New here, critique my composites please?

[josephnicklo]

Hello all,

Just signed up. I've been browsing the site for the past few months trying to get some tips on automotive retouching/compositing and felt I'm ready to post my work and get some feedback from you guys.

Please, be brutal in your critiques. I really want to improve my work.

Composite 1
Original

Composite 2
Original

Another one I put together with a motion blurred background

[DJSoulglo]

Re: New here, critique my composites please?

Just as a quick note.

Cars are reflective as hell. So whatever environment they are in, there's reflections on the car. I don't really see any.

Also when you have 1 big lightsource in your background, there shouldn't be 5 lightsources on the car.

[josephnicklo]

Re: New here, critique my composites please?

Thanks for the feedback. What do you suggest I do to remove the reflections?

Also, we have to shoot another truck in a few weeks — do you have any suggestions for us to remove the reflections before I even bring the shot into Lightroom/Photoshop?

[rebeca_Saborio]

Re: New here, critique my composites please?

Hello! These are pretty good, the one thing I noticed is in the first one, the tent seems weird. I think is too washed out.

[Repairman]

Re: New here, critique my composites please?

What soulglo said. Next time you're in your car, take a look at the vehicles around you and observe how the road and sky reflect on the metal panels (not to mention other scenery) and apply those principles to your image. Cars are like mirrors! I'm not convinced by the viewpoint angle either and would consider having the cab poking above the tree line for a better dynamic. The odd tent orientation doesn't help either. The sky tones don't quite match what the landscape is reflecting and seem over dramatic. The pickup in the hangar works better but you need to bounce some colour off the panels to integrate it into the scene; the shadows need attention too. I do a lot of multipart comps and reckon I spend 90% of my time on 5% of the effect - the little details do as much as the global effects to create a plausible result. That said, we can see where you are going with this and you are not too far off achieving really pleasing results!

[josephnicklo]

Re: New here, critique my composites please?

Thank you all.

@Repairman
I've definitely started looking at things differently and much more in-depth. It's pretty distracting at times.

Do you have any suggestions for the shadows?

[Repairman]

Re: New here, critique my composites please?

Once you start to look it's quite striking how much is going on in reflections; bumpers, wing mirror surrounds etc often pick up the road markings and these little touches can elevate a picture. There are times of course when it is desirable to edit them out! Most original pictures contain all the visual clues and components to enable successful manipulation. Look where the shadows fall under the vehicle (studio shot) and visualise where the sun would be to create them and the panel hilite and shadows. Sure, you can play with the shadow shapes but stay broadly within logical/plausible limits. Revisit the vehicle to landscape orientation - it looks like the front of the pickup is dipping too sharply in relation to the perspective of the gravel track. I'd knock back the lighting inside the back wheel arch and tyre. Should there be a number plate? I have to go to work now but good luck with it.

[josephnicklo]

Re: New here, critique my composites please?

Once you start to look it's quite striking how much is going on in reflections; bumpers, wing mirror surrounds etc often pick up the road markings and these little touches can elevate a picture. There are times of course when it is desirable to edit them out! Most original pictures contain all the visual clues and components to enable successful manipulation. Look where the shadows fall under the vehicle (studio shot) and visualise where the sun would be to create them and the panel hilite and shadows. Sure, you can play with the shadow shapes but stay broadly within logical/plausible limits. Revisit the vehicle to landscape orientation - it looks like the front of the pickup is dipping too sharply in relation to the perspective of the gravel track. I'd knock back the lighting inside the back wheel arch and tyre. Should there be a number plate? I have to go to work now but good luck with it.

I think the problem I've been having is the existing reflections from the studio. If I can begin to paint/brush the reflections out I will probably have a better starting point than trying to fix what is already there.

I've got to say, this stuff is NOT easy.