#4 - 180413 - Cars and Queens ~ Pixel Factory by Gerald Chan

One of the first events I attended as an hobbyist photographer is the Tokyo Auto Salon at Marina Bay Sand Expo Hall held right here in Singapore. Not forgetting performances by various international artists, including the "Number 1" girl-group in Japan, the one and only AKB48. It was an event not to be missed as it was a great chance for hobbyists and professionals to hone their skills at portraiture.

While I was busy taking portraits, it was also time to use a flashgun as the environment discourages the usage of studio lighting. So there was I, using my newly acquired L-bracket and sync cord, I flashed away at the race queens, models and cars. Boy, before i know it, I was changing batteries and taking even more. At the end of the day, I had more then 1100 pictures and no more batteries left. It could not help when I was trying to grab some picture of AKB48 who flown here all the way from Japan.

At the end of the day, after looking through the pictures, I realised several issues and learnt a few things myself. Since it was the first time at these events, I could not help to click away, neglecting the thinking and did not really achieve the shots I wanted. After reviewing the shots I made, the ones that left the best impressions fell into these categories:

The picture with a clear background. Expose the photographs properly (foreground and background) to achieve this result, increasing the ISO and/or aperture does help. Using the flash to act as a secondary light source to highlight the features of the model or the car that you are taking. It greatly helps if the background is not cluttered and of a lighter tone so that the model's hair does not blend into the background. This way you avoid taking low key lighting, which I felt was too dramatic and was not the best way to showcase the cars and race queens. Instead, a better exposure does helps bring up the features and make up of the models and details in the car, adding more context in the picture.
This is an Auto Show!! Take pictures of the models and CARS!! Try to imagine the curves of the cars and the models, how they interact to form lines and patterns that appeals to you. Using lighting to your advantage, highlight interesting points, use a side light to cast certain shadows on your subject etc.
Each car is unique in their own way. Find the defining feature and snap a few shots, it does not necessarily have to show the entire car. Take from different perspectives, 3 is a good starting point, high, low and the side views. Then choose the picture that best represents the feature that grabbed your attention at the exhibition or show!

Some pictures from the Tokyo Auto Show 2013!