Eight Essential Pieces of Photo Gear that I Couldn't Live Without

[@lukeoxner]

5:34 I feel personally attacked 🤣 Great video as always! The black shirt tip is genius, never thought of that

[@capturingthemachine]

Thanks so much! Re: 5:34 - we've all been there 😆

[@kacasio1]

Can you please go in depth in how to use the flash off camera? Thank you!

[@capturingthemachine]

This is something that is definitely in the works, hopefully sometime this fall - thank you for the suggestion!

[@djrocko1200]

I was definitely thinking the same thing. I’d love to see how it’s done.

[@karmakanic]

Great vid!

[@capturingthemachine]

thanks Paul!

[@sofa9933]

yippie another video of you, great timing as I'm finally going to my first proper event in years coming weekend where I'm actually planning on bringing some gear to have some fun again!

[@capturingthemachine]

Awesome, have fun!

[@501matt]

Great video

[@capturingthemachine]

Thanks!

[@nas7607]

I started watching your videos about a year ago when I first started photographing cars and I can't begin to explain how helpful (and entertaining/inspiring) your videos have been. I think I finally have enough confidence in my own abilities to start doing photoshoots for people (and not just taking pictures at car meets for myself). Do you have any tips on how to pick and find locations to shoot at and what kinds of settings work for different types of vehicles?

[@capturingthemachine]

This is incredible, I'm glad it's helpful, your comment made my day. Locations are tough - if you're doing a full shoot of any kind, it's probably going to take at least an hour, and if you're meeting someone with their car, you really don't want to get kicked off of private property. Where I live, that eliminates about 99% of locations. 😆 I look for places where I have space, minimal distractions (power lines, other cars), and a mix of sun and shade, if possible. We have a big park that has a ton of space and very few cars around, so that's always a safe bet. Industrial locations like warehouses are good, especially after 6PM or on weekends. Sometimes these are clustered together, so you can try a few spots within a close distance, which is helpful. If you are near a rural area, empty, un-trafficked roads in the middle of nowhere can work. Hope this helps!

[@capturingthemachine]

Oh, and as far as settings for types of vehicles? I used to think about that more, but generally now the 'theme' takes a backseat to what is practical. Red cars look really good near trees and forests because they pop. Otherwise... I don't know, I just make it work 😅

[@nas7607]

@@capturingthemachine Thanks so much for the advice! Hope to see more videos from you soon!

[@danielsloan]

Great video! Still amazed at what the CPL can do to adjust reflections.

[@capturingthemachine]

Thanks, Daniel! The CPL (Circular Polarizer Lilter) can do so much, as long as it isn't a black SLR McLaren

[@4.N.A.M]

Cool stuff! I've been looking to photograph my friends' cars, and your videos have been a real help.

[@capturingthemachine]

Amazing to hear that! If there's a specific topic you want me to do a video about, let me know, I'm always open to ideas 👍

[@4.N.A.M]

@@capturingthemachine I'd love to see a video on how you utilize flash.

[@capturingthemachine]

@@4.N.A.M awesome, let me think about this 😄

[@Votjko]

I'll just add two more options: 1) Z24-120mm F4 - a gem of a lens, as you can shoot on tele end (beyond 85mm) to get similar effect as with a 70-200mm, but not as much bokeh. Also it has a magnification of 4 to 1 (if I remember correctly) so it can be used for very fine detail (stitching or similar). It is larger than 24-70 F4 so not as good for tight spaces. 2) Nikon launched 70-180mm F2.8 lens (rebranded Tamron, Sony users will know of it), which is a lot smaller and lighter than 70-200 F2.8. As it's not an S lens (70-200 F2.8 is) its not as good in all scenarios, but is an awesome lens that doesn't break the bank nor your back for carrying around and is very good in combination with either the kit lens 24-70 F4 or with 28-75 F2.8. Great advice on how to use an external flash quickly and effectively in a small kit! And a great video as always.

[@GABRIEL_CRAFT]

Very grateful for your videos. I love your ownership of how you have grown and changed your views over time. Kind of like Austin Kleon's "show your work" idea. I'm currently using Sony a73 with a Tamron 28-75 2.8 + 85 1.8 as my main but I do have an old crop sensor Canon 70D with a kit 18-135mm I've never thought about using the kit lens extended a 135 just four long shots but maybe I should (?) Its apertures 3.5 - 5.6 .. what do you think?

[@capturingthemachine]

Thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. It sounds like you have a good setup, you should give the kit zoom a try at 135 to see how it is

[@GABRIEL_CRAFT]

@@capturingthemachine thanks so much for the advice! I'm going to try it and see what kind of results I can get. I really appreciate your videos and really appreciate your response to my comment. I still can't believe that your channel has yet to blow up. But I wholeheartedly believe that it will happen with your consistent quality.

[@4sabrinan]

Wow! So informative. Truly appreciate your videos. Thanks for your contribution in helping fellow enthusiasts. 🤩👏😊

[@capturingthemachine]

So nice of you, I'm glad it's helpful!!

[@ElliottCollect]

Love your presentations.

[@capturingthemachine]

Thank you!

[@nicolelongneckergallery]

Giving away all your secrets. But, that's the kind of guy you are, Kevin! Super tip on clothing, too.

[@capturingthemachine]

I appreciate that, Brad! I'm happy to share (it's either confidence or arrogance, not sure which) 😄

[@patrickmcmahon818]

Beautiful pics! I don’t shoot cars and the few I have for myself at car shows I might as well have used an iPhone. Gonna try a few of your tips and the next car show I go to. And you can’t say it enough about the clothing. For any kind of event I had to learn not to wear anything that would stand out and show up in a reflection. Have you looked at the Z 24-120 f4 lens? Would love to hear your thoughts on it. Another great video, so happy to have run across your channel.

[@capturingthemachine]

thanks! I haven't looked at the 24-120 f4 lens, I guess I'm old fashioned and just assume that anything with such a range can't possibly be very good, which is probably absurd. 😆 It would be nice to be able to shoot the entire car with one lens...

[@LARSENBISQUITS]

When efficiency is of the essence a good AF zoom is unbeatable. Two is even better. To me photography is a way to escape from everyday hustle so I gravitate to MF primes. Love your videos and agree with you 100% that cars look best at long focal lengths. I don’t touch a car exterior with less than a 135mm ever. 180mm is just about perfect.

[@capturingthemachine]

Totally agree! Thanks for your comment. I love the idea of using manual focus primes as a way to mix it up and escape. I don't know if my eyes are sharp enough for manual focus these days (regrettably) 😆

[@Votjko]

@@capturingthemachine thats why Nikon provided you with "focus peaking" option and zooming inside the EVF/Screen. Also, you're not that old 🤣 Keep up the good work 🤘🤘💪💪

[@capturingthemachine]

@@Votjko great tips, and thank you so much!

[@e5141981]

I absolutely love your videos, short informative and straight to the point. Do you have a go to lens when going to car shows or cars and coffee?

[@capturingthemachine]

thanks so much, it's really amazing to hear that! I have a video about how I shoot events and car shows here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a52pZXihhLyampI For me, it's either the 70-200, or a 50mm 1.8, but ideally both. I just accept that I'm probably not going to get a wide, full shot of a car with no people around it, so I look for details or unique perspectives that are maybe overlooked by the other attendees and photographers.

[@arda_]

I have all this gear already and now I am very tempted go out and take some pics of my car as if I was selling it. For some reason I never thought about using my Godox flash for interior shots. When you say “into the opposite window”, does this mean the flash is facing the same direction as the camera pointing at the opposite window from the inside? Or is the flash is outside and points inside through the opposite window? Also I like how you casually drop a sick drone clip at the end. Next tutorial perhaps?

[@capturingthemachine]

Great question, I should have been more specific or showed the full setup: the flash is outside and points inside through the opposite window. I put both windows down, and I usually get a few shots from various heights: -From the driver's side, with the flash at the passenger side window -From the passenger side, with the flash at the driver's side window The second one is always tough because the flash will sometimes over-brighten the steering wheel when its outside the driver's window, and sometimes the lowest setting on the Godox (1/128) is still too much. Hope this helps!

[@redux5153]

Really great video. I don't really see many content creators use Nikon so its really motivating to watch this. I also have both of these lenses and never realized the advantage of the f4 until now

[@capturingthemachine]

Awesome, thank you! Great to hear from other Nikon shooters 😄

[@lukaszjakielaszek9290]

Using flash for interior shots, can you elaborate on where you position your godox? 5:08

[@capturingthemachine]

I have the flash on a stand pointed into the opposite side window from the side I'm shooting. It's usually on a low output, like 1/128th. When I shoot from the passenger side, the flash is close to the steering wheel, which makes it trickier to avoid blasting the steering wheel with too much light - sometimes I try to point it at the far corner of the dashboard, or even forego the flash if the steering wheel is too shiny.

[@SOOSUEDE.V]

I absolutely love your videos. Do you mind giving me some advice? I have shot a car listing before, but how could I find another one? More importantly, find more listings to shoot consistently. Thank you, God bless.

[@capturingthemachine]

Hi, thanks so much for the kind words! This is a great question, and I've never addressed it before in a video. It's tough to get a start, and actually it's tough for anyone at any experience level to have steady and consistent work. A lot of it is word of mouth, self-promotion, and luck. 😆 Some thoughts: 1. Gain experience. You've shot a car listing already, that's great! Offer to shoot friends cars if they'll let you, or your own car, or talk to people at car meets. If someone has a For Sale sign on their car, they probably would find it mutually beneficial to let you shoot it. The more shooting you can do, the better you'll get, not just at taking the pictures, but knowing locations, understanding where the sun/shade will be at what time, and memorizing the list of shots you need to get. 2. Have examples. With the cars you've shot, assemble a portfolio of images. Have a basic site like Squarespace or Behance or something that allows you to showcase your work, and show that you can do the job. It's not just about pretty pictures - for the jobs you're seeking, you want to show that you can do everything needed for a good listing - all the interior bits, details, chassis numbers, etc. A lot of people can post a handful beautiful photos of a car to Instagram, but being able to fully document a car while making it look good is a different skill, and if you can showcase that, it will set you apart. 3. Market yourself. Listings/auctions are very local. You don't have to be the best photographer in the nation, you just need to show you have talent and can do the job better than anyone in your local area. Instagram can be good for promoting yourself, but it's hard to gain traction and even harder to reach an audience in your local area. I feel like posting a craigslist ad couldn't hurt. It's pretty low effort, and someone is bound to be looking for a photographer to document their car, but they don't know where to turn. See if you can leave business cards in local coffee shops, or give them out at car events. Market yourself as an 'car auction/listing specialist photographer,' and make it clear to prospective clients that they're better off hiring you than attempting to take photos of their car themselves - and that the difference between a good listing and a poorly-shot listing can end up being thousands of dollars in sale price. Those are some thoughts, I hope this helps! If you try any of this and it does work (or doesn't!), I would really like to hear about it, so please keep in touch.

[@geedee5268]

Yet another great vid... I have a D800 bought it when it was new to market, and over time acquired the holly trinity of lenses for it. The last lens I bought quite a few years back was the 24-70 2.8 and from that time on it has been my go to lens for cars.... Now you tell me I have got it wrong... I will have to try to re-photograph what I thought were quite good images of my car, with my 24-70 2.8 now...I was in need of a challenge right at this moment in time, Thanks Kevin.... Yeah, I have and use a CP I am getting on a bit and the weight of kit is becoming ever more of an issue, iPhone photography is tempting me to look closer at it`s possibilities, any thoughts..?

[@capturingthemachine]

Thanks for your comment! There will always be a place for the holy trinity, your lenses are great. I just don't like the way car exteriors look at shorter focal lengths, and I think using the 24-70 too much starts to give *me* lazier habits. It's a great lens, but I think everyone should change things up every so often to stay sharp. I shot a lot of iPhone photos for years, I actually restricted my Instagram to iPhone-only up until 2020. It was like a great equalizer, and the limitations shaped my photography skills and made me appreciate the benefits of 'real' cameras. iPhone photography can be a lot of fun, and no doubt convenient, and a great learning tool. For casual photos and vacation shots or events, it's great. I recommend the Halide camera app. Even though the iPhone cameras are getting a little better, the software and computational processing in the iPhone camera seems to be getting worse, at least for me, and I have found the photos to be more artificial-looking. I hope they change this, and you can still definitely get good photos with the phone, but to me I feel like I'm fighting against the software, which seems to be optimized for getting clear photos of faces of people in low light, and not artistic photos of cars. 😅

[@geedee5268]

Thanks for taking the time to create such a detailed reply Kevin. I appreciate that photography is an art form and thus wide open to personal interpretation. I on the other hand am no artist, just an old guy with old camera kit that feels heavier by the day and have seen many a phone captured image that exceeds anything I ever managed to capture with my one time high end kit.. As a Luddite when it comes to vehicle preferences, I can well understand the desire to hold on to old technology. You called me out when you mentioned laziness relative to the use of the 24-70... I am that lazy guy... (-: However I still think I managed to capture a few pleasing pics of my car with it in the last couple of years.. As for the value of phone photography Vs traditional and updated cameras, I kinda like Tony Northrop, having learned so much from he and Chelsea over the years... If you have time, beam up his vid from the link below for an alternative line of thought from another real photographer, like yourself. kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJDNiYWIgMhjebM Now time to dig out my 70-200 and open a new view on car photography.... THANKS.

[@capturingthemachine]

@@geedee5268 I'll checkout out! I do love the iPhone as a photo tool, but nowadays I feel like I'm missing out if it's all I use. I made a video with iPhone photo tips (and many examples of photos shot on iPhone) here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6aqqWadf8x4mrs

[@geedee5268]

@@capturingthemachine Yeah, watched your iPhone vid a while back and "liked" it.. (-: Watched it again this morning and liked it more.. Yup were it not for the bulk and weight of gear I would stick with my old kit as I am well used to the workflow of downloading via a card reader, manipulating the image in my computer and storing it in a variety of different drives for security for use later in any way I please... all old tec for sure. To have to learn and remember a whole new way of operating is bound to be full of frustration, but given the rate of advance in technology and the level of convenience it seems to provide ....Hmm..? Each to their own for sure. Thanks again for taking to reply, and for all the great vids you have posted. Cars have ever been my thing, and I really like the way you capture them as you do, and share your skills in doing so.

[@capturingthemachine]

@@geedee5268 thanks for the kind words! I think any time you spend shooting with any camera will be rewarding and you'll be glad you did it. Good luck!

[@RoryScott]

So many questions! At roughly the same price, is the 28-75 f2.8 a better option than the 24-70 f4? What about the telephoto 70-200? Would you recommend an f4 for that application? When do you break out the z7 vs the z6? Do you recommend having 2 cameras over 1 general purpose? As for future video recs, could you do something around color choices? Im struggling to know when I have a great picture worth taking to Lightroom. That usually boils down to what are the right colors to bring out in editing.

[@capturingthemachine]

Thanks for your comment Rory! I have the 28-75 2.8 as well, and for general purpose, it's probably a better lens. But for shooting a car interior (or trunk), the extra 4mm of wide angle make a difference - sometimes it could mean the difference between getting the whole dashboard in the shot or not! So for car interiors, I prefer the 24-70. I use the Z7 with the 70-200 for all the exterior shots and details, and Z6 with 24-70 for the interior/engine/trunk shots. My logic is that Z7 megapixels gives more freedom to crop and adjust main exterior hero shots, and the Z6 (II)'s better ISO and low-light performance is useful when shooting car interiors, which can be dark. But honestly both cameras would be perfectly fine for either task. Having two camera bodies is nice to have. 😄 When I upgraded my D800 to a D850, the D800 became the backup, and I learned how useful it is to be able to work without slowing down to change lenses. After that I haven't looked back. I edit pretty much everything I shoot. I use Bridge instead of LR, and sometimes it's just a quick pass or a slight temp adjustment, but I like to look at everything and make sure it's consistent. If you can make your editing workflow as easy as possible, it won't feel like a burden, it will just be part of the process, in between taking the photo and having final JPGs. I have a video about video editing here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/rHfNf2mEjdBqhq8 Hope this helps!

[@VagabondKing100]

I use a 18-55(28-82mmFF) on a Fuji and shoot all exterior at 55mm(82mm FF). F/8 (f/10 if FF) for everything. I don't have the ability to go any more than 55mm, though I still want a the fuji 50-140 so I can avoid my reflection in the detail shots. I end up carrying two bags: one photo, one detail. 5 small spray bottles for various cleaners and quick detail spray, 5 or so microfiber cloths, and a small vacuum. I use two main lenses, the 18-55, a 10-24, and once in a while the fuiji 56 1.2 prime. Photo bag also has extra batteries, camera cleaning kit, filters for all lenses, and all the water I can carry. And a cell phone gimbal. Question, Do you primarily use the Z6ii for the bulk of the listing and the Z7 for the special beauty/hero shots? I.e. the posters?

[@capturingthemachine]

Great suggestion on the detailer and microfiber - even the most professionally-prepared cars can pick up some water or dirt on the road on the way to the photo location. I carry this (at least microfiber), but forgot to mention it. Very astute, I use the Z7 with the 70-200 for all the exterior shots & details, and the Z6 with 24-70 for the interior/engine/trunk shots. My logic is that Z7 megapixels gives more freedom to crop and adjust main exterior hero shots, and the Z6II's ISO and low-light performance is better for dark car interiors and compartments. Both cameras would probably be perfectly fine for either task. Weirdly, sometimes after the shoot, I'll discover that I shot the same number of photos with each camera. 😆

[@AUGMotorSport]

Thank you for the information excellent content , and can you show us how to use a flash in car photography, in depth =0)

[@capturingthemachine]

Thank you, and great suggestion! This is something that is definitely in the works, hopefully sometime this fall. 🤞

[@ToothDecay7758]

5:03 What adapter plate do you use for your flash? I have the same tripod and I've been looking into the same flash as well

[@capturingthemachine]

I use these to attach the speed light to the stand or tripod: amzn.to/3tnnGpY There might be something better on the market now, but I got some of these 12 years ago and have never needed anything else

[@brokenfingergaming]

Very useful information Thanks 😊

[@capturingthemachine]

So nice of you, thanks!

[@djalexita3801]

Hello Kevin, you're my guru. Amazing Video!! My gears Nikon D700 with Nikon AF-S 28-70mm f/2.8 D ED. I'm wondering what kind Metering, White balance, ISO auto or not, you use for exterior and interior. Thank you, best regards.

[@capturingthemachine]

Thanks so much, I'm glad these are helpful! I don't do anything too complicated regarding these settings. Metering: I just use the 'matrix' metering which I think is default on Nikon. I hardly ever think about it, but sometimes I will manually change the exposure compensation to underexpose a little bit - for example with a black interior, the camera often tries to brighten everything. White Balance: sometimes I have a white card and meter for a manual color balance, but usually I will set it to "Shade" since I'm often in the shade when shooting a listing, and that generally does ok. SO: I don't use ISO Auto. I usually shoot in aperture priority, and manually raise ISO if the light is getting low and shutter speed gets too slow (below 1/60 or 1/80). I used to have an aversion to high-ISO (borne out of weird purist reasons), but I got over that - the cameras are too good now. And they probably have been for a while. You can shoot a whole interior at ISO 2000+ and it will be fine, especially for the photos that will end up on the web and social media. Don't be afraid of ISO, your D700 can handle it very well! Hope this helps!

[@djalexita3801]

@@capturingthemachine Thanks so much.

[@quranstories5781]

I have a Canon m50 mark ll camera and a 50mm lens. What is the appropriate lens for photographing cars wider than 50mm for a small amount because I do not have enough budget?

[@capturingthemachine]

I am not super familiar with Canon - it says there is a 14-45mm kit lens available, and that is probably well suited to the CMOS sensor, and budget-friendly if you can find it.

[@DouglasSonders]

COOL!

[@capturingthemachine]

thanks Doug!!! 🤩 When are we shooting the 964 Safari?

[@yolo-cars]

Thank you for this video! Please tell how often you need a wider angle than the one that 24mm gives you when shooting interiors? I also use Nikon Z camera. I already have 70-200 and 50mm lenses and I'd like to add another lens to shoot cars in tight spaces i.e. in garages/paddocks and for interior photos. I understand that f/2.8 is useless when you need to have the good depth of field, thus f/4 is better. What do you think about Nikon 14-30 f/4 S lens? I wish they had something like 16-50 DX but a bright lens for FX cameras. I think it could be ideal for interiors. Thank you.

[@capturingthemachine]

I never *need* wider than 24mm for interiors, but sometimes a ~20mm would be a little easier to fit something in the frame, like a very tall bucket seat. I don't know specifically about the Nikon 14-30, but it sounds like it would be great for this purpose. Thanks for watching!

[@yolo-cars]

@@capturingthemachine Thank you. I ordered 24-70 directly from Nikon. Hopefully to get it by Fri-Sat. PS: I'd like to do photos for BAT too though I'm in Florida. I'll email you shortly.

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

Embrace your inner cat (or dog) and look at the car from their perspective :) Be low to the ground, hide behind some grass, or find some weird space

[@capturingthemachine]

😸

[@unlearningcommunism4742]

Regarding Godox: probably 90% of photographers who are doing weddings use Godox?! Even if they have a camera that costs 2-3.000 USD and equally expensive lenses, they will still use Godox. And that - is Great! because we can join all our flashes and trigger them independently

[@capturingthemachine]

hahaha, I had an old setup consisting of Pocketwizards, Alien Bees, and a Nikon speed light for almost a decade, and I was looking for advice for what to switch to last year, and people said to try Godox. I was amazed that it had way more capability than what I came from, and was so inexpensive. Not sure how long it will hold up, but so far so good!

[@s.gunn_atx]

So you have a Z6-2 & a Z7 ? ---- also at some point why not talk about what you charge to shoot & what kind of photo packages you offer that also include PS work & how you deliver files ( I usually resize my D800 36mp to 9x6 x300 dpi ) & how you market your service aka how you get shoots to shoot and what your policy is on usage rights and other stuff like that?

[@capturingthemachine]

Re: Z6 II and Z7 - yes, long story short, I got the Z6II last year and loved it, but it was impractical to carry a Z and a non-Z (D850) in my bag, so I quickly got a Z7 as a stopgap until something like Z8 was released (which I haven't ordered because the Z7 has been perfectly fine). These are great ideas, there are definitely a lot of Business of Photography subjects that I haven't touched on, and I would like to get to in the future. I've had a rough outline for a 'making money shooting cars' video for a while, but it's really tough, there's no sure-fire path to success. Regarding packages and files: no matter different types of jobs I might do - commercial clients, private individuals, editorial, events etc. - one thing that's consistent is that I edit and organize anything I deliver, to me that's just part of it. Unless it's for print, I usually just send 3200px wide images, and if the client needs full-resolution they can ask or specify it.