First Auto Shot

[The Philos]

My first go at a shot of a car ever, it's five stacked exposures and I know I could work on bringing it out more. It was suggested I try using my 10 stop ND and light-painting the car since it's black. Anywho, let me have it.

Stock 2005 Outlander XLS:

[groovyone]

What led you to use the exposure stacking? Black cars are dang tough.

[The Philos]

I didn't know what the best technique was and this was the one I remembered reading most often. Light painting was suggested after I posted this shot on another forum. I may try using my large softbox instead of the bare reflector if the wind ever calms down enough.

Which reminds me I need a motordrive cord as well, so I can hold the lightstand still and pop off the camera and flash both remotely.

[mercphoto]

Black cars are tough, but I'm really scratching my head over this. 5 stacked exposures, and yet we have virtually no detail in the car itself?

[Photogdude]

Can you do it at night? and paint w/light

[mercphoto]

Originally Posted by Photogdude

Can you do it at night? and paint w/light

There's zero reason to go this route. It is just over-complicating the problem. Black cars are tough, but seriously... expose for the car, not for that sliver of blue sky in the top-center of the image. Get some detail in that car. This doesn't require 5 stacked images or light painting...

[Village Idiot]

To like a car, think of it like you're lighting a tinted mirror. The darker the color, the mor light it absorbs. If you shoot white, silver, or other bright colors, the paint will reflect more of the light back at you and you're going to get three things. You'll get a pin point from the direct reflection (assuming bare strobe pointed at the car) of the bare strobe head, the light reflected from the white paint and the reflection of an specular highlights. The darker the color of the car gets, the more it eats away at what's reflected, especially the general reflection you get with lighter cars. You'll still get the direct reflection from the pin head and the specular reflections from any angles and edges the light catches, but the rest of the paint will remain black as it absorbs the light.

That's why when light painting a black car, a lot of what the light picks up is a direct reflection of the light source being ran up and down the car.

ED: Also, you can really see this illustrated by checking out the plastic trim on the fenders and the bar on the roof rack. They're not reflective material like the paint, so they're lit up where the car's finish is not.