Pics i've just taken, poor results - advice?
Discussion
Hi All, i'm hopefully putting my motor u forsale in a couple of weeks, seeing as its polished and the sun was shining (yesterday anyway), i thought id try taking some decent pics. I've borrowed my Dads Canon EOS 40D, but in on auto mode and shot a few pics... whilst they looked okay on the view finder i'm not at all happy with them on the computer screen! i've posted the pics below, can anyone advise what i'm doing wrong? to be they just don't look very clear!
Well, the first three are taken straight into the sun so that's never going to work (the whole of the side of the car is in shadow). The fourth is less so but still on the wrong side of the car. Also they appear to have been taken around midday, the worst possible light for photography in direct sun. Early morning or late evening would be much better. A bright but overcast day might also produce better results.
They look perfectly clear to me. I.e. they are not out of focus, blurred or otherwise lacking in sharpness.
I think the problem you're complaining about is to do with the light. As mentioned above, you've made it difficult for yourself by choosing to take the photos in bright midday sun. Either take the photos on an overcast day or nearer to sunrise or sunset, and/or modify the light yourself using reflectors or flash guns. Obviously if you've not got the equipment for the latter, then it'll have to be the former.
Editing them on the computer can help, but it'll be easier, quicker and give you better results to re-take them in nicer light.
I think the problem you're complaining about is to do with the light. As mentioned above, you've made it difficult for yourself by choosing to take the photos in bright midday sun. Either take the photos on an overcast day or nearer to sunrise or sunset, and/or modify the light yourself using reflectors or flash guns. Obviously if you've not got the equipment for the latter, then it'll have to be the former.
Editing them on the computer can help, but it'll be easier, quicker and give you better results to re-take them in nicer light.
Edited by SamHH on Sunday 13th September 14:47
Sorry to start throwing rocks here but there's no composition, most taken at eye level, messy background and obviously over exposed, what ISO were you running?
If you have bracketing option under expose when shooting dark cars, especially on a bright sunny day.
As for others recommending reflectors and flash as well as shooting at other times of the day, that's fair comment but largely irrelevant if you're not taking the camera off auto.
When shooting low slung sports cars, get down low, lay on the ground and if you have the light run a fast shutter speed to eliminate the background.
The Z4, really does photograph well and with that superb blue you should get some vibrant images.
Also what the back of the camera is showing is usually slightly lighter than the actual exposure, if in doubt under expose a bit.
If you have bracketing option under expose when shooting dark cars, especially on a bright sunny day.
As for others recommending reflectors and flash as well as shooting at other times of the day, that's fair comment but largely irrelevant if you're not taking the camera off auto.
When shooting low slung sports cars, get down low, lay on the ground and if you have the light run a fast shutter speed to eliminate the background.
The Z4, really does photograph well and with that superb blue you should get some vibrant images.
Also what the back of the camera is showing is usually slightly lighter than the actual exposure, if in doubt under expose a bit.
thanks for all the feedback guys and thanks for the comments on the car 
okay maybe i didn't explain myself, i'm not after amazing pics (like the fezza for example) i just wanted some decent pics for the advert... okay i've learnt a few things, the time was actually more like 4:30pm on saturday rather than midday as suggested
to be honest i don't know what half of the techy things being discussed are, though i would like to learn.. if i take the camera off manual what sort of settings should i be looking at using? don't have any post processing software so i just need to be able to take the best pic with just the camera if that makes sense?
oh and it really needs to be taken in the sun, Interlargos Blue can look very dull in the shade, it completely looses its metalic look and gets very dark and boring.
okay maybe i didn't explain myself, i'm not after amazing pics (like the fezza for example) i just wanted some decent pics for the advert... okay i've learnt a few things, the time was actually more like 4:30pm on saturday rather than midday as suggested
to be honest i don't know what half of the techy things being discussed are, though i would like to learn.. if i take the camera off manual what sort of settings should i be looking at using? don't have any post processing software so i just need to be able to take the best pic with just the camera if that makes sense?
oh and it really needs to be taken in the sun, Interlargos Blue can look very dull in the shade, it completely looses its metalic look and gets very dark and boring.
Even at 4.30 the light can be quite harsh. The easiest way to improve your photos is to re-take them in less harsh light, and not to take photos of it's shadowed side.
There are various setting that you can change manually if you want to, but I don't think any of them would have made much of a difference to the photos you took.
There are various setting that you can change manually if you want to, but I don't think any of them would have made much of a difference to the photos you took.
Edited by SamHH on Monday 14th September 15:13
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