Practical Photography Tips at Autoshows

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

The Culture of a Garage.... how quirkily quaint.

Like most homes, my garage is filled with stuff that otherwise should not be in the house. At least stuff that are not permitted by my wife. There's a lawn mower, cases of engine oil, folded boxes, some old newspapers, typical "garagy" stuff. I never knew it can be a place for intersecting races. After all it is far from being a meeting area for the UN. So it was with curiosity when folks from Culture| Garage started chatting with me. No it's not about exchanging recipes for Curry Mutton or Kung Pau Chicken. Certainly nothing to do with how to tidy-up one's garage nor what to do when hosting a multi-racial get together in your garage! Turns out that my auto-articles aren't just some ramblings of a 30-year old pencil pusher after all. Folks at Culture | Garage recognised some value of my writings and offered me to be on-board their staff.

Volvo C30 T5

Swedish Style for the Sanguine Kind

Pop quiz! What car brand is known for its safety? Chances are your answer is probably Volvo. Even a 5th Grader knows that! And rightly so, as this Swedish carmaker has carved itself a strong brand recognition by offering some of the safest automotive to the public. Its models garnered numerous awards from IIHS to ENCAP.

However the perception of Volvo cars while safe offers little in terms of excitement and energy. Sure there were some spiced-up models like the 850 T5 or the recent 300hp S70R. What Volvo is missing in their model line-up is a vehicle that reaches out to the 25-35 year-old genre. Being part of Ford’s PAG (Premium Automotive Group), Volvo receives the financial backing otherwise not possible to develop a new model cost effectively. Thus is born the C30 premium sport hatch designed by Canadian Simon Lamarre. The C30 will fill the void for the above buyers and also allow newcomers to the Swedish brand and hopefully build a loyal customer base.

The styling of the C30 can be traced back to the Volvo SCC and later 3CC concept cars. Despite that, production model is toned down while still maintaining a curvy and stylish exterior, a departure from the traditional box-shaped Volvo models. The C30 shares a shortened (~22cm) platform of the S40/V50. From its swept-back headlights to the distinct rectangle front aprons, one would be hard-pressed to distinguish the C30 from an S40. However from the B-pillar back, the C30 tapers off seductively into a glass hatch flanked by twin-towering taillights. Its rear quarters flares out enveloping the rear wheels providing an athletic stance. The result is a strikingly stylish hot-hatch. When I first saw early pre-production model of the C30, I thought it surely can’t be for North American consumption. Sure it works in Europe where Vuitton or Armani are born. This car is too chic for the super-sized blocky SUV consumer here. Afterall, we are only beginning to accept IKEA into our homely lifestyle.

Its straight forward gauges and floating centre console is directly off the S40 sedan. My C30 tester comes with the base audio system which sounded fine. For those who crave maximum audio experience,

Volvo offers a crackling 10-speaker Dynaudio option. Despite the many Chiclet-sized buttons, I was able to easily work the HVAC and radio settings. Control dials were large and well spaced. Great for those wearing winter gloves. In addition, there is a menu-driven system that allows the driver to pre-configure the audio and even turn-off the DSTC. This by the way comes standard even on the base C30.

In general the C30’s cabin is pleasant with minimal hard-plastics found on window controls and the rear window trim. The driver is surrounded by large windows providing great peripheral view. The ’08 model will even come with an indicator to warn its driver about cars straying into the C30’s blind-spot. Now that is a smart safety feature. The unique T-tec fabric that clothes my tester offers good grip and with its wetsuit-like material repels liquid effectively. Brilliant! Leather is of course an option but the T-tec is such a good conversation starter. Volvo opted to not install bench seats for the rear occupants instead two bucket seats are found in the C30. I find seating at the rear comfortable especially with the existence of a centre arm rest. It feels like I am in a small executive jet. The small glass hatch allows one to open it without having to take a few steps back. So rear cargo access is easy even in a tight space. Having said that, don’t expect the cargo volume to match that of the V50 despite sharing the same platform. One can still toss in a bicycle in there with the seats folded.

My turbocharged 218hp T5 C30 provided good pulling power from stop. At idle, the engine is quiet. It cruises comfortably over regular roads and with this higher-output model (base is 2.4l 168hp), overtaking maneuvers at highway speeds was a breeze. I felt that the 5-speed automatic didn’t change gears as smoothly as I would like. And if you are opting for the T5, it is probably a good idea to get the 6-speed manual for maximum enjoyment. Being a turbocharged car, there is no perceptible turbo whine, credit to Volvo’s NVH tuning. I would prefer that the twin-exhaust to provide some vocal excitement during acceleration instead of a muted gruff.

Just as IKEA introduced us to unique furniture names like the Billy bookcase and the Poäng chair, 16” CELEUS alloys are equipped on my C30. One can option for the masculine sounding 17” ZAURAK too. I can almost hear Björn say “No you can’t just call them 5-spoke mags, sir”. Coupling with MacPherson front with multi-link rear suspension, the C30 offers sporting dynamics. Diving into a negative-cambered corner, the car exhibited some front-end push. I can feel the nose dipping down due to the heavier turbo-engine & soft springs. Punching the accelerator at the apex of the corner shoved 236lb-ft onto the front-drivetrain resulting in the tires scrambling for grip. The same soft suspension and taller sidewalled tires did however absorb frost heaves on the country back roads admirably. An alphabet soup of braking technology ensures good stopping prowess. The brakes were progressive and easy to modulate during my spirited drive on the countryside.

The C30 is positioned at the growing premium hatch segment with competitions from the Audi A3, VW GTi, and BMW’s MINI. I am impressed with the bold styling of this junior Volvo. In terms of total driving satisfaction, perhaps Volvo should spend more time turning up the Sports dial a notch higher. As a hot-hatch, I would like to see more driver feedback. It is a comfortable runabout in the city with strong legs for cross country jaunts especially with the T5 model.

Quick Facts

Price	$27,495 - $31,995
Horsepower	168hp – 218hp
Length	4252mm
Weight	1341kg
Fuel Consumption	City:10.6L/100km Hwy: 7.0L/100km

Special thanks to Tony Shung of Volvo of Coquitlam for providing the 2007 C30 T5 for the purpose of this review.

Mercedes Benz B200

The Baby Benz with a Big heart.

Business Grads call it Product Expansion or Brand Diversification. Whatever the jargon it may be, it all boils down to company growth and profit. It is a tricky little bugger. Executed properly, and the company will flourish reaping profitable rewards. However when done wrong …. Well remember Pepsi Crystal?

In the fierce competitive auto world we have seen a few successful adventures specifically those that desire to join the lucrative luxury premium brands. Lexus or Infiniti are fine examples of Japanese companies successfully moving upscale. Would anyone ever think of cross-shopping a glorified Toyota against the likes of BMW or Mercedes Benz decades ago? The Japanese brands were the underdogs with little to lose… The opposite is however often fraught with high risk especially with marquee brands. Remember the BMW 318ti? Or the little Kompressor coupe from MB? Not quite the fairy-tale story huh? Maybe the market back in the 90s wasn’t ready yet….

This is 2007. Thanks to high gas prices, Global Warming and fun-loving chai sipping Yuppies, we have seen rejuvenation in the compact premium brand autos that led to the success of the hip MINI, the Audi A3 and Volvo V50. BMW even plans to bring in the 1-series! Surely the Mercedes Benz marketing whiz has tabulated the sale success of this premium compact segment and wants a piece of the action. A glance at their global inventory yields the subject of our review –Mercedes Benz B200.

MB calls it the “Compact Sports Tourer”. No doubt a concoction from the Stuttgart marketing nerds. Unlike the A3 or V50, the B200 resembles a tall wagon or at the risk of raising the ire from Mercedes – a mini minivan. It is a clever design actually. You see, these days we have these Yuppies that when not downing their favourite avocado shake, they are out about cycling, wind-sailing or purchasing the latest lamp stand at Holt Renfrew. The versatile B200 fits the bill to the T by providing the practicality of a spacious automobile and the cache of a premium brand.

The front-wheel drive B200… (Yes it’s FWD) is currently the lowest entry model one can get with the 3-Pointed Star on the hood in Canada. However this car is anything but low-rent. This model has been in the Euro-market for a while sharing platform with the smaller A-class. According to MB, the B-class has a ‘Sandwich’ setup which amongst the benefits provides protection for the wiener… occupants from any unfortunate accidents resulting in a 5-Star rating from the Euro NCAP. In addition it also delivers an amazingly large interior volume. Yours truly being a typical 5’10” of medium girth found plenty of headroom at the rear. In fact I didn’t have to cram my legs while seated at the back too, unlike many cars in this compact segment.

Since we’re on the topic of seats, I noticed that the back of the front seats are made out of hard plastics. Fashion faux pax? Perhaps. This plastic ‘armour’ acts to protect the seats from hyper-active children who are yearning to be the next Beckham. After all don’t you just hate having to wipe away muddy size-5 shoe marks?! Well this just makes the chore easier. A few other “featurettes” that MB thoughtfully included was a little Medkit in the event of minor cuts or burn from one’s hot mocha. There are sectional lights sprinkled around the car which will be useful when ambient light is low. However this lighting kit comes with the optional Premium Package. Why not make it standard? One thing is for sure standard with the B200 – storage compartments! The regular glovebox is fairly large and offers a unique way to hold a bank of coins. However considering the typical contents in a glovebox, I question the usefulness of this feature.

One can also find glovebox sized compartments at the rear, right above the wheel wells. And there’s always the underfloor tray in the cargo hold. The cargo area is ML rivaling size…especially when the rear seats are folded down. I would expect that a premium wagon such as the B-class would have a push-button rear fold down seats but alas, this one does it the muscle-power way.

Someone once told me that you can tell the interior quality of a car by its headliner. Cardboard shag vs. sumptuous Alcantara. In this so-called litmus test, the B200 does not disappoint. Though it’s not lined with luxurious Alcantara, it’s padded with upscale cloth material. Together with high-grade stitched fabric interior the B200 does seal out external noise admirably. Unlike the Benz of yonder, the cockpit of the B200 feels stylishly sporty. Black soft-touch plastics and aluminum trim is the standard theme offering a classy ambiance. And for those yearning for the nostalgic carriage flair, one can order wood paneling too. And while you are at it, do consider a horse. The gauge pod is simple rather than succumbing to the multi-pod setup that is such the rage these days. Straddled between the rev-meter and the speedometer is the Multi-Information Display. Perhaps it’s me, but I found that the information on the display a bit cramped, thus causing me to take a longer glance to determine mileage vs. temperature etc. Climate control knobs are simple, none of those trickery doodad menus that forces one to scroll through in order to switch settings. My B200 didn’t come with the fancy harman/kardon system; however the standard audio (single CD) adequately produced decent levels of highs and lows. A small quibble for me is for the main volume dial to be larger. It will benefit drivers with gloved hands during Calgary-like winters to easily adjust the dial. One last thing – the location of the cup holder at the front of the shifter. What’s with that? How can the location of this item pass the ergonomic design team?

My baby Benz tester came equipped with the standard 2.0l engine that pushes out 134hp. In an age of ever increasing power, that number seems weak. Then again, at about 2900lbs, it is no behemoth. The parabolic suspension coupled with 16” wheels delivered a supple ride. You can always opt for 17” wheels, but in my opinion, larger wheels with thinner side-walled tires could ruin the comfort handling of this tall wagon. We took off to the nearby highland country roads and it absorbed the cracked asphalt quietly. No rattles whatsoever. This is what you get for German engineering. Don’t get me wrong, this is no SLK so I am not expecting the B200 to carve apexes like a Zacto knife. There are some lean when pushed around corners, but seriously the kind of buyers for this car aren’t going to be the Fernando Alonso-types. What this car provides and it does very well is delivering a comfortable people mover within the city and around suburban area. With its light steering wheel and good outward visibility, I was able to easily negotiate tight mall-parking lots. City driving is pleasant thanks to the optional CVT on this tester. I was impressed with its virtually undetectable gear changes. You just step on the gas like a sane driver and as the speed increases, the transmission just “morphs” to the next. And if you are feeling frisky, the B200 CVT comes with a 7-speed manumatic lever that allows self-shift. That friskiness unfortunately lasted all of 30 seconds for me because when pushed hard the engine loses its luster and grunts grumpily to gain revs. Imagine the Queen Mother going for a 100m dash. Approaching some mid-grade inclines, I had to plan my acceleration pedal or risk running out of steam. I reckon the 193hp turbocharged version would provide more spunk. Ultimately the buyer would be left with a dilemma whether to go with the sensible 2.0l standard fare or the turbocharged 193hp model. The former provides comparatively superior gas mileage however if fully loaded, you may risk being left at the lights by a Yaris. Which begs the question, since this car provides Mazda5 rivaling mileage why does it require Premium fuel even for its base model? It seems counterintuitive. I hope MB will introduce the diesel version on these shores after all it is already available in Europe.

The B200 is MB’s answer to those that desire a practical but upscale ride without having to compromise on Fisher-Price interior. It offers a barrage of safety technology that one comes to expect from this German brand. For some, it is an entry into the 3-pointed Star club. And for this last reason alone, I doubt alternatives such as the excellent Mazda5 nor the Toyota Matrix will suffice.

Quick Facts

Price	$31,400 - $40,000
Horsepower	134hp – 193hp
Length	4270mm
Weight	1345kg (2990lb)
Fuel Consumption	City:9.2L/100km Hwy: 6.7L/100km

Special thanks to Adrian Kuei of Mercedes Benz – West Broadway for providing the 2007 B200 for the purpose of this review.

Published Aug. Issue of Asian Inside Views

Better Late than Never

Celebrating 1-Year Anniversary, I've decided to start a blog for Veritas Images. I feel compelled to provide periodical updates on photo projects, my experiences at photoshoots and my thoughts. Oh one more thing, I know my automotive articles were hard to read in my other site. So I'm moving them here as well. No need for bifocals.


And yes! Happy New Year to all!