Which Volvo Shots?

[Mr Yuck]

Photo contest for a Volvo related site is coming up and I need to decide which TWO shots to submit.









So, your opinion on first and second preferences and why would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[Frog]

I think the first one and its hard to decide between the last two.
I'm eliminating the second one because of the chopped bike but they may be judging on standards other than photographic.
I'm going to go with the first and the third becuase it shows the car in both a rural and urban environment.

[jkriminger]

im in the lead with num 2....oh..1st vote

i like it for the movement feel..leading you into the pic..like your there..adventure..and not just a glamour sell pic.

[mattbikeboy]

I'd totally go for number 2 if the bike wasn't cut off. So Number 4 it is for me.

mbb

[Greg McCary]

Two. I like the overall composition and lighting. The placement of the Volvo sign on the back of the car. The cut off bike isn't an issue with me. The Volvo is the subject after all.
The last two are just to standard, done everyday, car shots. If you know what I mean.

[Mr Yuck]

Two. I like the overall composition and lighting. The placement of the Volvo sign on the back of the car. The cut off bike isn't an issue with me. The Volvo is the subject after all.
The last two are just to standard, done everyday, car shots. If you know what I mean.

So looks like #2 will be one of them.

For the second, It's looking like more and more of a toss up between the Seattle shot and the Lightning shot, yet the lightning one shows some distortion so it looks like there's some serious negative rear camber and the lightning is hardly noticeable. (we get pretty lame storms up here)

[Grandpaw]

I vote for #1 & #4 The second one has part of the bicycle missing but more importantly part of the car is cut off :cryin: which eliminates it for me and probably anyone wanting to promote a Volvo. Number three has the buildings washed out or hazy so I would eliminate it. If the second one had all of the bike and all of the car in the photo it would be my number one choice, Jeff

[Wild Wassa]

If you want to win the contest? speaking as a fellow Volvo owner, you could try this ... (if you don't mind me saying and you hadn't thought along these lines already of course). Your shots are good. The bottom image in your series looks good it has a bit if a travelling feel ... but I can't figure out what the competition criteria is? ... the landscape or the Volvo. If you are using the landscape it must impart real ambiance, ... those short periods just before sunrise and just after sunset, make all cars look good.

Do an HDR image of the Volvo engine or even the oldest Volvo engine you can find. Volvo also make marine engines. I'm guessing most images submitted will be of Volvos in ordinary landscapes, so something different will be a benefit..

Open the hood, photograph the engine bay in complete shadow but in dalight, no direct sunlight what so ever falling in the engine bay, this will give axial lighting on the metal and compound curves. Set up the shot 'absolutely' symmetrically from the front of the car, unless a better angle jumps out at you, with not one bit of the engine bay, engine, radiator and compliance plates left out of the shot if possible. Shoot from an oblique angle, not too high or to low ... make it the definitive technical shot of the engine and engine bay ... real f32 stuff. Don't clean the engine, leave it exactly as it is, every bit of road grime, oil and dust in corners will just add to the HDR image. HDR images power from max detail.

Now for the shot, shoot it in colour and do an HDR image using between 9 to 13 exposures. The photo will be extraordinary ... again speaking as a Volvo owner and fan of HDRs.

If you have a chat to your Volvo dealer ... they might have a C30 or a V70 turbo. Don't forget an interior shot in HDR showing the dash and wheel in a manual from near the driver's perspective. Not from a fisheye perspective but super wide. If you can score a C30 2.5lt Turbo manual ... not many have even seen the turbo manual version.

Warren.

ps, I don't know whether this is coincidence or synchronicity. The Volvo Road Show is here in the Territory starting the weekend after next, with Volvos not seen in these parts before. From next Tuesday I've access to the cars to photograph them. What is that competition again? ... just joking.

[Mr Yuck]

I vote for #1 & #4 The second one has part of the bicycle missing but more importantly part of the car is cut off :cryin: which eliminates it for me and probably anyone wanting to promote a Volvo.f

Last year's overall contest winner was in the "Vintage" category, with a line of about 5 rusted out classic Volvos in a field, the sky was totally washed out and the composition was roadside at eye level. The 3 categories are: Vintage, RWD, and FWD.

Don't clean the engine, leave it exactly as it is, every bit of road grime, oil and dust in corners will just add to the HDR image. HDR images power from max detail.

The engine bay is almost as clean as the outside of the car, a mechanic looked at it last year and asked me if it was a new engine (keep in mind, the car is 20 years old)

The contest is for IPD, a store which specializes in custom performance parts for Volvos, they are affiliated with Subaru's Rallitek.

I'll be happy as long as a washed out, overexposed shot of rusted out pieces of junk don't win the grand prize.


I will give that engine bay shot a go though and see how it turns out.

[Kajuah]

1, 2, and 4

the 3rd looks too regular, theres millions of shots of these everywhere, it doesnt tell a story and the overall composition is kind of slanting - when i look at it theres a bit of distortion on the sides that leads me to believe the car is balancing on a ball.

1: i like the composition, the cool tones... in this one the cool tones work, they go with the car, they're relaxing, the composition is intriguing. Rule of 3rds applied to the landscape, but the subject focus is in the lower portion so you're eyes start at the top and work their way downwards, then back up again when they bounce off the concrete. It's a cool shot.

2: the cut off adds to the composition; warm tones, audiences love warmth. - it makes them feel at home
the volva logo stands out, the license plate...you may want to blurr that out for personal privacy reasons.

4: That lightning bolt is flipping cool. Nuff said.

[Juanjo Viagran]

I like two a lot, but don't agree with the cropping, number one is my next pick.

PS.
NICE Volvo, those car were made to last forever...

[Ballen Photo]

The second image gets my vote for #1. I like the way the lines of the car lead my eyes towards the body of water as a secondary subject of interest. Also, I think the light is better in that one.
Runner up (for me) is the third image. Something about the cars position in front of the river with the city's skyline in the background shouts "ROAD TRIP!" to me.
BTW, What year is your Volvo?
-Bruce

[Anbesol]

Torn between 1 and 4, both are very good. I voted 1 though.