Model T’s, Muscle Cars, Hot Rods, Cruisers, and Classics, Make a Great Afternoon

Are you a fan of antique cars? If so, you might be interested in learning more about these timeless vehicles. The best part of antique car shows is they are great places to see these cars up close and personal. You can step right up to them, examine them and really get a close-up view.  Photographically they are a captured audience.  Photography can be a way to capture the essence of these classic cars. Whether you’re into vintage model T’s, muscle cars of the 50s or modern-day classics, there’s something for everyone when it comes to car shows.

When it comes to capturing the beauty of antique cars, there are many different perspectives you can use to create stunning photographs. For example, you could try getting up close and personal with the car to highlight its unique features and details.  The hoods are almost always open so detail shots are a great way to photograph. 

You could also step back and take a wider shot to showcase the car’s overall shape and design. There is also a middle ground, to get a perspective and get the length of a car.  Perspective is what’s going to work here.  Feel free to experiment with different angles and lighting to create a more dramatic effect. Whatever approach you take, the key is to find a viewpoint that best showcases the car’s timeless beauty.

But there are pitfalls of photographing the outside of any car.  One of the toughest problems that photographers may encounter while taking pictures at car shows is the reflections that can appear on the surface of the cars. These reflections can be distracting and take away from the overall quality of the photo. You can’t eliminate this but the idea is to minimize the issue.  Try to position yourself in a way that avoids or reduces the reflections. This could mean changing your angle or position your camera to get the least distracting reflections.  Another possibility is to use a polarizing filter on your camera. While this will help with light and some issues, it can’t get rid of the people walking around. 

That is another challenge that photographers will face at car shows is dealing with the crowds, their reflection is just the start of this problem.  It can be difficult to find a clear shot of a car without having people in the background, foreground, or worse, blocking your view of the car altogether. To overcome this, you may need to be patient and wait for the crowds to thin out, or try to position yourself in a way that minimizes the number of people in your shot. With a little bit of planning and some patience, you should be able to capture some amazing shots of these beautiful cars.  Remember Photoshop is an amazing tool for this problem.

With a little bit of experimentation and attention to detail, you can capture stunning photos without any distracting reflections.  One last thought here about how to get around the problem of reflections.  That is to make is to make the reflection itself the subject of the picture. This can create a unique and interesting perspective that captures the beauty of the cars in a different and unique way.

For me personally, I prefer the real old ones from the 30s through the 70s.  They had personality, character and uniqueness that is lost in the modern-day car industry.  It’s like modern cars are all just cookie cutter models, one just like the next.  Anyway, it was such a lovely way to spend an afternoon! I’m glad I got to get outside, unwind and have a relaxing afternoon taking pictures and admiring the antique cars. That’s where my creative path took me. It was so peaceful and calming, just what I needed to clear my head and find inspiration. I can’t wait to see where this creative journey takes me next!