How to show off your work properly in photos

[ASPHALT ROCKET]

What, you would believe me if I told you my process on this Bronco was wash with Dawn and an old t-shirt using lots of passion? Who needs compounds, polishes and machines when you've got arms of steel?

[fubar]

this is my DD not bad at all for my first time.

[ph16]

Thanks OC for the education.

[RaskyR1]

I'd say that at least half of the time that I do a car it's either cloudy/raining or dark out when I finish. Sun shots are simply not an option the majority of the time. About the only thing you can do is use a few different types of lighting...

[RaskyR1]

Sun shots do always tell the true story though!

[OCDetails]

^^^ Exactly!! As long as you try to show the proof of your work, then that will earn you so much credibility it isn't even funny. Every serious detailer knows what the side panel extreme angle shot in the garage looks like and we all know it doesn't prove anything. Get a light in there and people will know you are serious about perfection.

Also, in addition to showing how well you work, it is also an opportunity to tell people about your process. That 350Z looks like it was a fair amount of work. Being able to show before and after pictures like that along with your process lets others know what to try when faced with similar scenarios.

[unclestu]

this is my DD not bad at all for my first time.

You really need to take your after pics at the same angle, distance and zoom setting. You should be really going in with a tight close up of the section that had the swirls so you can really display how well you did at removing them.

[OGauge4Me]

Also, in addition to showing how well you work, it is also an opportunity to tell people about your process. That 350Z looks like it was a fair amount of work. Being able to show before and after pictures like that along with your process lets others know what to try when faced with similar scenarios.

The above comment should really be taken to heart. This is the one aspect of the show and shine posts that does it for me. I like to see what other hobbyist are doing and if it works well give it a try.

If you take the time to do a perfection detail take the time to write up the process. You not only are doing other members a favor but you gain the creditability as well.

[ballfan4141]

nice stuff.

[OctaneGuy]

Great post. Let me add a few more tips. I like to take a picture of the sun if it happens to be an overcast day. Take this shot. The sky was clear without any haziness, yet the paint looks hazy though my test spot shows a different story.


Hazy!


Proof of Haziness (left side polished, right side not). Notice my finger is being used to help my camera focus on something otherwise it might be out of focus.


Next Day it's overcast and makes the paint look hazy!

When in fact, it's the sun that's hazy!


But later the same day, it's obviously not hazy anymore and the paint is perfect.


But talking about trick photography..check this out


The whole car looks like this