My first ever reflection picks. constructive criticism please :)

[Detailing Newb]

Hi. My first detail on my 12 year old ford ka. This is a couple of reflection picks
How do you rate them?

[hernandez.art13]

There isn't any pictures up

[KMdef9]

Let us know your tools/products/process too when you get pics uploaded!

[Detailing Newb]

http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Ad_Dolphin/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20141215_121954_zps99611a92.jpg.html?o=1
http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Ad_Dolphin/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20141215_122003_zpsf35559b2.jpg.html?o=0
Hi, finally managed to get pics uploaded (I think)
I have just started out detailing so i have limited tools and products but i had my first good go today. here's what i did.

1. Rinsed off whole car with hose.
2. 2bm washed paintwork with farcela g3 body prep shampoo
3. Sprayed wheels with hot wheels hot rims.
4. agitated with wilko wheel brush and hosed off.
5. Used meguiars clay bar with autoglym shampoo for lubrication.
6. hosed car off and dried with standard microfibre towels.
7. Used my trusty £35 halford polisher with wool bonnet with meguiars ultimate polish. and buffed off.
8. waxed with meguiars step 3 wax with carnauba using a microfibre applicator and buffed off.
9. dressed tyres with meguiars endurance tyre gel.
10. exterior trim dressed with autoglym vinyl and rubber care.

Thanks for reading.:xyxthumbs:

[Detailing Newb]

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag336/Ad_Dolphin/Mobile%20Uploads/20141215_122003_zpsf35559b2.jpg (http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Ad_Dolphin/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20141215_122003_zpsf35559b2.jpg.html)

http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag336/Ad_Dolphin/Mobile%20Uploads/20141215_121954_zps99611a92.jpg (http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Ad_Dolphin/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20141215_121954_zps99611a92.jpg.html)

[Setec Astronomy]

Nice reflection! Nice scenery, too.

[Tato]

Dear, I'm just writing here because you wanted constructive criticism, so please do not get me wrong!

In my opinion, most reflection shots says little about a car's paint condition (apart from orange peel degree / results after sanding to level it).

In fact, my camera is able to get some decent reflections based on light conditions and angle in basically any car (even dirty and heavy swirled cars), which may easily mistake the 'watcher'.

I mean, if one wants to show unaware people how his work is good by pictures, just send reflection shots without any direct incident lighting.

Whenever you are showing it to enthusiastic people (like here), I believe a picture using an inspection light to show real paint condition is what we are willing to see (together with reflection pics). Sun pics, studio light pics, etc.

Sure, reflection pics can be beautiful, NO DOUBT!, they are part of the show. Keep them coming...

__

During this writing I went to garage to get a pic to illustrate what I'm talking about. It's from one of my actual work (doing it right now):

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/reflection1.png

Well, may not be the most beautiful reflection pic ever, I just went outside and shoot (not much preparation). However, it looks ~great, no?

The only thing I did to this paint section till now was wash / claying.

Just after taking the first pic I went to the center of the hood on reflection pic with inspection light and took a second pic. Here it is, the 'REAL' condition of the paint:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/reflection2truth.png

Swirled, scratched and stained.

That said, nothing wrong or personal with your reflection shots, I'm just sharing my general view. When I see a thread with 200 reflection shots but none with proper lighting, I generally won't answer to that thread since I don't want to be mistakenly giving good adjectives to what can be poor work hidden.

About the light pics, I don't think they should show 100% perfection all the time. No, that's not the case! They will show the real condition of the paint, which is something of large interest in here.

70%? 80%? Sometimes a little improvement in a huge mess means a lot. And whoever truly details (can risk saying everyone in here) knows the difficult involved in getting 100% always (it's not even possible!).

Even if you show a swirled pic but improved from what it was before, it'll have a lot of value in my opinion because it's the honest result of your work.

Hope not to add confusion, and please do not take my words to generalize all cases. I just can't add all exceptions to what I've wrote to keep me criticizing safely from behind my monitor.

I'm open to discussion, in a healthy manner, anytime!

Keep doing your great work,

Kind Regards.

[tenblade2001]

Dear, I'm just writing here because you wanted constructive criticism, so please do not get me wrong!

In my opinion, most reflection shots says little about a car's paint condition (apart from orange peel degree / results after sanding to level it).

In fact, my camera is able to get some decent reflections based on light conditions and angle in basically any car (even dirty and heavy swirled cars), which may easily mistake the 'watcher'.

I mean, if one wants to show unaware people how his work is good by pictures, just send reflection shots without any direct incident lighting.

Whenever you are showing it to enthusiastic people (like here), I believe a picture using an inspection light to show real paint condition is what we are willing to see (together with reflection pics). Sun pics, studio light pics, etc.

Sure, reflection pics can be beautiful, NO DOUBT!, they are part of the show. Keep them coming...

__

During this writing I went to garage to get a pic to illustrate what I'm talking about. It's from one of my actual work (doing it right now):

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/reflection1.png

Well, may not be the most beautiful reflection pic ever, I just went outside and shoot (not much preparation). However, it looks ~great, no?

The only thing I did to this paint section till now was wash / claying.

Just after taking the first pic I went to the center of the hood on reflection pic with inspection light and took a second pic. Here it is, the 'REAL' condition of the paint:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/reflection2truth.png

Swirled, scratched and stained.

That said, nothing wrong or personal with your reflection shots, I'm just sharing my general view. When I see a thread with 200 reflection shots but none with proper lighting, I generally won't answer to that thread since I don't want to be mistakenly giving good adjectives to what can be poor work hidden.

About the light pics, I don't think they should show 100% perfection all the time. No, that's not the case! They will show the real condition of the paint, which is something of large interest in here.

70%? 80%? Sometimes a little improvement in a huge mess means a lot. And whoever truly details (can risk saying everyone in here) knows the difficult involved in getting 100% always (it's not even possible!).

Even if you show a swirled pic but improved from what it was before, it'll have a lot of value in my opinion because it's the honest result of your work.

Hope not to add confusion, and please do not take my words to generalize all cases. I just can't add all exceptions to what I've wrote to keep me criticizing safely from behind my monitor.

I'm open to discussion, in a healthy manner, anytime!

Keep doing your great work,

Kind Regards.
GREAT reply with lots of good info. Question, would any LED light do? do you dim the lighting in the workspace when shining the LED/ correction light? Too bad there isn't a sitcky thread on proper photo standards.

[Detailing Newb]

Dear, I'm just writing here because you wanted constructive criticism, so please do not get me wrong!

In my opinion, most reflection shots says little about a car's paint condition (apart from orange peel degree / results after sanding to level it).

In fact, my camera is able to get some decent reflections based on light conditions and angle in basically any car (even dirty and heavy swirled cars), which may easily mistake the 'watcher'.

I mean, if one wants to show unaware people how his work is good by pictures, just send reflection shots without any direct incident lighting.

Whenever you are showing it to enthusiastic people (like here), I believe a picture using an inspection light to show real paint condition is what we are willing to see (together with reflection pics). Sun pics, studio light pics, etc.

Sure, reflection pics can be beautiful, NO DOUBT!, they are part of the show. Keep them coming...

__

During this writing I went to garage to get a pic to illustrate what I'm talking about. It's from one of my actual work (doing it right now):

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/reflection1.png

Well, may not be the most beautiful reflection pic ever, I just went outside and shoot (not much preparation). However, it looks ~great, no?

The only thing I did to this paint section till now was wash / claying.

Just after taking the first pic I went to the center of the hood on reflection pic with inspection light and took a second pic. Here it is, the 'REAL' condition of the paint:

http://www.autogeekonline.net/gallery/data/500/medium/reflection2truth.png

Swirled, scratched and stained.

That said, nothing wrong or personal with your reflection shots, I'm just sharing my general view. When I see a thread with 200 reflection shots but none with proper lighting, I generally won't answer to that thread since I don't want to be mistakenly giving good adjectives to what can be poor work hidden.

About the light pics, I don't think they should show 100% perfection all the time. No, that's not the case! They will show the real condition of the paint, which is something of large interest in here.

70%? 80%? Sometimes a little improvement in a huge mess means a lot. And whoever truly details (can risk saying everyone in here) knows the difficult involved in getting 100% always (it's not even possible!).

Even if you show a swirled pic but improved from what it was before, it'll have a lot of value in my opinion because it's the honest result of your work.

Hope not to add confusion, and please do not take my words to generalize all cases. I just can't add all exceptions to what I've wrote to keep me criticizing safely from behind my monitor.

I'm open to discussion, in a healthy manner, anytime!

Keep doing your great work,

Kind Regards.
Hey tato I appreciate what you have said 100%
I've literally only been into detailing about 4 weeks. Prior to that I'd just walk outside with my bucket of 99p wash and wax and 50p sponge and start scrubbing away at all the grit. And no way would I have had a shot like that before. Your post was brilliant by the way. Really clear and to the point. Thank you:xyxthumbs:

[Klasse Act]

More overall pics of the Ka, some people here don't know what that is;)

Sent from my SPH-M930 using Tapatalk 2

[Tato]

Dear,

Thank you so much for understanding my point of view. Hard not to be rude with such argument, believe me, I'm not. There's two sides on every coin.

Sharing an honest opinion in a direct manner over the internet can often lead to misunderstood. I'm happy we could argue.

Reflection shots are needed, wanted and beautiful, but it's great to see the light pictures (at least one, or a 50/50 shot, etc) to 'complement' the reflection pics in a detailing forum. This is what I'm ~saying.

Otherwise we should only answer "Great Pic!" instead of Great Work.

LED flashlights in my use must be somewhat powerful but not blinding powerful: (1 x 18650 battery) and a cree LED is enough. Another feature I like is the Zooming feature.

Zoom feature is almost useless, having it will only assure you can get a wide throwing light. This is (IMO) the best setting for inspecting holding the flashlight 'near the height of your head'.


Mine is very similar to Flex Swirl Finder Light.


Good luck on detailing, I learn one or two new things here everyday... Learnt with your thread as well.

Thank you,

Kind Regards.

[frankprozzoly]

Scenery is nice. Where do you live

[Detailing Newb]

More overall pics of the Ka, some people here don't know what that is;)

Sent from my SPH-M930 using Tapatalk 2

Definitely not the best pics for numerous reasons. but i did run outside in the rain whilst at work just to get them to post here.
http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag336/Ad_Dolphin/Mobile%20Uploads/20141216_184320_zps7f2eef5c.jpg (http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Ad_Dolphin/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20141216_184320_zps7f2eef5c.jpg.html)
http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag336/Ad_Dolphin/Mobile%20Uploads/20141216_184223_zps527d6b95.jpg (http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Ad_Dolphin/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20141216_184223_zps527d6b95.jpg.html)
http://i1372.photobucket.com/albums/ag336/Ad_Dolphin/Mobile%20Uploads/20141216_184129_zps2f627495.jpg (http://s1372.photobucket.com/user/Ad_Dolphin/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20141216_184129_zps2f627495.jpg.html)
I promise better quality pictures and posts in the future:xyxthumbs:

[Klasse Act]

Thanks Detailing Noob, looking forward to some "good" pics of the Ka, they're pretty cool little cars:xyxthumbs:

I like your avatar, its why I chose this color for my post. The LSB E46 M3 is in my top 3 modern cars ever, just love the color and on that car, its over the top:dblthumb2: