Eliminating Moving Cars While Photographing (Page 2): I assume you are kidding. What if you can't avoid having cars in the scene? (quote=boberic]Why not just take the picture when...

Moose Loc: North Carolina

I assume you are kidding. What if you can't avoid having cars in the scene?

(quote=boberic]Why not just take the picture when there are no cars?[/quote]

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

Moose wrote:

I assume you are kidding. What if you can't avoid having cars in the scene?

Moose, is this a trick question?!?!
Uhmmmm, there are gonna be cars in the pic???????? :lol:
SS

blackest Loc: Ireland

Rongnongno wrote:

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

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

Come on now.

Affinity Photo works well with Stacks, cars are essentially noise provided they move enough during shots they will be removed. With night time photography you can do similar with high iso images and remove sensor noise (it does a good job of aligning the images). You can also use a stack for increased tonal range and one more is to simulate an ND filter and the creamy look of moving water with a series of brief exposures even without a tripod. There are a number of blending modes to bring out the features you're looking for. You could even stack some images more than once if you have a slow moving object that is sat in the same position too long.

Of course that doesn't help with a portrait. But for shots of essentially still objects it can be very effective. You can also go a step further and apply masks to individual layers within the stack if they still contribute unwanted items to the image. I would imagine photoshop can do something similar.

anotherview Loc: California

That's what I try to do. It takes patience. Sometimes, the car will appear in a neutral area, and I use the patch tool or the clone tool to remove it.

But I probably should review the technique at the link another provided.

boberic wrote:

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

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of 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.

Very good videos -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpNtAXbaNr0
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/how-an-nd-filter-can-remove-crowds-from-busy-shots--27054

Or use Photoshop

http://www.lightstalking.com/techniques-for-removing-people-in-photoshop/
http://nicolesyblog.com/2015/04/16/how-to-use-photoshop-to-remove-tourists-from-photographs/
http://improvephotography.com/8806/photography-tricks/

WessoJPEG Loc: Cincinnati, Ohio

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.

Use your clone stamp tool, or majic eraser. :lol:

Shoeless_Photographer Loc: Lexington

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.

Both were shot at f/16 with a 9-stop ND filter.

First one is a typically busy interstate for 10 seconds.
Second was 30 seconds on a nearby street.

(Download)

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

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 have several orange cones I could send you. String these across the road and that should do the trick. Shoot quickly.

lamiaceae Loc: San Luis Obispo County, CA

Moose wrote:

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/

5 seconds, anything? That could depend on how bright any moving objects are. Something metallic with sunlight reflected off it might "burn right thru" a 5 second exposure. 30 second or longer probably not. Remember your camera meters at middle gray. So during the day time it could take a lot of ND! Or you could find a time machine and go back to 1890 - 1920 and find some ASA (ISO) 3 film (in size 4x5" sheet film). Good luck.

kschwegl Loc: Orangeburg, 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.

It's done with a variable neutral density filter. You'll need a tripod, and remote release. Set the filter to the darkest possible setting that the camera can meter on. Long exposure, low ISO. Moving cars won't show up, but everything else will. Daylight works well. Headlights and tail lights will always be a problem if there. You'll have to play around some. Best place to shoot is on an overpass of a highway to avoid traffic lights. I've done it with good results.

thix2112

Don't know what camera you are using but if you have a Pentax, you can do up to a 2000 multi-exposure (Pentax K-3, earlier models have less total exposers) in camera to simulate an ND filter and get rid of anything that moves or blur water, do star trails etc....

dcampbell52 Loc: Clearwater Fl

SharpShooter wrote:

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!!

Sharpshooter, I think I saw the video referred to also and you are correct. The photographer used the lowest ISO available, the strongest ND filter, and the highest f/stop for the slowest shutter stop. The photos did a good job of eliminating moving traffic as seen from a highway overpass but would NOT work at a traffic light or anyplace where traffic stopped. Oh and don't forget the tripod.

Dan Copeland Loc: Hamilton Ontario Canada

thephotoman wrote:

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

This is also the problem in daylight I did a full 3 minute exposure during high noon of a bridge and there were no cars shown, but with daylight running lights on the cars, showed white streaks

MCHUGH Loc: Jacksonville, Texas

The long exposure is a great way to take the picture. That is the method use by museum photographers in the past. The long exposure eliminated the people looking at paintings and other items from showing up. In the film days the resipotity factor had to be taken in to consideration. It also worked for outside shots.

boberic Loc: Quiet Corner, Connecticut. Ex long Islander

Moose wrote:

I assume you are kidding. What if you can't avoid having cars in the scene?

(quote=boberic]Why not just take the picture when there are no cars?

[/quote]

Only partly. These days with so many cars with daytime running lights, It's harder to get a light streak free photo. I don't know which location you want to shoot. So, by your response, I guess there is not any time when there are no cars. So maybe you should wait for a time when there is very little traffic, rather than none. (only partly kidding again)