What's my favourite weather to photograph cars
What's a constant when your taking pictures of cars? Weather. From sunny to snowy weather, I'm going to rate my favourite weather to photograph vehicles.
Clear
Blue to the golden, orangy sky. Clear skies, lightning-fast shutter speeds and low ISO. Is there a catch to sunny weather? Yeah! Its striking shadows.
I've circumvented this issue to position myself behind the sun and place myself in weaker shadows. If I wish to strengthen/weaken the shadows, I can do that on Lightroom.
Another advantage of sunny weather is that it makes cars with pearlescent and metallic paintwork pop compared to overcast weather.
Rain
What weather feels refreshing? Sunny. Though sunshiny weather feels excellent for a few days, it gets dull after a few moons. That where rain comes. It adds a refined texture to the vehicle, and puddles add extra depth to the subject.
Finally, fewer people want to go out when it's rainy. So, you've got a long time to photograph your subject. Bonus!
The disadvantage of rain is it messes up the detail of the car. You've got to be cautious when angling your lens to the subject and, you've got to remove the lens filter and store the camera in a dry, warm place to prevent condensation.
Snowy
Do you like to take pictures in the snow? Nope. Snowy weather feels better, and you've got to be cautious when walking around to avoid black ice.
I haven't photographed cars in the snow, but I captured photos of dogs in the snow. It gives a pure feeling and provides a unique atmosphere to the subject.
Unless you and your subject are wild, I don't recommend a photoshoot (unless you've got All-Wheel-Drive cars). However, if your cars look excellent on your snowy drive, you can get delight pictures of your motors.
Overcast
Do you find overcast weather dull? Yup. Same here - Until I started photographing cars on a Tripod.
If I were taking pictures at car meets on an overcast day, I'd increase my ISO, so I get crispy pictures of cars. The thicker the cloud, the higher my ISO goes.
However, the lighting is more even. And shadows appear less harsh when photographing and editing your subject. Sounds like a bonus. I've also got more freedom when you're photographing the subject on a tripod (especially with flashes).
Foggy
Whether it's a subtle sunrise to moody evening, foggy weather adds a new atmosphere like lime to a Thai Green Curry. It's rare weather I get to photograph cars.
On a meh Sunday evening, I photographed at my local Audi dealership, and the foggy weather surrounding the vehicles felt ethereal. The fog helped bring more focus to the subject than to the dealership lot.
The issue with photographing in foggy weather is you've got to be vigilant around the subject where there is traffic. Bright LED lights look phenomenal in the opaque weather.
Conclusion
We all have our favourite weather. From sunshine to rainfall, it's a spectrum - I'm going to rank my ideal condition to worst weather.
Overcast
I rank overcast weather an 8.75 out of 10. Though it's dull off-camera; It gives me greater flexibility of using the flashes, bringing out the contrast on Lightroom and possibly using the picture in a composite.
Fog
I rate fog an 8.5/10. Though you've got to be more cautious, I love the hazy vibes when photographing the subject. It looks even better when you've got cars with defined LED lights.
Rain
Rainfall gets an 8/10. It provides drama when your shooting cars, whether its a fast or slow shutter. Rain mists up the lens filter, and you've got to store your camera equipment in a warm, dry place after the photoshoot.
Clear
I give clear weather a 6.5/10. It brings out the colour of metallic cars, and you get to use a higher ISO. Bonus! Harsh shadows and sunshine can ruin the aesthetic of the picture.
Snow
I rate snow a 5/10. Its a unique and welcoming weather to photograph. However, you've got to be cautious of black ice.
Conclusion
What's your favourite weather to photograph? Clear. Let me know in the comments below, subscribe. Check out my Member's Club if you want to improve your car photography workflow.
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