I prefer digital photos. If you are using a digital camera set it at the highest possible resolution and quality it can take.

Tell me what you have and I can guide you if you need help. Generally, a 3 megapixel camera or better, is preferred.

You will have to put the digital pictures on a CD to mail them to me or download them to my ftp site. This is somewhat involved and I will only give you the address and password when you are ready to send me the files.

Use all the automatic settings your camera provides. It should not be necessary to use a tripod since the light should be good and this is not a fashion shoot.

DO NOT USE A FLASH – EVER!

OK, lets take pictures.

It goes without saying that your car is as clean as it can be.

Take you pictures on a partly sunny or overcast morning or afternoon when the sun is not directly overhead and the shadows are soft. The hours between 9:00 AM and 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM are best. This provides the best shadows and depth in your pictures.

Park your car someplace where there are no trees overhead that will cast shadows directly on the car and there is little that will reflect into the paint. Grass is not a good place to be. It reflects a green cast up into the rockers and door bottoms. Find a neutral color driveway or parking lot. Backgrounds are not important because I will crop them out anyway but be aware of what can be seen through the windows. Be sure there are no people in your field of view. Try not to get your own reflection in the paint. I went to a large mall on a partly cloudy day to take these sample shots

Place the car so the sun is behind you when you are facing the front of the car at a position 30 to 45 degrees to the right of the center of the front bumper. This will put you on the drivers side at what I call the three quarters view. You must turn the car around for the rear shots.

Start low to get the shot on the right.

Stand up to get this one.

Stand on a bucket or small ladder to get a shot looking down.

Take pictures all around the car. Full front and rear, three quarter views at the front and rear, standing tall and down low.

Move the car 180 degrees and get down low for this one.

Get up on your knees for this slightly different angle.

You should be getting the idea by now.

A great angle is the three quarter front view with the camera about a foot or two off the ground. Use a wide angle lens setting if you have one. This makes the grille and nearest headlight pop out of the picture. Take one head on the same way.

Take pictures of the engine and interior, especially any custom work you have had done. Be sure you get a good one of the full steering wheel and dash area. This picture is best taken from outside through an open drivers door with the camera slightly below the center of the steering wheel. Get another of a full wheel and tire and the door sides (with or without BSM’s).

Take interior shots from both sides. There are a few things wrong with this shot. The keys are in the ingnition, the brake handle is up and the steering wheel is not level. Pay attention to these details and you will have superior shots.

Here are a wheel shot and engine shot. Notice that the wheel is positioned so that the caliper is fully visible and there are no shadows on the engine. More details that make for better shots.

Get a closeup of the Corvette insignia on the hood, trunk and waterfall in a convertible.

Get a good shot of any vanity plate you might have.

Look familiar?

Be sure to include a shot with any awards you might have gotten. These are best incorporated into a three quarter or full frontal shot.

Send me any text you want on the print.

Look at the sample of Jack Revel’s “Rolling Prozac” composite for ideas on shooting angles.

I will only use about a dozen shots but need two or three times that many to be able to make the best selections. I usually take 75 to 120 shots of each car I do

Put them all on a CD and send them to me. I will tell you if you have done a good job or not.

That’s it! No need to go to a show or pay for me to visit you (unless you really like to spend money!)

You will need to send me full payment including shipping when I accept your pictures. You should get your print within a few weeks.

Mounting, laminating and framing are available upon request. My goal is to deliver you the best presentation we can achieve at a reasonable price

Thanks,

Paul Eggermann

3 Potter Place

Milltown, NJ 08850

paul@photoimpressions.org