Newbie question (One of Dans photos)

[-J-]

How is a photo like this taken?

I presume using some kind of lighting rig?

Could the same kind of effect be achieved with long exposure and some PS tricks?

 

[dunganick]

How is a photo like this taken?

I presume using some kind of lighting rig?

Could the same kind of effect be achieved with long exposure and some PS tricks?

Dan is best qualified to answer, although it looks to me like its a pair of flashes. And maybe a second exposure with a little flash lighting for the background?

Have a look at another one of Dan's threads, http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?536000-E92-M3-Shoot-(oh....and-a-172-too!)&highlight=

This shot is taken using multiple long exposures 'painted' using a torch, you could do that with no less than a dark carpark, tripod, torch, camera, car.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Hi J,

That shot of Dave's 172 was using two 500W flashes. You can see where abouts they were placed due to the light on the ground. As Nick said, you can use a second exposure for the background, but I didnt do that for this shot as I was happy with the background lighting with just the two flashes.

The photos in my thread Nick posted too is much simpler. No fancy lights or anything, just a 'torch' effectively and a long exposure. Just make sure it's a LED torch, as they give out a nice white light.

You wouldnt be able to get this effect in photoshop as it's the flashes giving the car the light. If you only had one flash though, you could light the sides of the car separately and then merge them in photoshop, but thats a lot of work! Kind of what I did in the M3 shoot in the link.

Hope that helps a bit, and other questions feel free to ask

 

[Scott™]

Just a quick question Dan, what sort of size torch are we using here? I have an LED torch but don't seem to get near enough that much lighting.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

Its a pretty powerful lightsource. Its actually a crime scene examination lightsource used for forensics. It's got 16 5W LEDs, so around 80W total.

But it's been specifically designed to give a nice even light, with none of the focusing ring shadows you see in torches.

I'm borrowing it from work just in case you ask how the hell I got hold of one!

 

[guysy]

I was thinking the other day i need some sort of mobile light source, my torch is to focused even waving it about,

I was thinking of a led panel powered by battery's? maybe an inspection light, nothing amazingly powerful...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/72-LED-WORK-I...ernsTorches&hash=item4aa6b8877d#ht_1964wt_905

i.e. just for new diy lightying

 

[dunganick]

If you need more light then you just make the exposure longer, move the light source more slowly or in increase the ISO. The catch with longer exposures is that you will start to get more light pollution into the photo and if your sensor has any hot pixels they will start to show.

 

[DanFreemanPhoto]

The catch with longer exposures is that you will start to get more light pollution into the photo and if your sensor has any hot pixels they will start to show.

Bullseye! That was the biggest thing (read mistake!) that I learnt from the day with the M3 and 172.

For example:

In this photo, the ceiling light is almost dominating the lighting from my 'torch'

But here the light is on the otherside of the car, so the lighting is mainly from the torch so the colour is better and lighting more even.

So next time, I'll think carefully where I put the car before starting!

 

[guysy]

If you need more light then you just make the exposure longer, move the light source more slowly or in increase the ISO. The catch with longer exposures is that you will start to get more light pollution into the photo and if your sensor has any hot pixels they will start to show.

Yeah ive played about with exposure and remote shutter settings a lot, not really with the ISO that much, need to practice on this more...

Still i think i will purchase a mini light source for effects etc... also thinking of getting a funky blue led panel to do some more light play.

 

[-J-]

Thanks for the advice all...

So you basically get set up, Set Camera to a long exposure and stand out of shot and 'wave the torch' at the car (In most basic terms)?

I take it, its a case of playing around really until you get the desired effect.

 

[dunganick]

You can stand in shot too, as long as you dont get between the camera and the light your painting. Just experiment, its pretty intuitive.