Convention center photography help.

[JG1285]

Hi everyone I'm new to the forum and just wanted to ask a question as I also am fairly new to photography as well.

I am going to an auto show at a convention center and I wanted to try to shoot HDR or pseudo HDR of the cars there. However I was concerned about crowds in attendance with flashes and all so I wanted to reach out and maybe get some pointers. I always shoot in RAW and Manual since I got my camera. Though it seems like this would be multiple exposure shots through shutter priority mode for this. I wanted to capture the car in great detail as this is the static object I was just concerned about the distractions around it and wanted to blur or smooth out people and movement for a cool effect.

Has anyone done this type of approach and I have no problem masking in Photoshop if the movement is too much in the scene. I hope this made sense.

Thanks for reading and any help would be appreciated!

- Josh

[Jim Bryant]

You'll have to use a low ISO/shutter speed and f-stop to achieve the effect you want. However, some blur of people walking and viewing cars would kind be cool arty fartsy pixs too. Will give a human element.

You'll also need a shutter release cable as not to blur the exposure or maybe set the camera on timer.

[JG1285]

Ok. I figured it would be something of the sort. I will be using a tripod for these shots. I am 4 months in to photography but I think I have a knack for it.

Unfortunately my camera doesn't have auto bracketing it's a Nikon D3000 so I have to manually change the exposure for HDR and the sort. I still have the 18-55mm lens that came standard on the camera as well, I always try to make sure ISO is at 100 when I shoot. Though I will look at my camera and see how far my f-stop can go.

I think they'll turn out rather nice though when I get the technique down.

[Biomech]

Shows like that are heaving so I imagine it would be really difficult, if you can get in on a trade day there will certainly be less people.

Are you sure you're not confusing HDR and long exposures? To be honest, those places are lit to show the cars off with maximum bling so I doubt you'd have any issues with exposure that you'd look to use HDR to correct.

You can use a long shutter speed to get rid of the people, but you'd want a tripod and some ND filters. Depending where you setup you might get people blur if there isn't much clear time and also vibrations from people walking past and any PA system/music

[Jim Bryant]

don't use auto bracket, use manual, set desired f-stop and change shutter speeds. high f-stop and low shutter speeds.

[inkista]

Originally Posted by Biomech

Are you sure you're not confusing HDR and long exposures? To be honest, those places are lit to show the cars off with maximum bling so I doubt you'd have any issues with exposure that you'd look to use HDR to correct.

You can use a long shutter speed to get rid of the people, but you'd want a tripod and some ND filters. ...

This. QFT. As long as nobody parks their butt, an ND filter can be great for erasing/smoothing people.

Also, you already know this, but bring a widish lens with you. Because folks tend to crowd close around a car, if you want to avoid having them in the shot, you're going to have to be in close, too. I've had almost no luck with cars at Comic-Con because of no working space, the velvet ropes, and that I'm usually armed with longer lenses at con.







A carshow, though, should give you a bit more room and a little less of a crowd.

[JG1285]

Thanks for all the responses! I get what you are saying and as for the long exposure HDR question. I was think of doing multiple long exposures to create an HDR though I think that may be a tad tough with all the variables around.

I like the shots ink I would definitely be leaning toward your first shot for what I kind of picture them to be. I don't have any filters but since I have been hearing all the things they can do I may need to pick some up.

I think as long as I achieve a smoothness to the people around it will be a tad more pleasing to the eye when the photo is complete. Also I like HDR for it's slight increases in color and line detail I don't go overboard and make paintings : ) Though maybe long exposure shots and HDR are a tough combination and one will suffice.

[Biomech]

Tell you what I found, I went to a motor bike show once (my old man got trade passes, god knows how I got away with being a 14 year old CEO lol).

At one point, there was all this commotion, turns out some model had her tits out on a bike. The swarm of people pushing and shoving to get a look / photo was.... cringeworthy. So if tits appear, either make sure you're at the front (if you want photo of a naked model on a car...) or flank the desperate horde and look for the secret shot - in fact, you could probably do that anyway, look for advertising / background panels and try to shoot through the inch or so between them. On lookers won't bother because their brains can't see a whole picture through an inch gap - unlike your brain/camera

[JG1285]

Just wanted to say thank you for the tips. I think I got some great photos and all of them were touched up from one RAW. Just wanted to show you guys my work. Hope to talk again soon.

Joshua Garrett - Photography