by Gary A. Cameron, Down the Road Photography.
There are several factors that must be in place BEFOREHAND to insure that your prized vehicle possession comes out looking its very best after a photo session with Down The Road Photography. Let’s go over them now; like many things in life, it’s all in the preparation.
YOUR PRIDE AND JOY
Getting your automobile, truck, or motorcycle ready for a quality photo shoot is no different than prepping it for a day of show, whether it be the local drive-in or a judged concours d’elegance.
ENGINE COMPARTMENT
I start here, because nothing detracts from a beautiful presentation than dust and grime on shiny, black engine parts and hoses. There is great beauty to the component that makes it go, so spend a little extra time getting the engine bay looking its very best.
INTERIOR
The same rules apply here: dirty carpeting that has not been vacuumed or cleaned, leather or vinyl or fabric with stains, dust, or crud, will show poorly. Chrome that has not be polished, glass that does not sparkle, trust me, the camera shows all.
EXTERIOR PAINT/CHROME
The skin of the car must be washed, dried, buffed, detailed and glisten (unless it’s an original 1929 Buick barn find with patina and an unrestored beauty all its own), to look good. All vehicles have signature lines, accessories, and strengths; make them look their best.
TIRES and WHEELS
Again, detailed and clean, no road crud, chrome and paint shiny, and rubber/whitewalls free of dirt and mud. You do NOT have to have a wet wheel dressing on the rubber; we can determine if that is needed at the photo session.
All of the above suggestions are a starter; once on site, we can tidy up the vehicle if it was driven or coming off a trailer. We just don’t want to spend the entire session getting the star of the show ready on location.
Which leads us to..
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION…..
QUALITY OF LIGHT ON LOCATION
The two best times of day, depending on what month of the calendar we’re working in, are dawn and a few hours after, and before end of day, as the sun sets to darkness. These are the “golden hours” where just about anything looks better than images taken at high noon. Depending on the vehicle’s shape, color and setting, there are exceptions to quality of light. I also include supplementing natural light with artificial light sources to enhance certain aspects of a vehicle.
Everything that has been listed above contributes to a beautiful, and successful, photo session with your special vehicle. Outside of actually making stunning photographs, I enjoy the preparation and getting ready very much.
Thank you.
Sincerely yours,
Gary A. Cameron
Down The Road Photography