Sports car photographer Nigel Harniman shows how he uses his ‘portable’ rig (VIDEO)

 

 

Calling this a tutorial is a bit disingenuous -- most of us aren't probably aren't going to get the chance to photograph exotic, high-powered sports cars on a closed track, with very, very high-end gear. But if you're ever in a situation where you are, this tutorial by car photographer Nigel Harniman might be useful. The rest of us can just drool -- over his shooting rig and the Ferrari.

Harniman's portable shooting rig includes a long, carbon fiber pole mounted onto the car by suction cups. He shoots with a Phase One back, ALPA camera and a Schneider lens capped with an ND filter. With a pulley system, he and his team move the car over short distances making long exposures, giving a sense of motion. The final image is crafted from a full 30-second shot, but still looks incredibly smooth and sharp.

Harniman also put together a quick video showing how he edited the image from its out-of-camera form to the final version, including Photoshopping out the carbon fiber pole. For more information on his techniques, you can see the writeup on his blog, and he pops up in the comments at FStoppers.

For a very different take on car photography, have a look at the work of Darren Heath, who focuses on shooting Formula One.

(via DIYPhotography, FStoppers)