All scenarios
Car
Medium
Cars are big mirrors. Where you stand and when you shoot matters more than settings.
Lenses that suit this: 24-70mm for the whole car; 35-50mm for detail shots without distortion.
The guide
Static shots
1/125–1/250s, f/5.6–f/8, ISO 100–400. A narrower opening keeps the whole car sharp from nose to tail.
Golden hour
Shoot in the hour after sunrise or before sunset. Hard midday sun creates ugly reflections and harsh highlights.
Reflections
Look at what the paint is reflecting, not just the car. Move a few steps to swap a cluttered reflection for a clean sky.
Panning shots
Try 1/60–1/125s, follow the moving car smoothly with your body and keep shooting. The car stays sharp while the road blurs.