Getting Started with Automotive Photography – Dynamic Shots

Dynamic-shots are not just a highlight in automotive-photography, but they are essential for showcasing a vehicle’s liveliness and kinetic energy. If you want to stage a car dynamically, you need to know how to capture that energy and movement with your images. This tutorial gives you valuable tips and techniques to create impressive dynamic shots that perfectly capture a vehicle’s motion.

Key Takeaways

You can use various techniques to create dynamic shots. The two simplest methods are panning and car-to-car shooting. These methods require precise calculation of the shutter speed and correct positioning. For more elaborate shoots, there are alternatives like rig shots and virtual rigs, but here we focus on the simpler, immediately implementable techniques.

Step-by-Step Guide

Panning Technique

The panning technique is the simplest and most effective way to add dynamism to your image. Here’s how to proceed: Position yourself at the roadside in a spot where you can clearly see the passing car. Set your camera to a slightly longer shutter speed. Ideally, this should be between 1/30 and 1/100 of a second, depending on the car’s speed.

When the car passes by, move the camera along with the vehicle while triggering the shutter at the right moment. The camera sweep adds a motion blur effect to the image, which excellently emphasizes the car’s speed and dynamism.

Car-to-Car Shooting

Another impressive technique is car-to-car shooting. This means you’re in a lead vehicle while the car you want to photograph is also in motion. It’s important that both vehicles travel at the same speed to capture the movement. Hold the camera out of the window or from the roof of the vehicle and also use a long shutter speed of around 1/30 to 1/100 of a second.

While shooting, move the camera parallel to the vehicle to generate the dynamic effect. This method requires a bit more planning since you must ensure both vehicles can safely and reliably drive side by side.

Rig Shots

Rig shots are more complex but offer spectacular results. They are implemented using suction mounts and long rods. This technique is mostly found in more professional productions. Suction mounts are attached to the car, and rods are mounted to them, providing a support for the camera. Note: You should only carry this out on closed roads to ensure everyone’s safety.

This setup requires a lot of organization and the right equipment, but it makes a huge difference in your shots. In more elaborate productions, metal frames can even be used to position the camera in various angles.

Virtual Rig

An interesting modern technique is the virtual rig. Separate shots of the car and the environment are taken to combine them later. You set the camera on a tripod and take two photos: one with the car and one without. With special software, you can then merge the two images into a dynamic photo.

This technique allows for enormous creative freedom but also requires a lot of post-production practice. For our purposes today, however, we’ll focus primarily on panning and car-to-car techniques because they deliver the best results straight out of the camera.

Summary – Dynamic Shots in Automotive Photography

In summary, choosing the right technique is crucial to the success of your automotive photography. Panning and car-to-car shooting are accessible methods that can deliver great results, while rig shots and virtual rigs are better suited for experienced photographers. By applying these techniques and developing an artistic eye for dynamism, you will achieve increasingly better car shots.