How to get a shot like this?

tbs said:
A longish shutter 1 to 2 seconds, aperture about f/3.6 or f/5.6 drive fast and click.
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Think it took him more than 1-2 seconds to travel the distanc the light trails are, superman's car lol :)

He's done the light trails separately and added in the car with photoshop.

He could have made such a better photo doing the light trails separately, and then shooting the car with a long shutter/curtain lighting for contract & texture.
 
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Definitely looks like it's been cut out on the full size image.

Exif info is there too:

Code: 
Camera:  	Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi
Exposure: 	20
Aperture: 	f/16.0
Focal Length: 	25 mm
ISO Speed: 	100
Exposure Bias: 	0 EV
Flash: 	Off, Did not fire

Flash wasn't fired and the photo exposure was 20s, which probabaly would have only been long enough for the light trails. As said, the car would also need to be stood still for some time for it to be exposed, which also points to it being a composite image.
 
I reckon it's photoshop, or the photographer stood the car there for say 10 seconds, then got the driver to reverse over 20 seconds (leaving the shutter open for 30 in total) with a stupidly low aperture, though it does look very much like it's a 'shop
 
If it was me wanting to achieve that effect, I would have done it in the following way.

1) Take 3 photos:
- Car park empty, long exposure no flash
- Long exposure shot with car drive through for light trails, going right through and out of frame
- Car stood still taken with and without flash

Obviously all shots taken with the tripod locked off so no camera movement and hence everything can be overlayed really easily.

2) Set up file in Photoshop as follows.
Empty shot as base layer, static car layer above that, then on top the light trails.

Creating the final effect is simply a case of making sure the light trails line up at some point with the lights of the static shot of the car.this may mean moving the layer about about a bit. This is where the empty shot comes in as it allows you to mask out any area you want of the trails layer, leaving you empty car park. This will be very useful for getting rid of the light trails that go past the car and out of frame.

The empty shot also perfect for allowing you to mask out anything and everything you need for placing the car in the shot.

The photo shown is not too bad for an initial look but on further inspection falls done on the little details. The tyres on the tarmac, much too harsh a line between the two. A simple fix using a slightly textured brush in dissolve mode to nibble away at the edges of the tyres to blend them better into the tarmac.

To really heighten the effect I'd have added in a little red glow into the light trails...after all surely a car braking to a halt would have show brake lights which would be present in the light trails...

Valve
 
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thislooksshopped.jpg
 
A really big thanx fo rall the replies! Very impressed with the great response to help me!

Once my camera arrives I think I will try doing as shot like this following everyones ideas. A few attempts over 30secs with the car moving for 20 and stationary for 10. Then try the multiple shots idea and putting them all together.

I'm not sure how well I would get on with the photoshop idea because the part that concerns me is getting my friend to park in the exact place and then merging them all together.

I will certainly give it a try once my camera arrives and I've had a little practice doing some light trail shots.
 
Big-Mac-Please said:
I'm not sure how well I would get on with the photoshop idea because the part that concerns me is getting my friend to park in the exact place and then merging them all together..
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Well that part would be quite easy. I have no idea why someone suggested doing it that way, because the simplest way to ensure it is the exact same spot would be to:

1 - Drive car along on a long exposure to get the light trails. Car stops.
2 - Car already in place - take long exposure of car already where it is. One with flash, one without maybe.

Simple. I don't quite understand why someone thought the way to do it would be to take a picture of where it was and then reverse :confused: This way you don't need to worry about the car moving as it will be where it ended.
 
I am pretty confident you can do the shot in the above without stopping the car and without photoshop.

Notice where the light comes from, and where the shadow is.

1 - Get a BIG flash, set it up there.
2 - Set up camera, second curtain sync, manual, F/4 or even F/2.8, Bulb mode
3 - Drive car
4 - When the car reaches the spot you want, fire flash.

The long exposure will lit the background, the flash will lit the car.

The down side is that you would WANT the fastest flash sync, so I don't think 1/200 is fast enough, so will need something like a 1D body.
 
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Raymond Lin said:
I am pretty confident you can do the shot in the above without stopping and without photoshop.

Notice where the light comes from, and where the shadow is.

1 - Get a BIG flash, set it up there.
2 - Set up camera, second curtain sync, manual, F/4 or even F/2.8, Bulb mode
3 - Drive car
4 - When the car reaches the spot you want, fire flash.

The long exposure will lit the background, the flash will lit the car.

The down side is that you would WANT the fastest flash sync, so I don't think 1/200 is fast enough, so will need something like a 1D body.
Click to expand...

If I'm understanding what your saying correctly, Flash sync speed wouldn't be important- the flash duration would. You'd need a good studio flash/speedlight on a lower-power setting. But I'm no lighting expert, so I could be wrong?
 
p0ss3s3d said:
If I'm understanding what your saying correctly, Flash sync speed wouldn't be important- the flash duration would. You'd need a good studio flash/speedlight on a lower-power setting. But I'm no lighting expert, so I could be wrong?
Click to expand...

Wait, you are right, flash sync won't matter in this case !! My bad.

Just need a big flash, or a few.
 
The light trail from the left headlight disappears 'behind' the car so either it's a photoshop or the driver has independent control of the headlights and impeccable timing :D
If it was rear-curtain flash, both the trails would still overlap the car.
 
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