Lincs Auto Photography

Lincs Media

Lincolnshire 


Just under a year ago this site was set up to be an outlet for local automotive photographers to get their images on the www instead of getting lost in the dark depths of Facebook, Flickr and Instagram. Our main aim was to help promote up and coming local talent. It quickly grew to include the rest of the UK and a few professional photographer came on board as well.


Ryan is a photographer form Lincoln who specialises in Street Car Photography.


Being one of the first guys to join in on this project I thought it was about time I caught up with Ryan. I wanted to find out how he is getting on after taking the plunge into the world of automotive photography and what the future holds for him. 


PC. What inspired you to take up photography?
 R. I started off just appreciating other peoples car builds and then taking a few photos. I enjoy seeing what other people have done to their cars and I wanted to capture and share that hard work and dedication. 
PC. How long have you been interested in automotive photography?
 R. I've only been taking photographs properly for just over a year. I first started out using an iPad and then liked what I was doing so decided to take it further. 
PC. Has it been only automotive photography or do other aspects of photography interest you?
 R. It's mainly cars but I would like to expand what I do and work with models in and around the cars. 
PC. The bikini clad model has all but disappeared from the UK market place is that what you would like to revive?
 R. Not at all, it’s the owners and partners that I would like to include, not everyone wants to be in a picture but if it works why not if it adds value to the shot? Also you are including the owner who has had the inspiration to modify the car so they are as important as the mods.
PC. What sort of equipment do you on your assignments use and why?
 R. So recently I've been using a Sony A7ii but it developed a battery problem that fried the sensor. I took it back under warranty and exchanged it for a Canon EOS 6D. 
PC. Did you find much difference between the two systems?
 R. Physically the Canon is much bigger that the Sony it being mirrorless but the image quality is about the same. They are both full frame cameras with the Canon having a few more pixels. I really like the Canon and I think I prefer the pictures I'm producing with it, could be that I'm improving as a photographer, time will tell. 
PC. How would you describe the images that you have produced to someone who hasn’t seen them?
R. I like to capture the cars as they are presented to me, with nothing added or taken away. Proper car street photography. 
PC. That’s interesting, you can see a lot of pictures online these days that have been manipulated so much that they look like computer generated graphics. 
PC. Have you had any training in photography or are you self taught?
 R. I've never had any formal training. I watch tutorials on line to get the basics and then adapt them to my style. The mechanics of photography can be taught, but it's always been more of an art than a science. I also try and do different things but not to the extreme that some photographers do. 
PC. What software do you use for post processing?
 R. I only use Adobe Lightroom to do basic adjustments and those adjustments I've saved so my images look the same every time. I have had people asking to by my settings as they like the style but they aren't for sale. I don’t photoshop things in or out of my images, they are what they are straight out of the camera.
PC. You seem to shoot mainly at night, is this a style you are looking for or is it just that’s when you are available?
R. Its purely because I have a daytime job so most of my work is done at night. I like the challenge of a night shoot and some of my best work has been produced in the hours of darkness. Don’t get me wrong, I do like taking photos in the daytime but I need to work and put food on the table. 
PC. Locations play a bit part in your images how do you go about scouting a location?
 R. Its general knowledge. I know my area well and try and match up the car to the right location. As a rule a high end car will be taken to the front of a restaurant or waterfront, a more aggressive car to an industrial area. 
PC. Do you get any hassle when you are doing a photoshoot in a public place?
 R. I do speak to the property owners to smooth things over but sometime you need to take the risk and just do it, as long as its safe. Some of the locations in Lincoln will give you a permit to work which is helpful. However, once the images go online then everyone wants to try it out so it can be difficult to get back to a location once it gets popular.
PC. What's your go - to kit you take out at night?
R. It’s the Canon 6D with a Sigma 50mm f1.4 lens and a tripod and that’s it, I like to travel light. 
PC. What's your favourite bit of kit?
 R. It’s the 50mm lens. The glass is everything as it's so sharp and lets in so much light it allows me to keep the ISO low and get some great atmospheric backgrounds.
PC. What's the worst bit of kit and why?
 R. I purchased a flash as I knew I would be doing a load of work in the hours of darkness and it was rubbish. It didn’t look natural and I might as well have taken the shots in the daytime. I don’t have it any more.
PC. What has been your favourite image and why?

R. Ben's Petronas AMG A45 saloon. When I looked at the picture in camera it looked ok and I was kind of happy with it. But after putting it on Instagram it just went kind of crazy. 

It helps having a great subject but at the end of the day it’s the image people are liking and it has over 4000 likes now.
PC. What has been your most memorable experience whilst take images?
 R. This years Ultimate Dubs show in Manchester. I was hand holding the camera at a 30th of a second but the pictures came out really well. After I posted those shots on line I got loads of great feedback and loads of work - the VW scene is massive so that helped a lot. It's all about being in the right place at the right time.
PC. What has been your worst experience while take images?
 R. I was out doing a night shoot and my camera got knocked off the tripod by someone showing off in a car not associated with my shoot and the lens was damaged. However, the guys on LincsDriver, one of the car clubs I'm in, came together and sorted me out with a replacement lens. I was really touched by the generosity shown by them. 
PC. Is there anyone online who inspires you? 
 R. There is no one single person who I would say has inspired me. I do subscribe to loads of pages and sites online to see what everyone else is doing and to gain inspiration.
PC. When you started taking pictures what would have liked to have known back then and why?
 R. I would have really liked to know how a camera worked. I started off with a iPad so it was all just point and shoot. I then got the bug and moved onto a bridge camera and eventually a DSLR. It took me a while to get off auto but when I did I was really pleased with the results and have not looked back. 
PC. Do your clients have much influence on your work or do they just leave you to get on with it?
 R. Not really, they see my images and ask for something similar. I will take that on board and adapt what I have done previously to give them what they want. I like to do my own thing and shoot the car as I see it. The clients all seem happy with the results. The only time they do have a say is if I'm travelling to a location and I don’t know the area, then it's down to them to pick a spot for me to shoot in.
PC. What motivates you to continue shooting? 
 R. Seeing people pleased with the images I produce for them; the feedback from clients keeps me going. Putting their car in an unusual environment and capturing the moment then getting good feedback is all the motivation I need to carry on. 
On one of the shoots I did the guy was thinking of selling his car as he had fallen out of love with it. After he had got the pictures and received positive feedback online on what had achieved with his car he decided to keep it and still has it today.
PC. Do you ever print your photos?
 R. I'm a digital man. I don’t print many pictures but a few of my customers have had prints made from the digital images I have sent them. One of my images has been put onto a metal canvas and it looked great.
PC. Do you see photography as a career? If so, how do you see yourself going from part time to full time?
 R. I see it more as a hobby job at this time but if the opportunity came up to do it full time I would jump at it.

That concludes the interview with Ryan, I'm personally looking forward to what next year brings for him especially as he improves and pushes the boundaries.

Lincs Media

Lincolnshire 

Lincs Auto Photography is run by Ryan and located in Lincolnshire.

Ryan is an up and coming photographer based in the city of Lincoln who specialises in the car club scene.

His passion is Automotive Photography aimed at all cars no matter the age, design model or manufacturer. 


If you want to see more of Lincs Auto Photography and get Ryans contact details follow the links. 

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