Eliminating Moving Cars While Photographing: I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to...

Moose Loc: North Carolina

I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to experiment with that technique and wonder if anyone on the forum knows how to do that.
Thanks for your help.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Moose wrote:

I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to experiment with that technique and wonder if anyone on the forum knows how to do that.
Thanks for your help.

I use dynamite, but that's a lot of work if the traffic is heavy!! NO, don't do that, I'm just kidding..........really, I'm kidding!!! :lol:
Use an ND filter of as many stops as it take you to get a 10 second+ exposure preferably longer . The longer the exposure the better. But the cars have to be moving and if it's dark you'll record the light trails but not the cars. Good luck
SS
PS: BTW, it eliminates everything that moves, not just a car!!

thephotoman Loc: Rochester, NY

Moose wrote:

I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to experiment with that technique and wonder if anyone on the forum knows how to do that.
Thanks for your help.

One method, is to take photos of the seane, with the car in various positions. Then bring them into a layered editing program. The number of photos needed would depend on how long the car is in the seane.I use Photoshop,, so the steps may be a bit different. The photos need to be on separate layers. Then mask out the car on each layer. Combine the layers using the blend tool and you will have a photo minus the car.
Another way, is to use a slow shutter speed so that the car doesn't show up in the sceane.

marki3rd Loc: Columbus, Indiana

Moose wrote:

I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to experiment with that technique and wonder if anyone on the forum knows how to do that.
Thanks for your help.

I don't know how it could be done under daylight conditions but at night when long exposures are involved, a moving car is not in one position in the frame very long relative to the total exposure time so it doesn't record a significant amount on the sensor. It will depend on the length of the exposure and the speed of the vehicle how well this will work. Experiment!

MtnMan Loc: ID

Moose wrote:

I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to experiment with that technique and wonder if anyone on the forum knows how to do that.
Thanks for your help.

There are at least two ways:

1. Long exposure. Max fstop, min ISO, and probably neutral density filter.
2. Multiple exposures combined in Photoshop. I don't recall the details but you open them all in photoshop as layers and then take the median. Might be a filter.

A tripod is helpful. But if you don't have one you can still use the second method by first aligning the layers.

You might try Googling "make people disappear in pictures" or something like that. Here is one result for method 2:

http://toomanyadapters.com/how-to-remove-people-travel-photos-photoshop/

thephotoman Loc: Rochester, NY

marki3rd wrote:

I don't know how it could be done under daylight conditions but at night when long exposures are involved, a moving car is not in one position in the frame very long relative to the total exposure time so it doesn't record a significant amount on the sensor. It will depend on the length of the exposure and the speed of the vehicle how well this will work. Experiment!

The problem with doing this at night is light trails. Even if the car doesnt6show up, the car lights will.

Haydon

A 10 Stop neutral density filter.

Bill_de Loc: US

Haydon wrote:

A 10 Stop neutral density filter.

That should do it!

Years back a woman who was afraid to go into a NY subway station at night took a picture of a relatively busy station during the day. IIRC she used Kodak Pan X, an ND filter, and a 90 minute exposure.

There was some minor ghosting in the busiest areas, but that could be cleaned up pretty easily today.

--

Moose Loc: North Carolina

Thank you all for this information. So it looks like two solutions. 1) Using the ND filter and 2) multiple shots processed through Photoshop. I checked the video MtnMan suggested and they are using the multiple photo method. I have ND filters so will give that try first.
Thanks again.

Moose Loc: North Carolina

MtnMan's suggestion to Google 'how to remove people from photo' paid off. The following link shows how by setting the shutter speed to 5 seconds and anything moving in front of the camera is eliminated.
http://www.thephotographerslife.com/how-to-make-people-disappear-in-photos-day-3-awai-photography-expedition-in-bali-indonesia/

Rongnongno Loc: FL

Moose wrote:

I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to experiment with that technique and wonder if anyone on the forum knows how to do that.
Thanks for your help.

Simplest way is to place your camera on a tripod and take a few pictures that you stack and use by masking the offending object(s).

This removes all the problems associated with pixel edits like patching, healing and so forth.

MtnMan Loc: ID

Rongnongno wrote:

Simplest way is to place your camera on a tripod and take a few pictures that you stack and use by masking the offending object(s).

This removes all the problems associated with pixel edits like patching, healing and so forth.

This is not the simplest way. It is the most labor intensive.

The other methods are much simpler.

Rongnongno Loc: FL

MtnMan wrote:

This is not the simplest way. It is the most labor intensive.

The other methods are much simpler.

:shock: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

It is not simple to use a tripod and then mask out?

Come on now.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Moose wrote:

I saw a photography video long ago that showed how to eliminate a moving vehicle, while photographing, from the scene. I'd like to experiment with that technique and wonder if anyone on the forum knows how to do that.
Thanks for your help.

Why not just take the picture when there are no cars?

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

boberic wrote:

Why not just take the picture when there are no cars?

A friend of mine took a really cool pic of the Golden Gate bridge without one car on it!!
Try that without an ND. Oh yea, maybe when both ends slip
into the ocean after the "Big One"!! :lol:
SS