Jim Wulpi  

Classic 1938 Cord 810 by Jim Wulpi

October 2024 - Classic 1938 Cord 810

October 2024 - Jim Wulpi

Original

About the Image(s)

I'm so glad that everyone liked my image from last month - the High key study of the front fender from a classic 1938 Cord 810 - so, this month, I decided to discuss an image of another vehicle from that same outing. It's the same make/model, but a different vehicle.
This was taken at a low angle, full-frontal view, with a wide-angle lens, utilizing a speedlight flash. After I had been in the museum for a while, doing hand held in low light, I retrieving the flash from my vehicle (I couldn't bring my backpack-style camera bag into the museum, so had to make an extra trip back to my car for the flash), but I neglected to reset my highly compensated ISO I had been running for the low light, so I shot this at ISO 20000. Yikes!
However, working exclusively in Lightroom, I had a vision of what this image could turn into, and played with it in a manner unlike I had ever done before. Much of my modifications utilized the Dehaze slider strongly to the left - after masking on the vehicle as the "subject", then inverting the mask to access only the background. Dehaze and a Vignette helped create this ethereal view . I learned a lot while processing this image. It was fun.
Thank goodness for the advancements in Lightrooms "noise abatement" technology.

Metadata: Canon 6DMkII with Sigma 14-24 F2.8 at 21mm; f11; ISO 20000, speedlight flash.

Your thoughts?

This round’s discussion is now closed!
10 comments posted

Shirley Pohlman   Shirley Pohlman
Wonderful way of using high key. It is always so difficult to photograph automobiles because they are never isolated or have so much reflection from windows and lights. The reflections on the car itself is not a distraction and adds depth to the car. I like how you kept a little detail of the surrounding room. 20000 ISO wow! My camera only goes to 6400--a bit out of date. I think this would make a great print for a car enthusiast.   Posted: 10/03/2024 18:30:37
Jim Wulpi   Jim Wulpi
Thanks so much for your comments, Shirley.
You reference the reflections in the car not being a distraction.....Many of the images I made that afternoon had intentional reflections that were the name of the vehicle as reflected from the large text on the windows of the ACD Museum. The many reflective surfaces yielded the name of the make of that specific vehicle. It was interesting.
Other reflections of vehicle names were not correctly identifying the specific vehicle I was focused on, but it still added to the mystique of these rolling works of art.
Glad you like the image.   Posted: 10/08/2024 17:06:28
Piers Blackett   Piers Blackett
A masterpiece!!! Great overall judgement in ending up with a true wall-hanger. I have been pushing low light limits lately and find the new auto-ISO function to be useful after having rejected it - but with new denoising capacity it seems to make sense when shutter speed or DOF is set as the priority - but not sure where to set the ISO limits yet. But that could be sensor specific, however 20,000 is impressive!   Posted: 10/04/2024 21:18:36
Jim Wulpi   Jim Wulpi
Thanks for your comments, Piers.
Actually, I was thinking of you while I was in this museum since you posted an image in this forum a few months ago of one of these classic beauties.
Prior to retrieving my flash and changing lenses I was struggling with the Auto ISO with my 24-105 (f4) lens - without a flash - and trying to get decent hand held images. That's one of the reasons I cranked up the ISO so high - partially out of frustration.
When I go back there again, I will definitely have the speedlight.
I'm really glad I was able to salvage this image. It was a good learning (and experimenting) experience.   Posted: 10/08/2024 17:15:02
Karen Botvin   Karen Botvin
Another stellar image of a really cool car. I really love your high key editing. It works well and helps to diminish all those reflections. My only suggestion would be to remove those few black marks in the ceiling behind the car along with what looks like a "V". I would leave the black line that leads to the chandelier. Nice job, Jim!   Posted: 10/05/2024 19:50:46
Jim Wulpi   Jim Wulpi
Thank you for your comments, Karen. So glad you like my image. As stated in the description, I learned a lot while processing this. The marks you refer to in the ceiling are part of the lighting and textures of Art Deco building. I wanted to retain some of those features, but it appears that I may have eliminated to much of them as to be illegible to their function.   Posted: 10/08/2024 17:23:14
Martin Newland   Martin Newland
Jim, his is an intriguing take on automotive photography with a post-processing style that gives it a vibrant, almost illustrative quality. The sheen on the car and the way the light plays off its curves are great.
I like the hi-key approach. It is an interesting way of removing the usual clutter that surrounds some of cars when they are on display.
My only suggestion would be to desaturate the blue and green areas so that they blend in with the rest of the background. Well done!
  Posted: 10/05/2024 23:24:17
Jim Wulpi   Jim Wulpi
Thank you so much for your comments, Martin. High praise, indeed.
My decision to retain the blue and green of some of the background elements was intentional. I liked the fact that they now look "illustrative" and painterly to add color to the image that otherwise consisted of only the deep brown of the primary vehicle.   Posted: 10/08/2024 17:31:45
Dorinda Wills   Dorinda Wills
(Group 30)
Hello, just visiting from group 30. Wowza! Your "mistake" turned into an amazing image. Very inspiring to the rest of us to not give up on an image.   Posted: 10/07/2024 21:20:28
Jim Wulpi   Jim Wulpi
Thank you, Dorinda. I'm honored that you stumbled across our groups page, and that my image caught your eye enough to give a second look.   Posted: 10/08/2024 17:34:43