Critique Required S2000

[Brian Moore]

We have a photo club at work and I joined recently. Earlier this week they got use of our company's photo studio and invited a local tuner to bring a couple of modified S2000s for us to practice shooting.

There was a gigantical soft box shedding light directly down on the cars.

This may be the best shot I took. I guessed at the exposure. I shot it hand held with my Mamiya C33 and Kodak Ektar 100 film. (It may come as no surprise to RPFrs that I was the only one shooting film. But it was the first time anyone in our club had seen me at an event that required a camera. They didn't expect what they saw. A couple of people wanted to get pictures of my camera!)

Anyway, not that it means much really, but I guess although I like the picture OK overall, I'm not terribly happy with the lack of detail in the lower front. I'm wondering if that is bothersome to you like it is to me. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[David Mitchell]

Thats a great shot, the lack of detail at the front actually works well as its sometimes the details that you can't see makes it interesting shame they don't make cars like that anymore., my guess is that that car is running some serious power to need a bonnet setup like that

 

[Hamish Gill]

I like the lack of detail!
Im not sure the light is in the right position though, I'd have put it off angle and maybe used a more directional light to emphasise some more of the shape of the car ... but im guessing that element of the shoot wasn't your call anyway?
Under the circumstances, I like it, exposure and compo are good with me!

 

[Brian Moore]

Thats a great shot, the lack of detail at the front actually works well as its sometimes the details that you can't see makes it interesting shame they don't make cars like that anymore., my guess is that that car is running some serious power to need a bonnet setup like that

Thank you, David. I appreciate you're point of view on this. By the way, I never thought to ask the guys what they'd done to the engine. I'll try to find that out. Thanks again, David.

 

[Brian Moore]

I like the lack of detail!
Im not sure the light is in the right position though, I'd have put it off angle and maybe used a more directional light to emphasise some more of the shape of the car ... but im guessing that element of the shoot wasn't your call anyway?
Under the circumstances, I like it, exposure and compo are good with me!

Thank you, Hamish. The soft box was a massive thing directly over head. I'm guessing it was 20 feet long and 8 or ten feet wide. The only way to get the light off at an angle was to either move the cars or move the camera. But your point about the off-angle lighting is well-taken. I have other shots, of course, taken from various angles. I'll see if I have one or two worth posting. Anyway, thanks again, Hamish.

 

[David Mitchell]

Thank you, David. I appreciate you're point of view on this. By the way, I never thought to ask the guys what they'd done to the engine. I'll try to find that out. Thanks again, David.

Well the carbon bonnet on that car retails at around £2k so I am guessing its had a few things done to it!

 

[Brian Moore]

Well the carbon bonnet on that car retails at around £2k so I am guessing its had a few things done to it!

Very true. They opened the hood for some shots and the non-stock colors of the various pipes, hoses and covers inside the engine compartment clearly indicated customization. I may have got a fotie. At the time, though, I remember thinking what a shame I had just finished a color roll and had begun shooting B&W (which I haven't yet developed).

 

[Beth Carter]

i think it would look better if the softlight were wider and covered the width of the car, but i think you're part of the shoot looks well done. i like the lack of detail on the bottom, this type of shot is all about lines and shapes of the entire car, not details.

 

[Dan Cattermole]

Holy beJesus!!! I missed this one!
I like Brian, very good effort this is..... And especially on film too.

Get in!!

 

[Brian Moore]

i think it would look better if the softlight were wider and covered the width of the car, but i think you're part of the shoot looks well done. i like the lack of detail on the bottom, this type of shot is all about lines and shapes of the entire car, not details.

Thanks a lot, Beth. When I first got in there and looked at the lighting I thought, "Holy ****" (rhymes with hit, mit, bit, sit, snit, flit, and...er, never mind.)

Anyway, based on the responses so far I guess the detail to the front is not as important a I thought it was. Thanks again, Beth.

 

[Brian Moore]

Holy beJesus!!! I missed this one!
I like Brian, very good effort this is..... And especially on film too.

Get in!!

I'm in Dan! Anyway, thankee kindly, Big Daddy!

 

[Pete Askew]

Nice shot Brian and a good opportunity to play in the studio. As Beth says, the lighting will have been designed to emphasise shapes and the car would no doubt be positioned to optimise a shot. Like the others, the lack of detail in the front doesn't bother me and the few highlights that remain hint at the shape.

 

[Brian Moore]

Nice shot Brian and a good opportunity to play in the studio. As Beth says, the lighting will have been designed to emphasise shapes and the car would no doubt be positioned to optimise a shot. Like the others, the lack of detail in the front doesn't bother me and the few highlights that remain hint at the shape.

Thanks, Pete. Much obliged.