37 Ford Hotrod

This week my favorite shoot was this 1937 Ford roadster. It was an amazing car and the owner really has taken care to keep this car a show winner.



Orcatek Automotive and Motorcycle Photography - Phoenix, Arizona

Black Mercedes

This week I faced the challenge of photographing a black Mercedes in the studio. As with all black cars, dealing with reflections was key to success.



It was worth the effort as I really enjoy photographing cars. From classic hotrods to awesome exotic cars, each presents their own challenge for the photographer. Finding the perfect angle to show off the curves of a fender, or just the right light to bring out details hidden in shadows are just a few of the problems I enjoy solving.

I’ve got another car coming in soon that will provide the opportunity to use some new techniques.

Orcatek Automotive and Motorcycle Photography - Phoenix, Arizona

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

Motorcyles on the Beach

This week it was off to the beach for to photography a motorcycle. Shooting a motorcycle at a beach is very difficult. The biggest challenge is the motorcycle will sink into the beach.

On a sandy beach I would bury a layer or two of plywood just below the surface of the sand and then smooth it out after placing the bike. In this case the beach had a hard area that was not sandy at all. Being hard and dry the bike could stand on its own.

I was pretty happy with the end result. When things were set and I liked where the sun was, creating a good shadow. Adding in some additional light to fill in the rest of the shot and it came together as I had imagined.


Orcatek Automotive and Motorcycle Photography - Phoenix, Arizona