design with their products. Don't forget interior, car parts and engine bay. They provide interesting subjects.
This shot can be improved if it was shot as waist level and with a CPL.
Tip #6 - CPL. Also known as circular polarizer lens. This is great to eliminate reflection and glare. But you will lose 1 or 2 stops of light.
Tip #7 - Body Needs. I know this is not photography related. I find some autoshow venues to be quite dry maybe it's the air combined with dry wax. Don't know. Trekking back to the food & beverage mezzanine can be quite far and tedious. So bring along a bottle of water. In addition a pack or two energy bars can go along way in maintaining endurance.
Obviously my gear didn't impress Miss Lexus, but got a clear pic of this IS-F. Pursue the M! ;-)
So there you go. Some tips for you when you head down this year's autoshow. Patience is key. Sometimes waiting a few seconds to allow the crowd to dissipate can result in a great image. :-)
BTW, for those in the Pacific Northwest, the Vancouver International Autoshow is on March 29 – April 3, 2011.
-- Alwin Lai of Veritas-Images.com
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