- 503
Updated
04/14/05 - Added in "Capturing Multiple Cars" section.
04/12/05 - Added in "Camera Setting - Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus" section.
-----------------------
I know that CrackHoor has already created a very well-written PhotoMode Technique : Compose & Expose tutorial but I thought I'd contribute as well. Obviously some of the same topics are covered but I tried to go a little more in-depth and add more photos to help visualize the composition of a photo. I also figured it would be helpful to have another point of view on some of the aspects of capturing a nice photo.
Disclaimer
I am by no means a professional photographer, but I enjoy it as a hobby. The following tutorial is mostly based on personal opinion combined with different references found on the internet (credits at the bottom).
There is no right or wrong way to take a photograph, but there are some basic rules and ideas to keep in mind to produce an eye-pleasing photograph. Remember, in the end, it's up to you on how you want the photo to look. A lot of the ideas and statements below are personal opinion, so if you don't agree with them, that's fine. Do what you feel is better for you and as long as you like your photograph, that's all that counts.
Don't be afraid to experiment and break a few rules now and then
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a popular rule of photo composition. Simply stated, you must imagine that the photograph is divided into three seperate sections, with 2 horizontal lines intersected by 2 vertical lines (as seen below).
The idea is to keep your main point of interest (in the example above, the vehicle) on or near where any of the lines intersect. This helps balance out the photograph and in general makes it more pleasing to the eye. Keep in mind though, that it's not always necessary to follow this rule.
Don't be afraid of placing the point of interest in the middle. Just try to add a little flair through framing, angles, etc. so as not to make it boring to the viewer.
Framing
Framing is an important part of taking a nice photo. If you have too many distractions in the background or the edges, the main point of interest will be lost to the viewer. Ask yourself if you want a certain object in the photograph or not and ask yourself if it distracts the eye or makes the photo seem incomplete. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to get up close to the point of interest and have a simple background, but try to keep the amount of objects limited and framed properly as to not distract the viewer.
As a quick example of framing, take the two photos below :
The photo above is nice, but can be made better with a little more attention to framing. It follows the Rule of Thirds which is a plus, but the framing could be done a little better. At the bottom right, you see part of the curbing, but it feels incomplete and distracts the viewer's eyes. The same can be said for the light pole at the top right of the photo. All you see the actual pole and it seems out of place.
Simply by zooming out, the framing can be made a lot better, as seen below.
Now you can see the full view of the curbing which helps compliments the main point of interest. Also, the light pole is in full view and now seems complete. The angle (explained later) also helps in this photo by lining up with the curbing. This helps create a balanced image and completes the overall photo.
Sometimes you may want to keep a simple background, which is perfectly fine. Use your own judgement on how you want the photograph to be conveyed by the viewer. If you decide to keep it simple, try different angles and positions to add a little flair to a simple photo.
Foreground & Background
Every photo has a foreground and background. It is up to you as the photographer to set these two aspects and make sure that you convey what you want the viewer to get out of your photograph. You can make both of these aspects compliment each other or you can differentiate them for a more dramatic impact. It's a good idea to make sure that these two don't conflict or distract one from the other.
In the photograph below, the car seems to be the main point of interest, but the ferris wheel is a bit distracting in the background. It does help compliment the overall photo, however, only including half of the ferris wheel takes away from the overal impact.
Simply by including the complete ferris wheel, the car can still act as the main point of interest and the ferris wheel helps pull the overall image together nicely.
Or if you wanted only the car to be the center of attention, you could zoom up close and leave a simple background as well.
Camera Angle
Determing the camera angle can greatly affect how the photo turns out. A straight horizontal or vertical view is very effective, but adding in a bit of an angle can greatly compliment the photo and add the extra little impact you need to attract a viewer's eyes. Giving a slight or extreme angle can also give the photograph an impression of movement which can also help in the overall composition.
Using the photograph of the C-West S15 Silvia, you can see that although the photo is laid pretty well in terms of composition, it lacks a bit of impact. Simply by creating an angle for the photograph, you can incorporate a bit more of the background and add to the effect of the car speeding through the track.
Changing the angle does not necessarily mean just tilting the "viewfinder" to the right or to the left. You can also move the camera down towards the ground or high up over the car. Try out different angles and pick one that has a good composition and work from there.
Tip If you can't get the perfect angle you're looking for, you can quickly press Select twice and see if any of the angles change. Most of the time, it's best to use the first 8 or so angles you are given as they give a better overall view. Also, try watching a replay with the Dive Replay and you may get certain angles you can't get with the normal replay. To access the Dive Replay, press square a couple times while watching the normal replay. With the Dive Replay, you get dozens of different angles you don't get while watching a normal replay. You also get different camera effects which add a lot to the image -- however, when you press select to enter the photo mode, those effects are not transferred over
Another quick note about the Dive Replay. When you're in this mode and you have multiple cars on the track, the camera will automatically switch from car to car. There's no way to set it on one specific car. If however your car is the only one on the track, it'll obviously only capture that car.
Elements and Patterns
Keep an eye on certain elements and patterns, such as lined up cones, curbing, different types of lights, the sun, etc. Sometimes, including these aspects into the photo helps attract the viewer's eyes and can help in complimenting the main point of interest. Pay attention to certain details and find a way to accentuate it better using a unique composition, angle, etc.
As in previous photo examples, the curbing in the C-West S15 Silvia photo is an example of an element you can include in the photo. Below are a few more examples of using certain elements to your advantage.
The rear wing of the SLR McLaren Since the wing moves depending on braking, it's an unique feature which can be used to compliment the overall photo of the car. Notice the angle as well and how it can create a sense of movement. Try to find other features of different cars and try to focus on that.
Clouds This may sound simple, but with an unique angle, the clouds can give a nice effect. Another element in this photograph is the airplane which is leaving a nice trail of smoke.
Simply by taking out the complete image of the clouds and airplane (poor framing), it turns into another average photo.
Try to find other unique elements and incorporate them into the final composition of your photo.
Camera Setting - Aperture
The aperture is the eye of the camera - basically, it determines how much light enters or doesn't enter the lens and effects the overall focus of the photo.
The standard setting in the game is set at F2.8. This usually has the focus on the object closest to you, most often the car. At this setting, the background will be blurry.
At the lower end of the scale is F1.4. This creates a more blurred background which can give a nice effect when the main point of interest is nicely focused. At the higher end of the scale is F22.0. This makes the complete photo in focus.
Tip To achieve a nice blurred effect, you can also zoom in on the vehicle and manual focus (square). Then zoom back out and lower the aperture setting. Note that this doesn't always work out as planned, but if the settings are right, it can help create a more dramatic blurred effect.
Here are some quick example photos to show the effect of aperture.
With the F1.4 aperture setting, you can tell that the background is blurred, especially the light poles. As the aperture reaches the max of F22.0, the light poles become perfectly clear as well as the rest of the background.
Camera Setting - Exposure
Simply put, camera exposure is how bright or how dark the photo will be. The higher the EV, the brighter the photo, and vice versa. This is pretty simple and shouldn't need too much explanation. Setting a high exposure (higher than +0.0) is often a good idea if the environment is dark, and setting a low exposure (lower than +0.0) is often a good idea if the enviroment is too bright.)
Here are some quick example photos to show the effect of exposure.
It should be obvious that with a lower EV setting, the picture will be very dark and with a higher EV setting, it'll get very bright. Adjust this acordingly to get an exposure rating somewhere in between for your specific photograph.
Camera Setting - White Balance
White balance (WB) adjusts the colour balance of the image to compensate for non-white light, e.g. fluorescent light, sunsets etc. Adjusting the WB by pressing R2+Up gives the image a bluish tint, while adjusting it by pressing R2+Down gives it a more orange tint. Use these to your advantage to set the overall mood of the photo.
Here are quick example photos to show the effect of WB.
Camera Setting - Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus
When you capture a photo, it will be in auto focus mode (AF). In this mode, the main point of interest (usually the car) will be in focus while the background remains a bit blurry. Here is a quick example photo taken with AF - notice the clarity of the car compared to the background
If you would rather decide what the main point of interest should be, you can use the manual focus (MF). To use the MF, move the target box [+] over the object that you want to see in focus and press square.
TIP To exit MF mode, press right or left on the D-pad to change your current camera angle. Then, return to the previous camera angle. All your settings will remain the same, but you will be in AF mode.
As an example, if you MF on the car, it will basically look the same as the AF photos above (the background may be a bit blurrier). So, if you MF on the background, you will obviously get the reverse effect, as seen below.
The car is blurred, since the focus is on the background.
One last thing about focusing - as previously mentioned above, your aperture setting will effect your focus since it changes the depth of field. So, whether you're in AF or MF mode, if you adjust the aperture setting, it will effect the focus of the whole image. For example, if you set the aperture to F22.0, the whole image will become clear, as seen below
Camera Setting - Shutter Speed
Generally, a fast shutter speed (1/4000) can freeze action while slow speed (1/30) can blur your image. This is always not true however. Depending on how you use the focus and shutter speed, you can create different effects.
Car in focus, background blurred
To create this type of effect, zoom in on the car and use manual focus (square). Then zoom out and use a fast shutter speed to ensure that car won't be blurred. To blur the background, use a low aperture, such as F1.4.
Everything blurred
This is pretty self-explanatory - use a low focus setting and a slow shutter speed. Creating a decent blurred effect photo like this takes some experimenting so try different speeds. Remember to switch around from auto focus to manual focus as well.
Tip Once you use manual focus, simply change to another camera view then return to your original view to return to auto focus mode.
Think outside the box when using the blur method. You can focus on one car and blur the cars around it, or you can blur the car and keep the background in focus.
As mentioned above, a fast shutter speed will usually capture fast moving objects clearer, while a slow shutter speed will blur it. However, it's hard to say specifically what a certain shutter speed setting will do to your specific photo. The different variables in the object's speed and background will greatly effect how the photo will turn out. The only thing I can recommend is to try several different settings and see what comes up on the screen. You'll eventually come out with a great composition.
Capturing Multiple Cars
When capturing multiple cars, you'll obviously need to take into account all the notes mentioned above. Most important is framing, foreground/background, and adjusting the aperture.
It's easy enough to take a photo of multiple cars, but to make the photo stand out you should follow some general rules. It's very easy to get carried away, trying to add in as many cars as you can. And it's very easy for the background to become cluttered and the main point of interest(s) can be lost easily.
When capturing multiple cars, there are multiple ways to set it up for different effect. As an example, here is a shot of two cars.
In the example above, the Lotus Elise is the main point of interest with the Toyota MR2 and scenery as the background. Notice that there is some space between the cars. This helps balance out the photo. Also, in this particular photo, I decided to adjust the aperture to F22.0 to make the whole photo nice and clear. Most of the time, you'll want to set the aperture to F22.0 when capturing multiple cars, unless you wish to go for a blurred effect as seen below.
In the example above, the aperture was set to F1.4 which has created the blurred background effect. This is helpful when you want to make the main point of the interest stand out. Overall, the above photo is nice - however, the angle could be done better. The car right behind the Garaiya is partially hidden and can create some distraction. By moving the camera angle upwards and seperating the cars, it helps clean up the photo.
If however you want all the cars to be the main point of interest, you can adjust the aperture to F22.0 and clean up the whole image. By doing this, all the cars come into focus and the main point of interest isn't restricted to one specific car.
Another good idea when capturing multiple cars is to find a nice clean pattern for the cars. If the cars you're capturing are all over the place, the photo won't look as good. Try to find a nice pattern, but be aware of other cars that might get in the way, as seen below.
The photo above is nice, but the lone car in the background is distracting and takes away from the overall photo. Just like in the example above with the Garaiya photo, you can take out the distraction by simply changing the camera angle as seen in the photo below.
Different angles give different opportunities in capturing a nice multiple car photo. Try out all the camera views you're given!
Please keep in mind that it does sometimes take some luck in lining up cars and finding patterns since you can't control what the computer does. A good idea in capturing a nice clean photo is by entering the photo mode when the cars are rolling and are about to reach the start line before a race. The cars will be single file most of the time and can make for some nice photo opportunities.
As one last example, here is a nice action shot of a Toyota MR2 cutting the inside line on a Renault Lutecia.
Keeping in mind the notes I've already mentioned above, you'll probably notice that the camera angle isn't too good since the cars in the background are hiding behind each other and may cause a distraction. A normal reaction would probably be to raise or change the camera angle slighty to seperate the cars a bit more. This can work well, but the action shot is the main point of interest here, so the background cars can take away from the overall effect of the photo. In this case, it might be a good idea to completely change the angle and capture only the Toyota MR2 and Renault Lutecia as seen below.
There is no right or wrong way to capture multiple car photos. However, the tips above may help you when you're composing. It does take a bit more patience due to the fact that you're not in complete control of all the cars, but with enough experimentation and driving around, you can capture some great multiple car shots.
Other Tips and Notes
Potrait
Don't be afraid to use the portrait view (circle). It may be a bit more challenging to create a nice portrait style photo, but always check to see if the current composition you're creating can be made even better in a portrait.
Image Editing
Don't be afraid to make subtle changes through an image editing program. Contrast, white balance, and framing can all be changed to make your photo that much better once it's on computer. I'm personally not into extremely modifying a photo by moving objects around or adding objects in as it kind of ruins the whole concept of taking a photo. However, if you're into "photoshopping" the ideas are limitless on what you can do.
Experiment
Don't be afraid to experiment! The beauty of the GT4 photo mode (as well as digital cameras) is that there's no limit on how many photos you can take since you don't have to spend money of film
Try out different things and see what works and what doesn't. You'd be surprised at the different compositions you can come up with by trying out angles and/or settings that you wouldn't think of trying.
Be patient
Don't get discouraged if you can't capture a nice photo. If you're taking photos from a replay, it's a good idea to do a couple laps. This way, you can get several different angles. Also, it's a good idea to press Select as often as you can as check what angles are available. You don't want to miss a nice opportunity. If you just can't seem to get a nice shot, try a different track
Quantity vs Quality
Although it's a good idea to take as many photos as you can, try not to take too many photos in one sitting. This may cause you to end up taking too many simliar photos as you get into a certain track of mind. Take a break so you can get a fresh view and more ideas.
Black & White
It's not always about color. Black and white photos can give a photo a nice atmosphere that can't be captured when using color. Give it a try!
Remembering Settings
Sometimes you may want to recreate a certain camera efect and it may help if you take some notes on the specific camera settings. This will allow you to get a close effect to your original photo.
Final Notes
Whether you're a beginner, amateur, or professional photographer, I hope this tutorial has helped in some way. Remember to have fun while taking your photos and don't take it too seriously. Also, don't follow the ideas I've expressed step by step - just read and understand the information and keep it in the back of your mind. Don't get frustrated if your photos don't come out as you planned. Like with anything else, it takes some practice. And even with tons of practice, some people have a more creative eye than others. So don't get discouraged - just be sure to have fun!
Everyone has their own style, so go out and create your own!
I'm sure that some of the ideas and opinions I've expressed may not be the same as yours and that's perfectly fine by me. So there's no need to post and disagree with something I said (unless it's a technical error)
Credits / References
http://www.digicamhelp.com/advanced-digital-camera-settings/aperture.htm
http://www.digitalcamera.com.au/glossary/index.shtml
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/learnmore/composition.mspx
04/14/05 - Added in "Capturing Multiple Cars" section.
04/12/05 - Added in "Camera Setting - Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus" section.
-----------------------
I know that CrackHoor has already created a very well-written PhotoMode Technique : Compose & Expose tutorial but I thought I'd contribute as well. Obviously some of the same topics are covered but I tried to go a little more in-depth and add more photos to help visualize the composition of a photo. I also figured it would be helpful to have another point of view on some of the aspects of capturing a nice photo.
Disclaimer
I am by no means a professional photographer, but I enjoy it as a hobby. The following tutorial is mostly based on personal opinion combined with different references found on the internet (credits at the bottom).
There is no right or wrong way to take a photograph, but there are some basic rules and ideas to keep in mind to produce an eye-pleasing photograph. Remember, in the end, it's up to you on how you want the photo to look. A lot of the ideas and statements below are personal opinion, so if you don't agree with them, that's fine. Do what you feel is better for you and as long as you like your photograph, that's all that counts.
Don't be afraid to experiment and break a few rules now and then
Rule of Thirds
The rule of thirds is a popular rule of photo composition. Simply stated, you must imagine that the photograph is divided into three seperate sections, with 2 horizontal lines intersected by 2 vertical lines (as seen below).
The idea is to keep your main point of interest (in the example above, the vehicle) on or near where any of the lines intersect. This helps balance out the photograph and in general makes it more pleasing to the eye. Keep in mind though, that it's not always necessary to follow this rule.
Don't be afraid of placing the point of interest in the middle. Just try to add a little flair through framing, angles, etc. so as not to make it boring to the viewer.
Framing
Framing is an important part of taking a nice photo. If you have too many distractions in the background or the edges, the main point of interest will be lost to the viewer. Ask yourself if you want a certain object in the photograph or not and ask yourself if it distracts the eye or makes the photo seem incomplete. This doesn't necessarily mean that you need to get up close to the point of interest and have a simple background, but try to keep the amount of objects limited and framed properly as to not distract the viewer.
As a quick example of framing, take the two photos below :
The photo above is nice, but can be made better with a little more attention to framing. It follows the Rule of Thirds which is a plus, but the framing could be done a little better. At the bottom right, you see part of the curbing, but it feels incomplete and distracts the viewer's eyes. The same can be said for the light pole at the top right of the photo. All you see the actual pole and it seems out of place.
Simply by zooming out, the framing can be made a lot better, as seen below.
Now you can see the full view of the curbing which helps compliments the main point of interest. Also, the light pole is in full view and now seems complete. The angle (explained later) also helps in this photo by lining up with the curbing. This helps create a balanced image and completes the overall photo.
Sometimes you may want to keep a simple background, which is perfectly fine. Use your own judgement on how you want the photograph to be conveyed by the viewer. If you decide to keep it simple, try different angles and positions to add a little flair to a simple photo.
Foreground & Background
Every photo has a foreground and background. It is up to you as the photographer to set these two aspects and make sure that you convey what you want the viewer to get out of your photograph. You can make both of these aspects compliment each other or you can differentiate them for a more dramatic impact. It's a good idea to make sure that these two don't conflict or distract one from the other.
In the photograph below, the car seems to be the main point of interest, but the ferris wheel is a bit distracting in the background. It does help compliment the overall photo, however, only including half of the ferris wheel takes away from the overal impact.
Simply by including the complete ferris wheel, the car can still act as the main point of interest and the ferris wheel helps pull the overall image together nicely.
Or if you wanted only the car to be the center of attention, you could zoom up close and leave a simple background as well.
Camera Angle
Determing the camera angle can greatly affect how the photo turns out. A straight horizontal or vertical view is very effective, but adding in a bit of an angle can greatly compliment the photo and add the extra little impact you need to attract a viewer's eyes. Giving a slight or extreme angle can also give the photograph an impression of movement which can also help in the overall composition.
Using the photograph of the C-West S15 Silvia, you can see that although the photo is laid pretty well in terms of composition, it lacks a bit of impact. Simply by creating an angle for the photograph, you can incorporate a bit more of the background and add to the effect of the car speeding through the track.
Changing the angle does not necessarily mean just tilting the "viewfinder" to the right or to the left. You can also move the camera down towards the ground or high up over the car. Try out different angles and pick one that has a good composition and work from there.
Tip If you can't get the perfect angle you're looking for, you can quickly press Select twice and see if any of the angles change. Most of the time, it's best to use the first 8 or so angles you are given as they give a better overall view. Also, try watching a replay with the Dive Replay and you may get certain angles you can't get with the normal replay. To access the Dive Replay, press square a couple times while watching the normal replay. With the Dive Replay, you get dozens of different angles you don't get while watching a normal replay. You also get different camera effects which add a lot to the image -- however, when you press select to enter the photo mode, those effects are not transferred over
Another quick note about the Dive Replay. When you're in this mode and you have multiple cars on the track, the camera will automatically switch from car to car. There's no way to set it on one specific car. If however your car is the only one on the track, it'll obviously only capture that car.
Elements and Patterns
Keep an eye on certain elements and patterns, such as lined up cones, curbing, different types of lights, the sun, etc. Sometimes, including these aspects into the photo helps attract the viewer's eyes and can help in complimenting the main point of interest. Pay attention to certain details and find a way to accentuate it better using a unique composition, angle, etc.
As in previous photo examples, the curbing in the C-West S15 Silvia photo is an example of an element you can include in the photo. Below are a few more examples of using certain elements to your advantage.
The rear wing of the SLR McLaren Since the wing moves depending on braking, it's an unique feature which can be used to compliment the overall photo of the car. Notice the angle as well and how it can create a sense of movement. Try to find other features of different cars and try to focus on that.
Clouds This may sound simple, but with an unique angle, the clouds can give a nice effect. Another element in this photograph is the airplane which is leaving a nice trail of smoke.
Simply by taking out the complete image of the clouds and airplane (poor framing), it turns into another average photo.
Try to find other unique elements and incorporate them into the final composition of your photo.
Camera Setting - Aperture
The aperture is the eye of the camera - basically, it determines how much light enters or doesn't enter the lens and effects the overall focus of the photo.
The standard setting in the game is set at F2.8. This usually has the focus on the object closest to you, most often the car. At this setting, the background will be blurry.
At the lower end of the scale is F1.4. This creates a more blurred background which can give a nice effect when the main point of interest is nicely focused. At the higher end of the scale is F22.0. This makes the complete photo in focus.
Tip To achieve a nice blurred effect, you can also zoom in on the vehicle and manual focus (square). Then zoom back out and lower the aperture setting. Note that this doesn't always work out as planned, but if the settings are right, it can help create a more dramatic blurred effect.
Here are some quick example photos to show the effect of aperture.
With the F1.4 aperture setting, you can tell that the background is blurred, especially the light poles. As the aperture reaches the max of F22.0, the light poles become perfectly clear as well as the rest of the background.
Camera Setting - Exposure
Simply put, camera exposure is how bright or how dark the photo will be. The higher the EV, the brighter the photo, and vice versa. This is pretty simple and shouldn't need too much explanation. Setting a high exposure (higher than +0.0) is often a good idea if the environment is dark, and setting a low exposure (lower than +0.0) is often a good idea if the enviroment is too bright.)
Here are some quick example photos to show the effect of exposure.
It should be obvious that with a lower EV setting, the picture will be very dark and with a higher EV setting, it'll get very bright. Adjust this acordingly to get an exposure rating somewhere in between for your specific photograph.
Camera Setting - White Balance
White balance (WB) adjusts the colour balance of the image to compensate for non-white light, e.g. fluorescent light, sunsets etc. Adjusting the WB by pressing R2+Up gives the image a bluish tint, while adjusting it by pressing R2+Down gives it a more orange tint. Use these to your advantage to set the overall mood of the photo.
Here are quick example photos to show the effect of WB.
Camera Setting - Auto Focus vs. Manual Focus
When you capture a photo, it will be in auto focus mode (AF). In this mode, the main point of interest (usually the car) will be in focus while the background remains a bit blurry. Here is a quick example photo taken with AF - notice the clarity of the car compared to the background
If you would rather decide what the main point of interest should be, you can use the manual focus (MF). To use the MF, move the target box [+] over the object that you want to see in focus and press square.
TIP To exit MF mode, press right or left on the D-pad to change your current camera angle. Then, return to the previous camera angle. All your settings will remain the same, but you will be in AF mode.
As an example, if you MF on the car, it will basically look the same as the AF photos above (the background may be a bit blurrier). So, if you MF on the background, you will obviously get the reverse effect, as seen below.
The car is blurred, since the focus is on the background.
One last thing about focusing - as previously mentioned above, your aperture setting will effect your focus since it changes the depth of field. So, whether you're in AF or MF mode, if you adjust the aperture setting, it will effect the focus of the whole image. For example, if you set the aperture to F22.0, the whole image will become clear, as seen below
Camera Setting - Shutter Speed
Generally, a fast shutter speed (1/4000) can freeze action while slow speed (1/30) can blur your image. This is always not true however. Depending on how you use the focus and shutter speed, you can create different effects.
Car in focus, background blurred
To create this type of effect, zoom in on the car and use manual focus (square). Then zoom out and use a fast shutter speed to ensure that car won't be blurred. To blur the background, use a low aperture, such as F1.4.
Everything blurred
This is pretty self-explanatory - use a low focus setting and a slow shutter speed. Creating a decent blurred effect photo like this takes some experimenting so try different speeds. Remember to switch around from auto focus to manual focus as well.
Tip Once you use manual focus, simply change to another camera view then return to your original view to return to auto focus mode.
Think outside the box when using the blur method. You can focus on one car and blur the cars around it, or you can blur the car and keep the background in focus.
As mentioned above, a fast shutter speed will usually capture fast moving objects clearer, while a slow shutter speed will blur it. However, it's hard to say specifically what a certain shutter speed setting will do to your specific photo. The different variables in the object's speed and background will greatly effect how the photo will turn out. The only thing I can recommend is to try several different settings and see what comes up on the screen. You'll eventually come out with a great composition.
Capturing Multiple Cars
When capturing multiple cars, you'll obviously need to take into account all the notes mentioned above. Most important is framing, foreground/background, and adjusting the aperture.
It's easy enough to take a photo of multiple cars, but to make the photo stand out you should follow some general rules. It's very easy to get carried away, trying to add in as many cars as you can. And it's very easy for the background to become cluttered and the main point of interest(s) can be lost easily.
When capturing multiple cars, there are multiple ways to set it up for different effect. As an example, here is a shot of two cars.
In the example above, the Lotus Elise is the main point of interest with the Toyota MR2 and scenery as the background. Notice that there is some space between the cars. This helps balance out the photo. Also, in this particular photo, I decided to adjust the aperture to F22.0 to make the whole photo nice and clear. Most of the time, you'll want to set the aperture to F22.0 when capturing multiple cars, unless you wish to go for a blurred effect as seen below.
In the example above, the aperture was set to F1.4 which has created the blurred background effect. This is helpful when you want to make the main point of the interest stand out. Overall, the above photo is nice - however, the angle could be done better. The car right behind the Garaiya is partially hidden and can create some distraction. By moving the camera angle upwards and seperating the cars, it helps clean up the photo.
If however you want all the cars to be the main point of interest, you can adjust the aperture to F22.0 and clean up the whole image. By doing this, all the cars come into focus and the main point of interest isn't restricted to one specific car.
Another good idea when capturing multiple cars is to find a nice clean pattern for the cars. If the cars you're capturing are all over the place, the photo won't look as good. Try to find a nice pattern, but be aware of other cars that might get in the way, as seen below.
The photo above is nice, but the lone car in the background is distracting and takes away from the overall photo. Just like in the example above with the Garaiya photo, you can take out the distraction by simply changing the camera angle as seen in the photo below.
Different angles give different opportunities in capturing a nice multiple car photo. Try out all the camera views you're given!
Please keep in mind that it does sometimes take some luck in lining up cars and finding patterns since you can't control what the computer does. A good idea in capturing a nice clean photo is by entering the photo mode when the cars are rolling and are about to reach the start line before a race. The cars will be single file most of the time and can make for some nice photo opportunities.
As one last example, here is a nice action shot of a Toyota MR2 cutting the inside line on a Renault Lutecia.
Keeping in mind the notes I've already mentioned above, you'll probably notice that the camera angle isn't too good since the cars in the background are hiding behind each other and may cause a distraction. A normal reaction would probably be to raise or change the camera angle slighty to seperate the cars a bit more. This can work well, but the action shot is the main point of interest here, so the background cars can take away from the overall effect of the photo. In this case, it might be a good idea to completely change the angle and capture only the Toyota MR2 and Renault Lutecia as seen below.
There is no right or wrong way to capture multiple car photos. However, the tips above may help you when you're composing. It does take a bit more patience due to the fact that you're not in complete control of all the cars, but with enough experimentation and driving around, you can capture some great multiple car shots.
Other Tips and Notes
Potrait
Don't be afraid to use the portrait view (circle). It may be a bit more challenging to create a nice portrait style photo, but always check to see if the current composition you're creating can be made even better in a portrait.
Image Editing
Don't be afraid to make subtle changes through an image editing program. Contrast, white balance, and framing can all be changed to make your photo that much better once it's on computer. I'm personally not into extremely modifying a photo by moving objects around or adding objects in as it kind of ruins the whole concept of taking a photo. However, if you're into "photoshopping" the ideas are limitless on what you can do.
Experiment
Don't be afraid to experiment! The beauty of the GT4 photo mode (as well as digital cameras) is that there's no limit on how many photos you can take since you don't have to spend money of film
Try out different things and see what works and what doesn't. You'd be surprised at the different compositions you can come up with by trying out angles and/or settings that you wouldn't think of trying.Be patient
Don't get discouraged if you can't capture a nice photo. If you're taking photos from a replay, it's a good idea to do a couple laps. This way, you can get several different angles. Also, it's a good idea to press Select as often as you can as check what angles are available. You don't want to miss a nice opportunity. If you just can't seem to get a nice shot, try a different track
Quantity vs Quality
Although it's a good idea to take as many photos as you can, try not to take too many photos in one sitting. This may cause you to end up taking too many simliar photos as you get into a certain track of mind. Take a break so you can get a fresh view and more ideas.
Black & White
It's not always about color. Black and white photos can give a photo a nice atmosphere that can't be captured when using color. Give it a try!
Remembering Settings
Sometimes you may want to recreate a certain camera efect and it may help if you take some notes on the specific camera settings. This will allow you to get a close effect to your original photo.
Final Notes
Whether you're a beginner, amateur, or professional photographer, I hope this tutorial has helped in some way. Remember to have fun while taking your photos and don't take it too seriously. Also, don't follow the ideas I've expressed step by step - just read and understand the information and keep it in the back of your mind. Don't get frustrated if your photos don't come out as you planned. Like with anything else, it takes some practice. And even with tons of practice, some people have a more creative eye than others. So don't get discouraged - just be sure to have fun!
Everyone has their own style, so go out and create your own!
I'm sure that some of the ideas and opinions I've expressed may not be the same as yours and that's perfectly fine by me. So there's no need to post and disagree with something I said (unless it's a technical error)
Credits / References
http://www.digicamhelp.com/advanced-digital-camera-settings/aperture.htm
http://www.digitalcamera.com.au/glossary/index.shtml
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/learnmore/composition.mspx
