Shooting a semi truck for a billboard... any suggestions?

Terisa

This is a first for me. I have been asked to shoot a semi tractor for a billboard sign that will direct folks to the location. Fortunately all I have to do is shoot, the sign company will take it from there. Any ideas for best lighting to make the truck look great? Of course this will be outside.

eL eSs Vee

Go to your nearest truck stop and buy a trucking magazine. Study the photos within. Of course, most of those will be of trucks on the road which is irrelevant to what you’ll be doing.

I’m assuming they want the truck to look as flat as possible: speaking in terms of perspective, I mean. Use a tripod, medium lens (75mm to 100mm equivalent) and circular polarizing filter. Shoot from far enough away to get the entire truck. Use a medium aperture: f/8 – f/11. Use a low ISO, as this is going to be a large image; you want it to be sharp and noise free. Use a remote and check your focus often.

Point the truck in the general direction of one of the magnetic poles and shoot from the east or the west, depending on whether you shoot in early morning or late afternoon, respectively. Do not shoot it midday; if you do, some photographer’s bound to hunt you down and whack you on the head with one of those cheap, plastic tripods that stores give to anyone who buys a camera.

Keeping the above paragraph in mind, find a road next to a field that you can enter without having to deal with the authorities. Or you can get permission from the owner of the field. (Be sure to explain that only you, not the truck, will enter their field.) Finding a road between two fields would be ideal. Use a tripod!!!

Unless everything in the image around the truck will be stripped, be careful about having poles and such sticking out of the top of it and the trailer; watch for anything obnoxious showing through or from inside the cab. Watch for reflections of your gear and other things in the chrome. Police cigarette butts, bottle caps and other unwanted detritus that may show in a reflection. This is one of those times when being obsessive-compulsive about details is well within your rights.

Dust off the tires.

Show us the image and, of course, the billboard when it’s done.

Congratulations on landing the gig!

Terisa

Thanks!
Thanks so much for the advice! I have taken pictures for years, and am only now opening my business (technically I am not even open yet), and I don't want to fail this shoot. Fortunately, it's a current business associate of mine that set this appointment, so she will be easier to work with than a brand new client. But I am still so nervous!

Thanks again!! I'm headed out to buy some truckers publications... (can't wait to see what else I can learn about the trucking world.) ;-)

timk519

If you have the SW for it, I'd also suggest shooting it panorama-style, which'll get you a higher resolution image for the final product.

See Baldy's thread here for some ideas: http://dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=101529&highlight=panorama

Terisa

Gotta go with the customer
Well they went against almost all advice I gave them. (Lol.) Truck wasn't clean and inside before shoot, they insisted on BRIGHT sunlight at 10:30 am, and didn't care what was in the background. They used an older truck vs. a newer model, but the shoot went fine. The customer got what they wanted. (I however settled). The sign company has promised to email me a copy of the sign when finished. I took over 100 shots (at the direction of the sign company). This is my favorite of all of them unedited. It may not be the one used, but I hope to post that later.

Thanks again for your words of wisdom. I look for any and all advice that will help me be a better photographer.

RacinRandy

Dang!!

Terisa wrote:

This is a first for me. I have been asked to shoot a semi tractor for a billboard sign that will direct folks to the location. Fortunately all I have to do is shoot, the sign company will take it from there. Any ideas for best lighting to make the truck look great? Of course this will be outside.

Sorry I know I'm late to this party. I would have suggested going to the fuel counter at your nearest BIG truck stop or Travel Plaza. You can ask the fuel clerk if they have the "CAT Cards". These are "Trading cards" For Truckers! The CAT Scale company produces series's of cards featuring some of America's most Beautiful Semi Trucks.

See their "rules" for photo submissions here.. http://www.catscale.com/pdf/supta.pdf

Or to see small Images of these cards go here .. http://www.iowa80.com/DirectionsWEB/webcart_productDisplay.php?itemid=3172&itemdesc=SERIES+6+CAT+SCALE+SUPER+TRUCKS+CARD+SET

Having Been a Long Haul trucker, and getting a ton of these cards, it was sometimes quite a thrill to pull into a truck stop to find myself parked beside one of these fine rigs.

Seeing the Photo you have taken it would work well on on of these cards or a large format billboard. I am surprised however, That the Company wouldn't want to represent themselves in a better light. A cleaner truck with polished wheels and shiny chrome and Paint is much more attractive. Just my opinion though.

Nice shot though !!