Behind The Scenes: Automotive Photo-Shoot
Behind the Scenes of an Automotive Photo-shoot: From The Concept to The Final Image!
As a professional automotive photographer/cinematographer, capturing the perfect shot of a car involves MUCH more than just pointing a camera and pressing the shutter button. Every photo-shoot is carefully orchestrated to be able to continue with the process that begins long before you arrive at the location. From concept and planning to final edits, an automotive photoshoot is a mix of creativity, technical expertise, and especially, attention to detail.
In this blog, I will take you behind the scenes of an automotive photoshoot, breaking down each stage of the process — the initial idea to the final image. Whether you’re an aspiring automotive photographer or just curious about the inner workings of a photoshoot, this post will give you an insider’s look at what goes into creating stunning automotive imagery.
1. The Concept: Figuring out the Framework
Every successful photoshoot begins with an idea. The idea/concept is the vision — what “story” are you trying to tell through your images? For an automotive photoshoot, this could range from showcasing the textured lines of a luxury vehicle to showing the real, raw power and speed of a sports car. I will write a list of key elements to consider during this phase of your process down below:
Key Elements to Consider During the Concept Phase:
Client Meeting: If you’re working with a client, start by reviewing their ideas so you are more prepared to understand their goals. Do they want an edgy, urban look or a clean, minimalistic style? Are they focusing on the vehicle’s design, performance, or both? What type of scenery do they want the car in?
Mood and Style: The concept will also include the mood and style of the shoot. Is it dramatic and cinematic, or more natural and lifestyle-oriented? The lighting, location, and even the time of day will all be influenced by the intended style. A great question I like to ask my clients is “if you could describe this shoot in 5 words, what would they be?” By asking this simple question, I am able to cater to my clients needs much more easily.
Target Audience: Consider who the photos are for. A car ad that is aimed at younger audience might have a completely different feel than a corporate shoot for a luxury car brand. As a photographer or videographer, you must be able to differentiate the type of shoot depending on your client and audience.
Storyboarding: Some shoots, particularly commercial ones, benefit from a storyboard, which outlines the types of shots you want to capture. Storyboards help visualize the shoot and ensure that you don’t miss those key moments. Personally, I use all of these elements when I am contacted about a photoshoot/video shoot. Your main goal is to blow your client away with your skills and hard work. That drive, passion, and commitment is what turns people into clients.
2. Planning the Shoot: Location, Talent, and Gear
Once you have a solid concept, it’s time to start planning the rest of the shoot. Details. This stage involves everything from making sure you have the right location to organizing the equipment you will need for this shoot.
Considerations:
Location Scouting: Finding the right location for you and your client can be one of the most crucial parts of an automotive photoshoot. The location sets the tone for the shoot. Do you want a high-speed action shot on a racetrack, or a car drifting around the racetrack, or maybe you want to take rollers of a car on a highway or backroad, or maybe even a calm, serene shot in the open desert. The location is supposed to complement the car’s character and the mood you want to evoke from your art. Sometimes, this means traveling to remote locations or gaining access to private tracks, or dealerships. No matter where you live, earth is incredibly beautiful, there is a location out there waiting for you to photograph it!
Talent and Models: While the car is the star of the show, models or drivers are often included to add extra context. Depending on the shoot, you might need a professional driver for action shots or a model to sit in the car for lifestyle shots. Ensuring the models or talent align with the style and brand of the car is essential for a photo worthy outcome.
Permissions and Permits: If you’re shooting on private property, public roads, or unique locations (like a raceway or industrial area), you’ll need to secure permits and permissions well in advance. This ensures smooth logistics and avoids any legal issues on the day of the shoot. Please remember that you are a photographer, not a trespasser. Certain locations/areas you will need to get permits, its a part of the process. Also, if you are a drone user, additionally you will need to grab extra permits to be able to use your drone legally. Please keep in mind that many people love photographing and taking videos. Let’s try our best to keep the areas and community safe!
Gear and Equipment: What does a successful photoshoot require? The right gear! Seriously though, for automotive photography, you’ll likely have a camera body, multiple lenses, a stabilizer(s), lighting equipment, and sometimes, just sometimes, maybe even a drone. A typical setup might include:
DSLR or mirrorless cameras (Canon, Nikon, Sony, Lumix, FujiFilm etc.)
Wide-angle and telephoto lenses for versatility - Upgrading your lens is much, much more important than the camera body.
Gimbals for video or dynamic shots
External lighting equipment, like softboxes, reflectors, neutral density filters, & ultra-violet sensors for balancing sunlight
Drones for aerial shots, especially for commercial or action-oriented shoots
3. The Photoshoot: Executing Your Vision
On the day of the shoot, the real magic begins. This is where the concept & planning come together to create the images you envisioned.
Steps To Take During the Shoot:
Setting Up the Scene: Arriving early to your photoshoot to set up is critical. You’ll need to arrange your lighting, adjust camera settings, and take test shots to ensure everything is dialed in before you start shooting the car. For example, if you’re shooting a car at sunset, you'll want to time your setup to capture that perfect golden-hour light. For me, golden-hour is the best lighting for photos when it comes to APS-C (cropped sensor) cameras.
Positioning the Car: The way the car is positioned can make or break an image. You’ll want to consider the angles that highlight the car's most attractive features. Such as the front grille, the textures/curves of the body, or possibly, the wheels in motion. The car’s position in relation to the light is also crucial — the sunlight might highlight certain details, such as the glossiness of the paint or the shine of the rims. That being said, if the sun is too harsh it will make the color of the car come out completely different. Shadows and light play a MASSIVE role in photography/videography. Make sure you completely understand how light works and how it can reflect off of the centerpiece of your photoshoot.
Lighting: The lighting setup can be one of the most challenging elements, especially when working with reflective surfaces like a car’s glossy paint. You will need to position your lights carefully to avoid harsh reflections and dark shadows. Natural light can work wonders, and sometimes it is enough light for your photos, but you’ll also need to have supplemental lighting, such as soft boxes or reflectors, to help control the exposure of light.
Capturing the Car in Motion: For action shots, you’ll need to employ specific techniques like panning or using a slow shutter speed to blur the background while keeping the car sharp. This requires a keen understanding of timing, angles, and camera settings. Capturing quick vehicles in motion takes a lot more than timing, it also makes you think like a race car driver, predicting their next moves so you are able to pan the camera. Have you ever seen a video where the camera is panning faster or sometimes, slower, than the actual moving object? That is because you need to anticipate the next move. This takes a lot of practice, but once you understand the movements, you will see the clear, full picture.
Directing Models and Talent: If your shoot involves models, it’s important to direct them in a way that makes the car look its best. This might mean giving the driver specific instructions for action shots or posing the model inside the car to create a natural and compelling scene. That being said, don’t be afraid to think outside the box. A lot of my photos and videos are me taking an idea and adding my own touch to it. I personally use Pinterest as a great resource for modeling photos. There is nothing wrong with looking at an idea and making it your own. Add your touch, whether that be your own color grading, or masking the photo.
Adjusting Throughout the Shoot: Even though you’ve planned everything in advance, that doesn’t mean it will always go as “planned” haha. For instance, the weather can change, you might find that certain angles don’t work as well as you thought, and maybe the lighting is quite as bright or dim as you were expecting. Being flexible and adapting on the fly is an essential skill for automotive photographers, and photographers in general. I urge all photographers to understand their camera and settings 110% so you won’t have any problems during your shoot. I constantly change the settings while in a photoshoot, because, whenever you move the car/subject the light is different, meaning I have to adjust my camera to compensate for the environment.
4. Post-Processing: ‘Perfecting’ the Final Image
Once the shoot is complete, the next phase begins: editing and post-processing. This is where you get to take your raw images or video footage and transform them into the polished, professional results that you and your client are shooting for. Also, my favorite part! I love taking a grey-scale image and adding the exact color adjustments to the scene, with a little bit extra! I will write a few post-production techniques down below:
Key Post-Production Techniques:
Cleaning Up the Image: In automotive photography, cleanliness is crucial. You might need to remove distractions like reflections, power lines, or debris from the ground. Tools like Photoshop’s clone stamp or content-aware fill are invaluable in this process. Make sure you use these tools to save yourself lots and lots of time. At the end of the day, it is about working smarter, not harder.
Color Grading: Color grading plays a huge role in setting the tone of the final image. Whether you’re going for a high-contrast, cinematic look or a more natural feel, adjusting the saturation, contrast, and brightness of the image helps achieve the desired style. Side note, color grading is depending on your style, but, also how it makes the image look. It is a fine balance.
Enhancing Details: To make the car pop, you’ll often enhance certain details like the headlights, rims, or the gloss of the paint. Sharpening these elements draws the viewer’s eye to the car’s most appealing features.
Adding Effects: In some cases, you may want to add motion blur or light streaks to emphasize the speed in an action shot, or you might apply subtle vignetting to focus attention on the car. At the end of the day, every professional photographer/videographer has their own style. Make sure you take the time to find the details and colors you would like to add to your art. But make sure to keep it your own style. I urge future photographers to not buy presets and learn everything for themselves, this will make you a better photographer over time.
Final Touches: Once you’re happy with the overall image, it’s time to fine-tune the final details. This might include cropping, adjusting exposure, or sharpening the image for clarity, or turning down the clarity and texture. A tip I like to tell new photographers is to keep it easy on the texture for photos. Adding too much texture will make the image look “fake” and not like it was taken by a professional photographer.
5. The Final Image: Bringing the Vision to Life
The final step is delivering the image to the client and/or publishing it. At this point, all the hard work — from concept to shoot to post-production — has culminated in a stunning photograph/video that tells the story you set out to capture from the beginning.
Whether the final product is made for a social media campaign, a car magazine, or an advertising billboard, the finished image should reflect the brand, the car, and the vision you had from the very beginning. This is extremely important.
Conclusion: Crafting Automotive Art
Behind every great automotive photograph is a meticulous process that blends creativity, technical skill, and a deep understanding of both the vehicle and the environment the vehicle is in. By following a structured approach — from concept and planning to lighting and post-production — you can transform an ordinary shoot into a visual masterpiece that highlights the car's essence and power.
The next time you see a breathtaking image of a car in motion, remember that it was the result of careful thought, precision, and passion for automotive photography. Unfortunatley not too many people take pride in the thought of their work. it is just moving to the next project and making money. Not for me, I love creating beautiful images and videos for my clients, so they are ecstatic every time we work together. Keep in mind, you are an artist working for clients, you need to make sure your skills are as sharp as ever in this career. Also, learning about color theory definitely wouldn’t hurt! Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you on the next post!
Until next time,
azx visual media
