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Car photography with long flash duration

Car Photography - Elinchrom ELB 1200 and Audi TT RS with Peter Gunnars

The day when one of Sweden's most experienced car photographers, Peter Gunnars, was to photograph the new Audi TT RS could have been better in terms of weather, but such little things as rain and overcast clouds are nothing that disturbs Peter at work.
As a car photographer, he has learned to adapt the photography to the prevailing circumstances because both car and track are often booked well in advance.

For this assignment, Peter used Elinchrom ELB 1200 in combination with HS head.
The combination of enormous flash power and long flash duration is something that Peter longed for. The strength means that the subject can be lit at great distances and the HS head's long flash duration gives movement in the image that creates drama.

On his way out to the photoshoot, Peter stopped at a hardware store to find something to protect the lamp head from rain and splashes. Peter's accustomed eye quickly scanned the assortment and the best solution turned out to be right inside the door. There was a garbage can that stored the trash in a large, transparent plastic bag. Quick question to the staff and they were happy to contribute some empty sacks. Perfect!

The device itself on the ELB 1200 does not need much protection as it is weatherproof and can also often remain protected in the bag as all communication between camera and flash takes place wirelessly via Skyport. The display on the transmitter, Skyport Plus HS, shows the set values of the flash which can be quickly adjusted as needed.

Since the sunlight on this day was not the best, Peter used the flash light to create different effects.
In some pictures, he lets the flash be in the picture to give the picture dynamism.

Thanks to the long flash duration of the HS head, the spokes of the wheels are blurred due to motion blur, which adds speed to the image.

For interior shots, Peter often uses the ELB 500 TTL. The super-compact lamp head makes it easy to hide the flash in the picture and the possibility of using the lamp head without a reflector gives enormous light spread at a short distance.

When a few rays of sunlight broke through the clouds, Peter skillfully combined lightning and sun for nice reflections.

Close-ups of the Audi TT RS's cool interior.

No day is the same for Peter in his work as a car photographer. Weather and environment place very high demands on the equipment in terms of function and design.

With Elinchrom's ELB system, Peter has found a flash system that meets his expectations. High reliability, extensive accessory program and compact size.
The size itself is particularly important for a photographer who spends thousands of miles a year on the road with the entire studio in the car.