Automobile and Motorcycle Studio Photography

Motorcycle or photography in the studio presents some interesting challenges. For this week I will take a look at some of the many options for dealing with these details.

First of all cars are big and don’t move easily to “adjust their pose”. Motorcycles are a bit simpler to photograph as they can move easier, but cars or trucks are just a whole lot of work. Careful planning is required.

The first thing you need is a studio that has enough space to hold the car and allow you to get far enough away to shoot it. If the photographer is too close you will need to use your wide angle lens leading to shots where the vehicle will have a huge front end for example. Sometimes this look can be what you want, but more often than not, it is problematic. I prefer to be a good 20 or more feet to keep proportions correct.

For moving the car around the studio, car wheel dollies are great. One goes under each tire and you can jack it up then basically push the car in any direction that you want, even spin it in a circle. They are not a cheap tool, but if you shoot a lot of cars, they are well worth the investment.


Lighting is another key. You need a large soft light from above for most automotive work. Since I shoot on white, I have painted my light stands and cords white to hide them in reflections. Nothing more annoying than a beautiful white highlight on a car with a light stand jumping out at you.

The other most difficult thing to deal with is reflections. The whole automobile is one great big mirror. Chrome on motorcycles can be even worse. And of course the classic black hot rod looks great, but shows everything. A very clean studio area is critical. Anything that must remain should be pushed as far away as possible from the car. This includes yourself and your assistants.

I actually have my assistants step off set behind a wall in my studio. I wear black to help hide my reflection. Another reason for keeping the photographer to automobile distance large during the shoot, is that it makes the reflections much smaller and easier to deal with in post.

Feel free to contact me with any questions. And if you are in the Phoenix area, I do rent my studio to other photographers.

Orcatek Automotive and Motorcycle Photography