Car light painting can seem like a very involved process with significant investments in equipment, and it can be! No matter what type of photography you are into, you can spend considerable money on your gear. But the truth is, you can start your light painting journey with probably the camera you have, a tripod, and a light source. However, investing in a quality tripod and separate ball head is recommended.

You are tasked with photographing a vehicle and have either been given specific direction from the client, or they have allowed you to do what you think "will look the best." It's common for clients to leave it up to you to capture their car because, after all, they like what you do. They got in touch with you for a reason. My car photography shoots are conducted by myself, so the recommendations below focus on solo photo shoots only.

When light painting a car, you will want to be sure you have the necessary equipment. You’ll also want a checklist covering the exposures you need so you do not forget any. We will cover those essential exposures (as well as optional) and look at some tips to remember before and during your photo shoot.

Focusing on the interior, it would be wrong to think that your location doesn’t matter. If you are concentrating on macros of interior details, this will not be as relevant, but with a wider angle, you are sure to capture the car windows in your photograph, probably the windshield and one of the side windows.