GUIDE: How to get your car to calendar..., seems there are really rules good to follow :) Options

[malpaso]

It's interesting to see results of voting for last calendar don't you think? There are huge differences between numbers so it seems there are rules how to have popular picture and be in calendar...

- Do not make picture from rear or top view!
No one cares to see you car from behind. Car from behind is boring... and from the top looks weird. Make only pictures of front!
- Play with picture in photoshop.
This is a must. More colors, more contrast! If you have some good idea how tune picture with some idea the better. Remember it must be obvious picture is nor realistic. It must look better than reality.
- No one cares if you have OEM look.
OEM look is not an issue at all! Car must look good. No matter what mods are on...
- No one cares in front of what is your car standing
Finding interesting scene for picture is waste of time. No one cares if you car is behind jet plane or some statue or anything. Cool background is not important at all. It's not wrong just needless.
- Make sure car is covering whole picture.
Small car in the middle of nowhere is not "true blue" (BTW. is there any US slang phrase for the same meaning as OZ English has???). So car should not be past of scenery and should cover whole picture (or at least from 2/3).
- When picture made by professional even better!
Professional photographer is not professional for fun. He/She knows! And knows better than you do...
- Nothing mentioned above works when you do not have friends to vote for you

anything forgotten? What you think?

EDIT:
(thanks to Fastbird)
- Don't shoot in the grass.
Cars belong on pavement, not in the grass.
- DO NOT cut out part of the car.
no comment... no question about this


This post has been edited by malpaso: Oct 18, 2009 - 1:03 AM

[malpaso]

first of all this is not about how to make good (professional) picture but about how to get to calendar! I'm not professional so I can not give any advice about this! I always shoot like:

- take 300 pictures (some pics 2x or 3x just because of light, different angles...)
- 50 are blurred so erased (I use automatic not manual setting... because I do not know what to do with manual setting on camera )
- 100 are almost identical... so erased
- 100 I do not like... (boring, nothing special)
- from 50 remaining are about 10 I like
- from those 10 I like are 3-4 that I call perfect (so perfect IMO). I like the car, I like colors, light, I like scene...

but it do not mean it's material for calendar!!! My opinion is not important! Other people must like the picture for calendar... that's the key. And according to results of polls (and anyone can check) there are some obvious hints! What I have done? I just wrote them down...

now... please use only your pictures for NEGATIVE comments! (if you want say something good about any picture I do not mind of course ). I do not want this thread to be like "show picture you do not like in calendar polls". If this happens let's moderators lock this and better erase. I DO NOT WANT TO BLAME ANYONE'S PICTURE HERE!!!

so:

one thing that really annoys me and that alot of people dont take into consideration is how the wheels are turned

Have the rim facing towards the camera. it gives it a more aggressive look.
im really sorry to pick these out but it really really bothered me

....

id get into more things about some of the pics but id rather not

oh and thank mal for posting this thread

Sad to say this is your personal opinion (and I agree with that) but not advice for "calendar picture". You bet in the calendar will be more than one car with wheels turned like this... so... this is not true "calendar picture rule"

dont take pics between 10am-4pm. make sure the sun is behind you or really far in front of you. wash your car before taking pics and dont half ass the job too

I have the best results between 3pm and 5pm (light still enough but sun is not that aggressive). Never in the morning (sky is too clear).. but again. this is personal opinion how to make nice picture (and you know how to make them ). But still nothing to do with calendar

i'm not sure if this thread has an attitude, done to be a smarta$, or just because you really are trying to help people out. And for that, two thumbs up!
hehe
It works either way you look at it

Thank you Dustin... You have the point!
btw.: I wish I made your calendar poll pictures . They are exactly my cup of tea

I've taken a few shoots this morning sort of comparing between the do's and don'ts will start a thread in the multimedia section for you photography experts to comment and how to improve shoots (hopefully others will read it and get good ideas)

btw: In no way am I upset (haven't actually checked the calandar results) there where some really good photo's this year, I just want feedback and how to improve my skill.

You are the man! That's perfect result of this tread... some advice for people how to use camera (me included ). Read here!

Mine are un edited and look like poo. Three years ago photoshopping was not allowed.
Thanks to all my friends for voting for me.

Strongly disagree... Personally I have voted for your pic #24 because I like it (and see results... I'm not alone )

I'm going to have to disagree with the "front only" shots comment by the OP. At the right angle, a side profile or rear corner profile shot can be MUCH more dynamic than a simple front angle shot.

Whoever said it about turning the wheels, you hit the nail on the head.

Don't cut out part of the car. Get the entire car in the pic.

Cars belong on pavement, not in the grass. Thus, don't shoot in the grass.

And to restress, DO NOT cut out part of the car.

This is all advice given to me by a couple of people I know who shoot for a couple of GM Performance magazines.

Again... I do not say rear of the car is ugly to shoot. It's just not the best chance for calendar pol. And that is the point . However I like the advice about grass or "do not cut the car" one. None of pictures with high scores has grass in the picture or cut out parts of the car

thanks folks!