Frequently Asked Questions

The first step in getting ready for your photo session is to work with our photographer to find a scene that both enhances the beauty of the subject, but also does not detract for subject itself. Common scenes are sunsets, a well-decorated garage, or an attractive courtyard or driveway at your home. The photo session location should be safe for all participants.

Once a time and place are agreed on, plan to be at the photo location a minimum of 3-4 hours. The photo session will take place at night, please dress appropriately for changing weather conditions. AutoFocus Photography will provide folding chairs for sitting while the photography process is underway. Consider bringing snacks and beverages to enjoy as you sit back, relax, and watch as we create your special image.

Your vehicle should be washed and/or cleaned for the photo session as you would like it to be photographed. AutoFocus will have a few cleaning products available (Groit's Speed Shine, tire shine, and some microfiber cloths), but its up to the owner to decide how clean and perfect the vehicle is.

Plan on arriving at the photo location approximately 1 hour before scheduled sunset to discuss camera positioning and scene as well as set up the vehicle and camera. Plan for the question: “What is YOUR favorite view of the vehicle?”

And then let the photographic process commence!

Light Painting is a photographic process where the camera is set to record a long exposure image, and the photographer moves a light source through the scene to apply light to different parts of the subject.  Because exposures can be many seconds long, the ambient light within the scene needs to be nearly nonexistent, thus much of the light painting process is done at night.   

The amount of ambient light allowable depends on the length of exposure, but generally for photographing average size cars or personal aircraft, a night with no more than a full moon is acceptable.  Street lights, passing cars, or other city lights can make the photo shoot location very difficult.  

Many have asked how light painted images are created? The short answer is that there are no short answers. The entire process for creating light painted images of cars, or even subjects as large as personal aircraft, can take upwards of 20 hours of work to achieve the final image. The photography portion of the process generally takes 3-4 hours, and must be done in near darkness.

The first step in creating a one-of-a-kind automotive portrait is to determine the setting and background. The setting gives the image context and meaning, and ultimately should result in a composition that is pleasing to the beholder. Because the light painting process must be done in near darkness, the setting will either have its own lighting (like a sunset or cityscape) or will have to be lit such that it provides context, but doesn’t overwhelm or become the subject of the image. Location can be indoors (a garage with memorabilia or other interesting background), outdoors against an interesting background (like a mural wall or courtyard), or outdoors with nature providing a stunning sunset. NM has the most amazing sunsets in the summer…but not every day, and relying on nature can be difficult sometimes. It should be noted that because the photo session takes place at night, the choice of location should take safety of all participants into account.

For the photo session itself, the car should arrive ready to be photographed (washed, waxed, or prepped to the desired presentation).

Once a location is determined, the owner, the car, and the photographer meet at the photo shoot location approximately an hour before scheduled sunset. This gives time to survey the scene, discuss camera angles, position the car and ready all of the photography hardware. I generally try to shoot two or three angles of the car in any one photo session evening. The first is typically an isometric (from the front or back showing details of the front/back and sides of the car) and one profile. Interiors can be done, but generally at a different time, and can be done indoors in a dark garage. The camera is setup on a tripod for the first image (typically isometric shot) and configured with a remote triggering and viewing system. Once the camera is set, it cannot be touched (or even bumped) for the entirety of the session.

Once setup is done, images are taken with enough ambient light such that the background is lit by its natural lighting conditions. This generally takes place 20-30 minutes after scheduled sunset. Once the ambient light images are done, then we wait. From scheduled sunset to the point at which it is dark enough to start light painting is generally an hour to an hour and a half. I like to use this time to talk cars over a beverage and snacks.

Once I start the light painting process, I will take a series of approximately 100-200 images using long exposures. I will have a series of lights ranging from large LED panels, to LED light wands, to small LED flashlights and panels for capturing details. Only one light is used during each exposure.  

After all of the individual exposures are captured for the first isometric image, the camera and remote hardware is reconfigured for the profile composition…Sometimes we even move the car for a better composition. And the light painting process is repeated.

After all of the exposures are complete, all of the camera equipment and lighting is packed up and everyone is free to leave for the evening…Its not unheard of that at this point its close to 11:00pm or even Midnight.

The next step is for me to transfer all of the images into the computer. This process is best described as taking the best parts of each image to create a single image of the car that appears to have lighting that cannot be generated in any other way. While the photography may seem like the time-consuming portion of the image creation, the image assembly process at the computer typically takes 3-4 times longer than the photography itself.

After a final image is completed, it is ready for sharing, printing, and finally delivery to the client.