This past week I was approached by a good friend to do a car shoot for an upcoming charitable project of his. The car? A 2008 Lamborghini Murcielago in a stunning metallic green color. It’s tough to shoot a bad picture of this car, but then again, I’d never tackled a shoot even remotely close to this one, so I was a bit apprehensive.
Lamborghini Murcielago at Bonneville Salt Flats near Salt Lake City, UT
I decided to head out to the Bonneville Salt Flats for some dramatic scenery that would (hopefully) put me in somewhat of a familiar element and add some drama to the standard cool car shot. I really had no idea what I was doing as far as car photography was concerned, but I knew if I had good light, and good surroundings, that I could make something work.
Lamborghini Murcielago at Bonneville Salt Flats near Salt Lake City, UT
Conditions were crystal clear, making for uninteresting skies on the one hand, and predictable, consistent light on the other. Equipment used was nothing too fancy–a ladder and 30″ reflector. That’s it. I’m comfortable shooting natural light, so I chose to stick with natural light. I also used my Singh Ray Grad ND filters pretty heavily–a nice skill set to have if you’re not too familiar with artificial lighting.
Photographer Adam Barker shooting photos of Lamborghini Murcielago at Bonneville Salt Flats near Salt Lake City, UT
In the end, I was quite pleased with the way things turned out. While I’m sure there are distinguishing eyes out there that could certainly point out some weak spots in the images, I’m fairly content with the results. What did I learn from this shoot? Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone. After all, it’s still photography, and you’re still you and you’ve still got your style. Remember the basics, and focus on what you do know, not what you don’t know. I know how to use what Mother Nature has cooked up to give me memorable and meaningful images, and just as this has worked so many times in so many locations around the world, it worked on the Salt Flats. What a cool place to do a shoot! The landscape grew more and more eccentric as the sun dropped nearer the horizon. And in the end, I truly think it was the location that made the shots. Thanks to David Watkins for the photos of me shooting!
Photographer Adam Barker shooting photos of Lamborghini Murcielago and Porsche Boxter S at Bonneville Salt Flats near Salt Lake City, UT
Photo of Lamborghini Murcielago at Bonneville Salt Flats near Salt Lake City, UT
Photo of Lamborghini Murcielago at Bonneville Salt Flats near Salt Lake City, UT
Tags: Adam Barker, Adam Barker Photography, AdamBarkerPhotography, Commercial Automobile Photo Shoot, Lamborghini Murcielago, Photos Bonneville Salt Flats, Photos Lamborghini Murcielago, Porsche Boxter S Photos, Singh Ray Filters, Utah
Very cool shots Adam, I particularly like the twilightish shots with headlights on.
Thanks Kurt!
Wow, these are amazing pictures! I love how the scenery worked with the cars! I’ll have to remember the salt flats next time I’m looking for a great place to shoot!
Great work
Thanks Stephanie!