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LETTERS
AUTOFocus
I like to shoot classic cars,
and local car clubs provide plenty
of them when they hold their
monthly meetings in mall parking
lots. To overcome the aesthetics of
the parking lot, I zero in on details,
as I did on this Corvette. But that’s
not the only challenge. The highgloss
paint and chrome reflect
everything, and dust and dead bugs
frequently get in the way.
Beating reflections is simple: Angle
the camera down slightly. The camera
sees pavement reflected in the doors
and quarter panels, and the neutral
gray blends with the color of the
car. Hoods and trunks reflect the
sky regardless of camera angle,
so they always look great. When
windows are in the shot, I ask the
owner to roll them down. Polarizing
filters and careful composition take
care of windshields.
Since chrome usually has a convex
shape, most reflections are small and
indistinct. What are noticeable are
people standing nearby. Wait until
they move out of the shot.
I’ve found that the best way to fix
spots and bug problems is to retouch
later. It’s easy because painted metal
is a smooth surface and even in tone.
Chrome is more difficult, so I retouch
only the worst offenders.
The best time to shoot is in the late
afternoon on sunny, cloudless days.
Nothing says “classic automobile”
better than the sun glinting off metal
and the cool look of blue sky reflected
in chrome. I use short prime lenses
(24-, 50-, and 85mm) on a Nikon
D80, small apertures for good depth
of field, and a tripod. Glenn Upton
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Tester’s choice
In the test of the Nikon D90 (Nov.
2008), you said the camera “passed
tests in the Pop Photo Lab with gusto.”
You didn’t specifically say, but I assume
that all tests were conducted with the
18–105mm f/3.5–5.6G ED VR DX AF-
S Nikkor that comes with the kit.
Anthony M. Suriano
Goodyear, AZ
No. The Pop Photo Lab always tests DSLRs
with the same 50mm f/1.4 lenses. We have
such a lens for each brand. On Four Thirds
system cameras, we use a Panasonic
25mm (50mm equivalent) f/1.4.
Different strokes
In Your Best Shot (November 2008),
you said that the second-place
photographer “made minor adjustments
in Corel Paint Shop Pro 7 and Adobe
Photoshop CS.” I’ve been using Paint
Shop Pro for years, but did any version
really have features that aren’t in
Photoshop? Harvey B. Steinberg
Rockville, MD
Even though Photoshop has many more
features now that it’s up to CS4, Corel’s
Paint Shop Pro Photo (now on version X2,
a.k.a. 12) has plenty of tools that aren’t
in Photoshop—and it always has. Paint
Shop Pro includes, for example, specific
“makeover tools” for fixing blemishes or
Tips from
the asphalt studio
whitening teeth. There are features for
making frames and adding edges, or giving
your pictures old-time film looks. And while
you could figure out how to do all this in
Photoshop, Corel gives you dedicated tools
for such tasks. There’s also a big difference
in street price—Paint Shop Pro Photo costs
$80; Photoshop CS4, $699.
Tanks? No, thanks
Wondering what to do with your
old darkroom stuff? Well, I’ve found
that a stainless steel two-reel 35mm
processing tank is just the right size
for cooking biscuits on a camp stove.
I put one reel in to keep the biscuit
off the hot bottom. But be sure you
don’t put the top down tightly or it will
blow off when the air inside heats up.
Remember, you’re not trying to keep
the fixer from leaking out.
Scott McCann
Queenstown, MD
And we’ve found the enlarger useful for
making shadow puppets.
GET IN TOUCH!
E-mail us at PopEditor@hfmus.com.
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8 WWW.POPPHOTO.COM POP PHOTO FEBRUARY 2009
GLENN UPTON, WWW.GLENNUPTONPHOTOGRAPHY.COM