Photo help, what would you want to see?

[thecharmed01]

Recently I've been looking at a lot of the 'cafe-racer' type bikes lately and I did a photo shoot with a model on one which has got me a few more bookings for similar shoots.

I'm just curious though, as to whether the shots I got are what people want to see - as while the customer was rapt, I'm wondering whether there are things I missed shots of that I should get next time, or whether I managed to cover it pretty well.
He's submitting images to a few magazines and seeing as photo's of bikes are not something I've done before any constructive suggestions would be welcome.

Also some ideas as to which image/s should be submitted. As I am so not part of that scene and while I can tell him which I like, that's not so useful if what I like is vastly different to what bikers in general like.

I put this here as there are way too many forums here and I couldn't decide whether it should be here or not so sorry in advance if it's wrong.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...0311996&type=3

[mashman]

I'm just curious though, as to whether the shots I got are what people want to see

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...0311996&type=3

too much clothing, too few bikes

[Tigadee]

Great shots although in most of them you need to work to isolate your subjects from the background.

While I realise that perhaps your client wants it that way, you should shoot two sets - one with the shallow DOF to isolate the model and bike more from the background (which while industrial is not all that interesting or complementary) and another set the way the client wants it. That way if you show the difference, the client might change their mind and prefer your (more attractive) set.

Using the low sun is an excellent move (except the first shot where the sun is almost overpowering your secondary light source) and provides a free and powerful spotlight. A second flash/strobe on the bike would have been good, unless the emphasis was on the model and not the bike.

In the last few of the bike only shots, the framing was a bit sloppy, as you sometimes include other bikes but cut bits of them off. Use tight framing again to isolate the bike from the background, and again a light source on the bike (either a diffused strobe or just a reflector) will do wonders.

Excellent work overall and you'll only get better from here.

[thecharmed01]

Great shots although in most of them you need to work to isolate your subjects from the background.

While I realise that perhaps your client wants it that way, you should shoot two sets - one with the shallow DOF to isolate the model and bike more from the background (which while industrial is not all that interesting or complementary) and another set the way the client wants it. That way if you show the difference, the client might change their mind and prefer your (more attractive) set.

Using the low sun is an excellent move (except the first shot where the sun is almost overpowering your secondary light source) and provides a free and powerful spotlight. A second flash/strobe on the bike would have been good, unless the emphasis was on the model and not the bike.

In the last few of the bike only shots, the framing was a bit sloppy, as you sometimes include other bikes but cut bits of them off. Use tight framing again to isolate the bike from the background, and again a light source on the bike (either a diffused strobe or just a reflector) will do wonders.

Excellent work overall and you'll only get better from here.

Thanks, some of the photo's are more about model than bike, and others were more about bike than model. There was a bit of a mix because of the situation with both parties.
They chose the location and it was what they wanted. I could have shot two ways, but then we only had about an hour to shoot with the light the way it was and then we lost it. I wonder if I would have needed two separate shoots as posing models takes a lot longer than objects but Wellington's weather doesn't always give us two days with such amazing light.
It would have been nice to have got some shots with a softer backdrop. Might think about setting up two ways next time and see if I can get two lots - I was just really worried about time with dusk being so fast.

The last shots were extras and the boys asked me to get them after I'd packed up my gear already unfortunately. Otherwise there would have been a lot more light. We'd lost the sun at that point and as I was only supposed to be photographing the first bike, I'd thought we were done. Kinda threw them in extra.
Didn't want them to be too flashy as they weren't cleaned and they'd just done a mini drag race on the gravel with them hahaha
One of them is in fact broken (the green one) as he'd just laid it down in the gravel and dinged up the side you can't see, snapped off a lever and made a bit of a mess of it. Was funny, but gutting all at once.

[mossy1200]

Is she single and can you send me her number

[jrandom]

The photos without the woman in them are better.

[Madness]

I thought there were a few shots where the background were distracting & out of place. Moving closer to the stack of drums might have been an idea & using the symmetry of them. That tilt slab building you can see just ruined the whole period look of the shot it was in.

[thecharmed01]

The photos without the woman in them are better.

haha to be honest, I like them more... still not sure if I was getting what they needed though.

[Tigadee]

The last shots were extras and the boys asked me to get them after I'd packed up my gear already unfortunately. Otherwise there would have been a lot more light. We'd lost the sun at that point and as I was only supposed to be photographing the first bike, I'd thought we were done. Kinda threw them in extra.
Didn't want them to be too flashy as they weren't cleaned and they'd just done a mini drag race on the gravel with them hahaha
One of them is in fact broken (the green one) as he'd just laid it down in the gravel and dinged up the side you can't see, snapped off a lever and made a bit of a mess of it. Was funny, but gutting all at once.

Boost the contrast and turn the photos into B&W or sepia and see how that turns out... And burn the highlights to bring them down.

Also try HDR effect on those photos and see if it gives it a gritty rough look.

[thecharmed01]

Boost the contrast and turn the photos into B&W or sepia and see how that turns out... And burn the highlights to bring them down.

Also try HDR effect on those photos and see if it gives it a gritty rough look.

This is a good thing? I'll give it a shot!

[Geeen]

Some very cool photos, My preferences are photos 14 to 28. Only thing i can add is in some of the shots the bike and model almost become part of the background. The depth of field Tig was talking about should sort that tho

[cmoore]

great photos, my "girl on bike" pick is 8, but the background is too distracting......the others are the close ups of the bike or the group, they are cool.....most bikers think bikes are sex on wheels....so the model should either be the focus or compliment the bike...IMO!!....she looks great by the way.

[thecharmed01]

Well, seeing as I didn't capture several different RAW images per image, I just played about with faux HDR stuff.
Kind of interested to see what people think as I don't use it as a rule

[Tigadee]

Hmmmm, they all ended up looking overexposed though... I was more thinking like this:

[thecharmed01]

Hmmmm, they all ended up looking overexposed though... I was more thinking like this:

Ahh ok.... so dark and grungy.
I think I see where you are heading. To me they look much darker than I usually go, probably why I didn't push it too much.

That's what people want to see in bike images then? Darker than I think.