Melbourne Motor Show

[Emko]

With Melbourne motor show about to wind up, i will go for a look, and take some snaps while i'm at it
http://www.motorshow.com.au/
So i'm wondering ... To increase chances of some nice shots...
Apart from having to bring my creativity along, what else might i need to adjust and/or look out for on my D40X, due to heavy unnatural lighting they have inside the large exhibition building room. Like what mode on the camera would be most useful and is it wise to leave my UV filter on ?

[I @ M]

While I was thinking about an answer to your questions Emko, I had a look at the motorshow link and was very happy to see ----

Photographic Equipment

Patrons are welcome to use still cameras and video cameras (for private use only) to capture all the exciting vehicles on show. ----

in the venue information section. The fact that they actively encourage photography is reason enough to buy a ticket i reckon.

Now on to your original queries ---

Your UV filter is not going to aid in getting good shots in there. Your main problem will be getting an accurate white balance to keep the reds looking red, the whites white and the blacks black under the very mixed lighting they will be using. Unless you are very used to setting and changing the white balance on the camera quickly and very often, you will be best of leaving the white balance on auto and hoping.

Do you have a flash other than the inbuilt one on the camera? If so that alone will help you a great deal to even the light colour and allow at least 1/60 th shutter speeds at around 200 ISO. With many of the stands either having revolving displays or people wandering around and getting in your picture the chances of having blurred subjects or intrusions will be pretty high with slower shutter speeds.

Try to frame the cars tightly and not to underexpose the shots and you should be able to use fairly high ISO levels with that camera to keep shutter speeds up.

My preferred option would be to shoot in aperture priority and use a lens with a large maximum aperture, F/2.8 or F/4 to blur out the background, shoot at anywhere between 100 and 800 ISO and to try to put some more unusual angles into the compositions of the cars, people and stands.

The motor show is a good venue to get some candid crowd shots with people engrossed in drooling over the latest Ferrari, Porsche etc. It also presents some excellent semi architectural opportunities with the elaborate stands surrounding the cars.

Have fun Emko, take lots of photos and post some on here when you have been mate.

[ocpuso]

if you have a CPL filter with your lens, bring it along..
it might come in handy for removing unwanted reflections (of the crowd standing next to your object) off the shiny cars....

try different angles and composition, and you'll get some artistic shots..
a wide lens is preferable over tele lens..

just my 2c..

[bigdazzler]

bear in mind though a CPL will rob you of 2 stops of light .. this will affect your shutter speed greatly. Youll need to up your ISO by a fair bit or your use your flash to compensate.

Definitely shoot in RAW so you can manage irregular WB and/or unwanted colour casts in post.

The hardest bit IMO will be getting good clean shots with nice clean clutter (ie. people) free backgrounds .. thats always a challenge at an event like this ..

Good luck though .. look forward to seeing your results

[arthurking83]

I really dunno'what to bring' to a motor show.

Having not attended one for close to 25 years, I'm curious to go to one once again... just for the hell of it!
(sheesh!.... I remember when they used to be held at the Exhibition Building)

if you'd like some company, let me know what day/night you're thinking of going... would love to tag along.

I am limited some of the time with being a parent to my kids... so, some evenings and every second weekend I'm playing Mr Mom.

[old dog]

sounds a lot of fun. Have to get to one soon. I just got a 12-24 nikkor and love using it. It would be perfect there. SB 600 flash on its way. So no excuses from there on.

[e|dan]

I'm thinking of going to the motor show as well...to test out my new 24-70 sigma