Black Focus, the challenge.

Liberalis

Liberalis

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Kris
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Well I'm not the kind of person who backs down from a challenge. After telling someone that the worst colour car to shoot is black, I was then given a polished (it was when I got it) black focus, the facelifted one to shoot on a sunny day around a particular town. Some of you might recognise the location, so sorry about that, there aint many to choose from, its a small island, lol

Do'ya think I won or do I owe him a tenner ?

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I can't help but feel that the car needs some more light from different angles. :shake:
 
Baz007 said:
Nice pictures, horrible, horrible car.
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:agree: The new facelift looks much, much better in it's "ST" form, especially in Orange...

Not a bad effort though.

Edit: After a 2nd look, it's sitting far to high on the suspension. Are you sure they've taken the rubber blocks out in between the coils ? It looks very silly....
 
I think you've done well, but they look VERY oversharpened to me. The first also looks a little weird, like it's being lit by headlights of another car (I know this is your flash).

Good effort for a tricky job, but perhaps less Post processing would create slightly more natural looking pictures?
 
Like number one, there is a lot of interest in the picture and shows the car to best advantage.

Less sure about number two, nothing to do with it being black, but there appears to be two pictures, one of the car, and another of a rocky outcrop floating above it.

Agree with Moos3H with regard to number three, doesn't do too much for me.

All number four needs is a grimacing Clarkson! Don't you need plates across there?

Number one definitely means you'd get my tenner.....

TC
 
It is clarkson, we just shaved his head, lol ... yeah we need plates, but this one aint got any yet, trade plates are unsightly on the pics.

Where are you seeing it as over sharpened? when I resize for the web, if I dont do a 1pt sharpen it looks too soft.

Cheers for the input
 
Hmmmmm titanium tdci 3 door with the sport pack, sat nav too I see :)

1 and 2 for me Kris (y)
3 makes it look like a van because of the privacy glass and 4 just looks kind of odd :(
 
Don't like #1, you can see the horizon is slanted!
Like #2 - reminds me of a magazine advert with the space at the top!
I prefer #3 love the DOF, i think it would be better if you were slightly higher so you see more of the front wheel!
#4 does nothing for me!

Excellent work though!!!
Carl.
PS Keep your tenner!
 
Thanks again for the input. I should really mention that 99% of my shots have enough space intentionally left in for text in both title and paragraph form, these particular ones are for magazine use, as is the Mini in the other thread.

There is no-one else doing this kinda stuff over here at the moment so even these crap ones are better than nothing, lol
 
I agree certain areas need a bit more light to make the very best of the shot. If I am to make one complaint though it would be the absense of number plates. I understand why you have removed them but it just looks really odd. Get yourself onto Ebay and buy a set of "show plates" made up with Focus or just some random set of numbers and it will complete it for me.

The facelift is a huge improvement from some angles but the telephoto shots have squashed its nose somewhat but that's Ford's fault they should have designed it to photograph better with a telephoto lens.
 
Cheers guys, I should of got some sort of plate in there but time did not allow it, I've tried shopping some in but it doesn't look right.

Andrew, I like that plate, just a shame it wouldn't be valid over here. I think I will still check though, lol

MRP, About a week before it comes out, I think its in april, not 100% though.

Andy, Is there ?

Taxboy, I would if I knew what I was doing, I kinda wing this stuff.

Jelster said:
Are you sure they've taken the rubber blocks out in between the coils ? It looks very silly....
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I asked but they said this is right as its not the ST, I didn't drive like they were in, and there was no sticker on the screen pre-polish
 
Rs......april :cautious:

There is a large wheel arch gap on them, it's a diesel not a racer :D
 
I really like the first shot Kris. Might be worth trying to get some lighting down the side of the car as the front seemed far too bright in comparision.

The last pic looks like your close to lifting the rear wheel, good effort. :)
 
Thats the thing Dal, what do you light on a black car? your only shooting the reflections anyway so anything I light is just mirrored, tis tricky! but I agree that the front is a little bright, I'll have a play. (edit, I had a play)

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The last image of the new group of three stands out most. The reflection of the sun/sea is quite effective.

Would be interesting to see what results you could get with the same colour car later on in the year with a better sunset.
 
Those are some dark tints for standard!

Nice shots I like the 3rd in the first set
 
I think you have achieved what you set out to do here - the photos don't do much for me but I think you are trying for the "glossy advertising brochure" look and if thats the case you are bang on the money.

I thought the most striking were the first and last (of the new set). Particularly I like the idea of lighting it with the sunset - nice!

I do agree with some other comments that some of the earlier set do look a bit oversharpened, although I fall foul of that quite often so I guess I shouldnt have a dig :D
 
You owe a tenner. The car is too dark in almost all the shots. Cars are difficult anyway - and black is hardest of all. You need lots of reflectors to get light into the dark sides - you must see all the car detail in shots like this.
 
I can see it's black - it is too dark. If I was the client I wouldn't be paying for these. That's not to say I don't like some of the shots - I do - but for their intended purpose - I don't think they make it - sorry!
 
I agree to some extent with awp, it needs reflections in the lower half of the car, I don't think chucking more light will necessarily help, it needs a diffused reflection something like a white sheet laying on the floor maybe.
 
Liberalis said:
Thats the thing Dal, what do you light on a black car? your only shooting the reflections anyway so anything I light is just mirrored, tis tricky! but I agree that the front is a little bright, I'll have a play. (edit, I had a play)

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Forgot about this post. I see what you mean now. I guess the only thing you could do is take the car somwhere with lots of buildings so you can see them in the reflection of the car. Not ideal as its a small island though.

That shot works well with the sunset showing the car.

I'm going to be taking some photo's of my mates black Civic next week so i'm sure I will come across the same problems as your finding.
 
Came across this on flickr and thought it might be of some use.
 
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