Lamborghini LP 570-4 Super Trofeo Stradale, I finally shot a car you guys can get excited about! Options

[OHirtenfelder]

Been seeing these for a while during my quick (several times daily) checks on DS to see if new stuff has been posted. Been stupid busy (still am), but I figured I'd give you my 2 cents worth, which isn't worth much, seeing as how it's from South Africa. This is how little my opinion is worth,based on calculations on XE.com: 0.00251861 USD

But anyway...I love this set. Overall impression is of a super high standard of work. Even though these aren't as technical as your Scion or Nissan Cube stuff, and seem to be quite straight forward, one can see that whoever shot these has their head screwed on proper! Nice work.

The colour grading....meh. I like it. But. I feel that you've over done the green somewhat. I don't think this needs to be desaturated, but rather the grading turned back 30-40% to the natural colours. IMO that would like a hell of a lot better. But you saw in the first paragraph how little my South African cents are worth

One thing I think would have added quite bit is if the LEDs were running in the front and rear shots ( I guess they could have been on for the rears, one just can't see them due to the angles).

Nice work man. It's good to see your stuff again. I'm just hoping we do get to see the occasional MAD MAD MAD tuner car as well

[Martin]

Yep I agree there needs to be motion to make it a complete set, unfortunately there was no way to fit a rig anywhere close to inside the car and we didn't have much time. I focused on doing a few statics and before I knew it we had to turn around and take the car back. The location was almost 3 hours from where the car needed to go. Bummer, but I'm still happy with what I got. And yes you're correct about the composition, I actually have a few extras that are a little more open, that I might process later. But like you said on Speedhunters you wouldn't even be able to see the car - the base image size is 672px lol.

This comment really makes me wonder what your monitor calibration settings are, because what you're describing is completely different from what I see. Sure the red is slightly warm, but not much. And others even mentioned how good the red and the shadow areas looked, so I'm curious if it isn't the way your monitor is displaying the colors? But as you said it's all a matter of taste and you're certainly entitled to your opinion, but the fact that you think these look novice when I'm fairly confident these are among the best images I've ever created is interesting.

Rigshots are overdone by now I'd say. Your good at panning and that would do the job and doesn't take much time. Nothing you can do about it now, so just a reminder for next time.
Looking forward to see a more open one later, good portfolio material.

On the red. It looks rather spot on compared to a shot I took of it in Frankfurt, just a bit adjusted to fit the rest of the colors cheme.

[Chin.Up]

This isn't the usual style I see from you, but it's a nice change, simple and clean.

I dig #1 and 2.

[Jacob Photo]

Hey Sean,

I really love your work overall. But I really don't like this set. I despise the grading. I feel like it just distracts from the car and the image overall. I've looked at this set 4 or 5 times now, on my work computer and on my home computer. And every time I look at the set, I think "why are these images so green?" I don't look at the car, I don't look at the setting, I just look at the green.

That Nissan Cube image has a distinct grading to it that I think makes the red pop more. In this case, I think the grading detracts from the color and the car. Apparently, I'm the only one who feels this way.

As much as I've given you crap for spending loads and loads of time over-editing images, the only thing I can take away from these images is that they are much simpler than your norm and much more natural looking. But the tint still kills me.

I'd be interested to see one or two of these edited in a nearly-natural color palette.

[DonJuanMair]

i really like them all, i just wish on 3 and 9 you were a little lower to the ground, i always like to see a good aggressive looking low shot

[Nate047]

these look really solid man. I can see a bit of funniness on the masking of the tires on #1 and #7 (laptop monitor lol) The toning works well IMO, although honestly they look a lot better on your tumblr... the DS background green colors don't mix well with this set but that's really just a moot point. on white they look really nice

edit: for those that want to see them on white: http://seanklingelhoefer.tumblr.com/

[berns]

Sean! Nice job man, car is gorgeous and the location is sick, and it's nice just shooting natural light for a change.
I like the toning work you did but wish it was a bit less green / more dynamic, just that's just preference though. Awesome...

[Seethegrim]

Too much reading.

Nice set. I was going to say, "welcome to the world of having to make a shoot from 1 road", but then realised you do actually do it all the time.

[Bandal]

Awesome set Sean. Looks like moojave desert right??

I think i saw you last week in malibu beach road rigging a McLaren. That was you??? I was riding a 65' white convert Mustang with blue stripes and stopped there for 5 minutes...

[Synesthesia]

I'm interested to hear your thoughts as to what you don't get... I find them all fundamentally sound and I have reasons why I framed each one the way I did. None of them were happenstance.

I think the first three are pretty nice. The fourth shot is just rather boring, I suspect there's a more interesting way to compose the engine shot, but I don't have anything useful to suggestion. This is probably just a personal thing but I wonder about the lack of horizon in 5 and 7, the perspective on the road makes me feel like the horizon is just beyond the edge of the frame but it's being cropped off because there's something ugly on the horizon or something. I really love #6, but my eyes keep getting stuck on the details in the door hinge area and the little loop of metal the latch catches on on the right side of the door frame. Also love #8, but why is the corner of the spoiler cropped? Again, really like #9 but feel like the car should be driven backwards a half car length or so to leave space in front of the car instead of behind. Same sort of feeling on #9, open space should be in front of car since it is pointing away from us. Just my 2 cents since you asked!

[Nike SB'd]

Been seeing these for a while during my quick (several times daily) checks on DS to see if new stuff has been posted. Been stupid busy (still am), but I figured I'd give you my 2 cents worth, which isn't worth much, seeing as how it's from South Africa. This is how little my opinion is worth,based on calculations on XE.com: 0.00251861 USD

But anyway...I love this set. Overall impression is of a super high standard of work. Even though these aren't as technical as your Scion or Nissan Cube stuff, and seem to be quite straight forward, one can see that whoever shot these has their head screwed on proper! Nice work.

The colour grading....meh. I like it. But. I feel that you've over done the green somewhat. I don't think this needs to be desaturated, but rather the grading turned back 30-40% to the natural colours. IMO that would like a hell of a lot better. But you saw in the first paragraph how little my South African cents are worth

One thing I think would have added quite bit is if the LEDs were running in the front and rear shots ( I guess they could have been on for the rears, one just can't see them due to the angles).

Nice work man. It's good to see your stuff again. I'm just hoping we do get to see the occasional MAD MAD MAD tuner car as well

I appreciate your detailed reply Oliver. I know that the green isn't for everyone, but I think it shows my vision and whether or not everyone likes it, I think it adds more "me" to the images - some will like it and others will not.

And of course I'll still be shooting plenty of tuner cars, so fear not!

Rigshots are overdone by now I'd say. Your good at panning and that would do the job and doesn't take much time. Nothing you can do about it now, so just a reminder for next time.
Looking forward to see a more open one later, good portfolio material.

On the red. It looks rather spot on compared to a shot I took of it in Frankfurt, just a bit adjusted to fit the rest of the colors cheme.

Ya in retrospect I would have liked to have done some motion, but in comparison the pans would have been at about 70% image quality compared to the others since you cannot bracket a pan. And I agree about the red, it seems very close to accurate to my eyes and the info palette in photoshop.

Hey Sean,

I really love your work overall. But I really don't like this set. I despise the grading. I feel like it just distracts from the car and the image overall. I've looked at this set 4 or 5 times now, on my work computer and on my home computer. And every time I look at the set, I think "why are these images so green?" I don't look at the car, I don't look at the setting, I just look at the green.

That Nissan Cube image has a distinct grading to it that I think makes the red pop more. In this case, I think the grading detracts from the color and the car. Apparently, I'm the only one who feels this way.

As much as I've given you crap for spending loads and loads of time over-editing images, the only thing I can take away from these images is that they are much simpler than your norm and much more natural looking. But the tint still kills me.

I'd be interested to see one or two of these edited in a nearly-natural color palette.

There are several reasons why I went so extreme on the color grading... for starters this is the same location I used for this shoot, and since I'll be including both of them in my portfolio I wanted to make sure they look very different.

Secondly red and green are contrasting colors, therefore the more green the background is, the more red the car appears to be. This is basic color theory. The human eye processes red and green wavelengths with different cones.

Last red and green are the colors of the Italian flag, so there is a subliminal hint of "Italian-ness" in there. As I said before I think it causes a love it or hate it reaction, and either is fine with me. I'd rather have something that stands out that people feel strongly about than something bland that everyone can sort of agree on, if that makes sense.

i really like them all, i just wish on 3 and 9 you were a little lower to the ground, i always like to see a good aggressive looking low shot

Ironically this car is different from pretty much every other car I've ever shot in that regard, it actually gets uglier as you go lower, whereas almost every other car looks more aggressive. I think it's because there is so little material on the body above the wheel arches that when you go lower you lose any description of the body and you're just left with a bumper, wheels and door. I framed up a few very low shots but didn't fire on any of them because the car looked absurd to me.

these look really solid man. I can see a bit of funniness on the masking of the tires on #1 and #7 (laptop monitor lol) The toning works well IMO, although honestly they look a lot better on your tumblr... the DS background green colors don't mix well with this set but that's really just a moot point. on white they look really nice

edit: for those that want to see them on white: http://seanklingelhoefer.tumblr.com/

Thank you sir! I'll have to go back and take a look at those edges, although neither of those shots will be in my portfolio so I'm not too concerned. I appreciate your thorough eye though!

Sean! Nice job man, car is gorgeous and the location is sick, and it's nice just shooting natural light for a change.
I like the toning work you did but wish it was a bit less green / more dynamic, just that's just preference though. Awesome...

Ya sometimes natural light works fine, I don't think there's much I would have done with strobes anyway.

Too much reading.

Nice set. I was going to say, "welcome to the world of having to make a shoot from 1 road", but then realised you do actually do it all the time.

Oh ya that's the story of my life. Usually it's making a whole shoot from one driveway lol.

Awesome set Sean. Looks like moojave desert right??

I think i saw you last week in malibu beach road rigging a McLaren. That was you??? I was riding a 65' white convert Mustang with blue stripes and stopped there for 5 minutes...

This was up in Apple Valley, which is considered Mojave, I believe. And yes that was me... I was hoping to keep it a secret until the photos come out though... busted! lol.

I think the first three are pretty nice. The fourth shot is just rather boring, I suspect there's a more interesting way to compose the engine shot, but I don't have anything useful to suggestion. This is probably just a personal thing but I wonder about the lack of horizon in 5 and 7, the perspective on the road makes me feel like the horizon is just beyond the edge of the frame but it's being cropped off because there's something ugly on the horizon or something. I really love #6, but my eyes keep getting stuck on the details in the door hinge area and the little loop of metal the latch catches on on the right side of the door frame. Also love #8, but why is the corner of the spoiler cropped? Again, really like #9 but feel like the car should be driven backwards a half car length or so to leave space in front of the car instead of behind. Same sort of feeling on #9, open space should be in front of car since it is pointing away from us. Just my 2 cents since you asked!

In regards to #4 I see where you're coming from, but to be perfectly honest the engine compartment is a snooze fest. It's all plastic covers and Audi-branded hoses and tanks. There's no bare metals or carbon or anything of interest. I decided to turn the image into an angular abstract image, sort of like I was shooting architecture. I love the way the lines of the spoiler and the c-pillars intersect and I actually find the image very interesting, although not a great "engine" shot if that makes sense. It's more a shot of the body lines that happen to expose the engine.

5 and 7 you nailed, there absolutely is gross stuff everywhere at the horizon that I didn't want in the frame.

8 I framed because I liked how the body looked with the lens distortion, I actually didn't notice that the spoiler was clipped until after the shoot, this whole shoot was very rushed.

9 is completely distortion bound. I have frames with the car in the positioning you suggest, but the lens distortion is not nearly as flattering as the composition I've chosen. Practically this entire shoot revolved around making the car look good as I think it's actually a bit ugly in person, this is one of the few cars I've shot where wide angle distortion actually makes the car look better, but only if used properly.

Thank you though for your input, I very much appreciate it!

[Frederic Schloss...]

Wow, really nice series Sean! Love the location. Would kill to shoot there

I love the style. But for my taste it is a bit to green. But this is just a matter of taste! :-)

[Jacob Photo]

There are several reasons why I went so extreme on the color grading... for starters this is the same location I used for this shoot, and since I'll be including both of them in my portfolio I wanted to make sure they look very different.

Secondly red and green are contrasting colors, therefore the more green the background is, the more red the car appears to be. This is basic color theory. The human eye processes red and green wavelengths with different cones.

Last red and green are the colors of the Italian flag, so there is a subliminal hint of "Italian-ness" in there. As I said before I think it causes a love it or hate it reaction, and either is fine with me. I'd rather have something that stands out that people feel strongly about than something bland that everyone can sort of agree on, if that makes sense.

I totally get it, I just don't see it working.

After looking at that location in the other shoot, I'd love to see it in the same colorspace. Even if it looks like the same location (which I don't think it would because of the different angles), I feel like it's non-descript enough to pull it off without people complaining about the same location.

[HKYStormFront]

great stuff as usual sean. i, for one, dig the color treatment/processing tho it seems almost all of your photos share a similar treatment, sometimes variety is nice too

[Dejan Sokolovski]

Really like these Sean, great work!! and finally a nice car to be photographed.

[K. Sidiras]

Everything was covered above just to add another voice. Although these are great from a technical standpoint I also prefer your more rough/hyper processed stuff in the same way I love James Lipman stuff. To make this worse for a reason I can't explain when I think all the late Lambos I think hard light and relatively heavy post...

Also as mentioned they look much much better in white(flickr or tumblr).

[Synesthesia]

In regards to #4 I see where you're coming from, but to be perfectly honest the engine compartment is a snooze fest. It's all plastic covers and Audi-branded hoses and tanks. There's no bare metals or carbon or anything of interest. I decided to turn the image into an angular abstract image, sort of like I was shooting architecture. I love the way the lines of the spoiler and the c-pillars intersect and I actually find the image very interesting, although not a great "engine" shot if that makes sense. It's more a shot of the body lines that happen to expose the engine.

5 and 7 you nailed, there absolutely is gross stuff everywhere at the horizon that I didn't want in the frame.

8 I framed because I liked how the body looked with the lens distortion, I actually didn't notice that the spoiler was clipped until after the shoot, this whole shoot was very rushed.

9 is completely distortion bound. I have frames with the car in the positioning you suggest, but the lens distortion is not nearly as flattering as the composition I've chosen. Practically this entire shoot revolved around making the car look good as I think it's actually a bit ugly in person, this is one of the few cars I've shot where wide angle distortion actually makes the car look better, but only if used properly.

Thank you though for your input, I very much appreciate it!

Interesting counterpoints, funny about the engine bay. Good work!

[Nike SB'd]

Everything was covered above just to add another voice. Although these are great from a technical standpoint I also prefer your more rough/hyper processed stuff in the same way I love James Lipman stuff. To make this worse for a reason I can't explain when I think all the late Lambos I think hard light and relatively heavy post...

Also as mentioned they look much much better in white(flickr or tumblr).

It's actually nice hearing that people like the hyper real stuff because a lot of the time I feel like people don't like it. I guess no matter what you can't please everyone though