My first real Photo Shoot - Audi TT

Moro Blue Audi TT Coupe, originally uploaded by hermanau.

The pressure was on, and I was seriously getting quite nervous. I found a few guys over the Internet willing to show up with their rides for a photo shoot last week at my "private studio". I had Bernard with me that night who really relieved me from quite a bit of stress and pressure helping out and shooting as well.

I planned things out pretty well and tried to get as much all thought out as I could, but still there were things that went unexpected. Instead of the 2 cars we scheduled, we had 4 showing up. No big deal really, but it wasn't easy when time was limited while we did not want the shoot to go endlessly. And then I struggled a bit with the 2 cameras with me and managing the tripod, while still trying to coordinate the cars and communicate with the owners all at the same time when the primary thing I wanted to do was to shoot. I also made mistakes here and there when I had so many things on my mind, while there were distractions around particularly when there were others driving around the lot being silly... some guy with a modified car was revving his engine being stupid; some other guys drove up to the empty lot with unknown intentions; and later 2 cops also showed up but was being nice and didn't interrupt at all and actually waved at us. I actually felt better that knowing there were law enforcements around... :)

But here are the results... this is particularly the one shot I liked the most. After many, many experimental shots shooting everything, endlessly looking for inspirations from magazines and the Internet, and portraying different angles and scenarios all in my head randomly, I think I'm finally getting to a point where I feel comfortable to proudly call this my work.



Big thanks to all 4 owners who were very cooperative throughout the 3 hour process, putting up with my endless request of moving the cars, turning the wheels, etc. I'm also very glad that everything went under control and everybody was very friendly.

On a side note, I developed some of my pictures at Target and I find the whole service very impressive and easy to use. From my home computer to flickr to picking up at a local Target = 1 hr? AND the quality was better than what we got from Samy's? That's an easy call for me... :) Be sure to try it out flickr users!

on a side note, some of my work of this Audi Shoot is published here on German Car Blog

Shot with Sigma 105mm Macro, Nikon D50

I have a few shots published on flickr from the shoot last week with a few friends of mine. This probably is the last one with my car in the same lot since I think I've gotten enough practice with the place and I'm ready for the real thing. I'm getting more comfortable with my different arsenal of lens and how to get the shots I want. Although I must admit that there are some angles with the wide angle that I still don't feel perfectly comfortable with. Anyway, next week I have my first shoot coming up with some new cars, stay tuned. :)


Shot with Tokina 12-24mm wide angle with Nikon D70

This was shot with my wide angle lens on the 20mm end for less distortion. It appears to work pretty well but I still see that slightest distortion that makes me want to try the 24mm end next time. The light that I decided to include when I shot this seem to work pretty well with the HDR effect.


Shot with Sigma 105mm @ F/5.6 ISO200 with Nikon D50

Subaru Impreza WRX

Subaru Impreza WRX, originally uploaded by hermanau.

rmed with the proper tools, I went back to my favorite HDR location last night hopefully to get a little inspiration. Knowing the right spots this time, I got lazy and stopped exploring and started exploiting my favorite spot with my dirty car.

It took me a while and 2 attempts to get the post processing of this to look the way I anticipated. Although this may still not be perfect, but it made to my personal favorite HDR shot I've made so far. It took me a while to get the color to look right fumbling with my D70 at night (even after the fact that I snapped 10 shots to try to get the color balance right, it still came out to be off), but then I think the effort is worth it.

Featuring my Subaru WRX wagon that has a long list of modifications that I'm sure you don't know to know. :-)

Upcoming BMW 1 Series

All I can is WOW... BMW is seriously redefining the art of consumer level automotive design. I don't entirely love every part of the car, but just try to get a pencil and trace the lines of the car and see how much work and attention to details they put into their craftsmanship and design work... I especially love the height of the trunk that they seem to be trying to go back to design/looks > trunk volume, or they figured out a better way to hide the big trunk and manage to keep a better looking trunk shape without hindering the rear view. Also notice the extremely small overhang in the front and how the front of the bumper and hood cuts off beautifully from this angle. Argh... why aren't they selling the 1-series in the US...? :-)

General Motors Corp.'s first-quarter profit fell 90 percent compared with a year ago, citing losses in the home lending operations of its former financial arm.

It was the second consecutive quarterly profit for the nation's largest automaker, which said in Thursday's report it had record vehicle sales worldwide and improvements in its automotive operations in the latest quarter.

But the profit of $62 million, or 11 cents a share, for the January-March period was down from $602 million, or $1.06 per share, a year ago.

Its earnings excluding one-time items fell short of Wall Street expectations and its shares fell nearly 4 percent in midday trading.

The company attributed the year-over-year decline to losses in the residential mortgage business of GMAC Financial Services. GM sold a 51 percent stake in GMAC to private equity investors last year, but still owns a 49 percent stake in the business.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070503/ap_on_bi_ge/earns_gm

Wow... how do you drop your quarterly profit by 90% comparing to the previous year and still stay in business? *hats off* The American automotive never fail to impress me with their creativity and ability to defy logic and "mysteriously" stay alive. Since I'm always so negative about everything and able to point out the most obvious flaws common people seem to ignore, let me be the 349749393th person to say this: You're only your own victim of trying to sell crappy products using the American brand! You're running a business based on numbers instead of proudly making a product with passion! It's the year 2007 and we're talking about Global economy here, and the rest of the world out there does not buy your crappy products just because it's American made!

Bugeye WRX Wagon

02 Subaru Impreza WRX, originally uploaded by hermanau.

Alright, I'm trying some a little different on this shot. I actually took 7 shots of different exposure on this but I only used 4 of them. Instead of using a wide range of exposure to get a perfectly exposed shot all over, I actually managed to control the "feel" of the image and re-create the lighting environment, but dramatically enhance the feel of it to create this surreal dramatic lighted parking lot look. I actually like this shot the most out of all the HDRs I've made so far. It looks HDR'ish, but you'll question your eyes, and the lines that are usually quite subtle on the car is showing themselves with pride. :")

BMW 330i

Shirley's BMW 330i, originally uploaded by hermanau.

My 2nd HDR attempt. This time I talked to my friend to get his advice to clean up most of the distracting visual elements before uploading the final version. I'm confident that this is really really close to getting my HDR the right feel. I don't want my HDRs to scream out loud that they're HDR and want attention. I want to stay low right below the line where people will notice it's HDR... so here you go ;-)

My first HDR

Subaru WRX, originally uploaded by hermanau.

Finally got around to get my first ever successful HDR shot. I stopped by the parking lot of a close by theatre at night a couple days ago and took a series of shots including this one which I got 4 exposures. I've been trying different HDR techniques and failed miserably using Photoshop to create this type of shots. This time I read an article explaining the process in depth and clearly showed why the shot would turn out to be out of whack during the process. I just kinda closed my eyes and just ran past that obstacle and finally went back to Photoshop to recreate that original type of lighting back into the picture so that it's got a breathe of life instead of looking like a 3D image that looks over exposed. Oh and also the saturation was toned down by about 40!!! Tell me what you think... *smile*

Subaru WRX Wagon

Subaru WRX Wagon, originally uploaded by hermanau.

My first night parking lot shot. I've always wanted to try these but I don't have wide angle lens, and so I tried a few with my widest 28mm. That kinda limited myself to what I could shoot, but i'm quite pleased with the results. If you want to attempt this type of shot, make absolutely sure you have at least a half decent tripod, that would save you a world of headaches. If you don't have a remote or shutter cord, you could do what I did using a self timer. I set the timer to 2 seconds so i wouldn't have to keep waiting for 10 seconds for it to shoot.

2008 Subaru Impreza WRX

MotorTrend has revealed new images of the 2008 Subaru Impreza WRX and shocked the world. In merely one week, there has been 267,853 posts since the initial post date of 3/26 on the thread on nasioc.com, one of the biggest Subaru sites of North America. The news is so shocking mainly because of the tremendous disappointment in the design. Not only is it not ground breaking, it looks remarkably like the Mazda-3 in various angles and it's probably the least aggressive Impreza WRX to date. Comparing to the Mitsubishi Concept X design that seemingly is going to translate pretty well into production, this design is simply unforgivably horrible.

The one thing that absolutely needs to go is the grill design. Remember when the current Impreza design was released, it took the public quite a while to get used to the new nose design that was supposed to become a new corporate face of Subaru, somehow they seem to be changing their minds again. The hatch/wagon design in the MotorTrend illustration shown above, is showing that the fender lines that the wagon owners have been dying for all these years, is again missing. The entire car has boring lines, and the overall shape looks nothing more than a simple revamp of the current design with some DNA of the Mazda-3 in the mix.

At this point, all we can hope for is that these images are again another Internet hoax or it's an April fool joke.

Disclaimer: Image shown above is a repost of a scan of MotorTrend.
Note: You can track the results of a poll on nasioc.com about how badly received the design has been here. As of right now over 72% people are saying Nay to it.

4EAT WRX vs 5MT WRX

Definitely a good read, interesting insight in this post (sorry OP i can't find the original thread):

All of us are forgetting the main advantage of the Auto-WRX: the AWD system itself. When we talk of "Rally Proven", the "proof" is actually missing in the Manual-WRX. Here is the reason why:

The VTD-AWD system of the Auto-WRX is the most advanced AWD system of Subaru, with a true torsen (torque sensing) planetary gear center differential, which works in association with electronically controlled continuously variable multi-plate clutch-packs. The torque split is at 45/55, with a slight rear bias in power, in normal driving, unless more is needed front or back. This system equals in sophistication and effectiveness, the best AWD systems currently available in the market including the Audi Quattro (not the "Quattro" present in the Audi TT, which is inferior to the VTD-AWD). The VTD-AWD system is conceptually identical to the AWD system present in the World Rally Conquering Subarus, the significant difference being that the WRC cars have driver adjustable torque splits and are much more of a heavy duty kind. The hardware otherwise is identical in design. The Rally Subarus also have a true auto-manual transmission, which is actually a clutch-less manual, but the underlying AWD system is better adaptable to the Auto-WRX, not the manual-WRX, due to which the manual-WRX soldiers on with an AWD system that is essentially tractor-technology. "Gets the job done" but nothing to write home about.

The other Auto-Subarus do not have the torque-sensing center differential and drive more like a FWD car in normal driving.

The manual WRX on the other hand, has the same Viscous coupling AWD system present in all other manual Subarus, which is a reactive system, as opposed to the proactive nature of the VTD-AWD system of the Auto-WRX. The viscous fluid which is used to transfer torque front/back needs slippage before it can react and transfer torque. Also, since differential lock is acheived due to the viscous fluid being twisted (unlike the torque sensing incredibly sturdy planetary gear differential in the Auto-WRX), the torque-transfer is both slow and in-efficient. The AWD system of the manual WRX cannot be compared with the Audi Quattro or any other sophisticated AWD system. It does not have the breadth of operation (cannot transfer the amount of torque front/back like the VTD-AWD), the reactiveness (reacts slowly due to its very Viscous coupling nature) or the rapid torque transfer characteristics (due to the "reactive" nature of the system) of the VTD-AWD equipped Auto-WRX. With the Viscous coupling AWD system present in the manual-WRX, Subaru certainly would not be winning many rallys....just a heads-up.

Everything else remaining the same, I would have preferred a manual in the WRX. But in this particular case, everything else is not the same. Far, far from it. Let us face it - we admire these cars for their AWD systems and not for their "manual gear shift capability". So on that criteria, the Manual-WRX has a huge and glaring deficit.

About a year after I posted this, I actually went ahead and installed a modified torque converter by ProTorque to try to improve my WRX's low end power. The part cost me something around $500, and it cost me almost as much to have it professionally installed. The results are nothing short of impressive. It's very hard to describe how it performs differently, but let's just say that it feels like you're revving up your engine a bit while slowly releasing your clutch, and yes it feels just like that. It also allows you to brake-torque (holding your brakes while pressing the gas) to a higher RPM. I sometimes do it to about 2k-2.5k rpm and it makes the initial stop and go feel much stronger, and for the first time I can feel the AWD launch from an automatic.

After a while I got all used to it, and I figure the ride is too smooth and I can't exactly feel the turbo kicking in anymore. No lag is supposed to be a good thing, but driving a turbo car without the turbo lag makes me feel like something is wrong. I should have re-calibrated my butt-dyno, but I found a pretty good deal on a used VF30 and injectors, and did a turbo swap. A few hundred dollars later, I regained the turbo lag I originally hated and then got rid of. The car now has much stronger top end power and it can pull all the way to red line STRONG instead of tapering off somewhere around 5k with the stock TD04 turbo. It's now tamer, and more controllable, but once unleashed it's just ferocious and hard to control. Do I like it? Of course I'll never say no to power. But is it suitable for the roads and do I feel it's necessary, the short answer is no. It probably would be better to keep the TD04 and Torque Converter setup for everyday driving, but if it's a sunday car for you? Do it!

At the end of the day, I picked up a different interest and started my journey in photography. I still love my WRX, and I try to combine both interest and shoot cars as often as I can. But I think I came to the end of my journey in the endless quest of tuning my car. I might have done things differently if I had all the knowledge I gained from all this. But then again, today I'm driving a VF30 WRX that will not lose to a 5MT WRX... trust me, it's fast. :)

WRX model number clarification

What is "GDA", "GDB", "GGA", "GGB", etc.?
GDA - 2002+ Impreza WRX
GDB - 2002+ Impreza WRX STi
GGA - 2002+ Impreza WRX Wagon
GGB - 2002+ Impreza WRX STi Wagon
GDB-C - Current model (US 2004+) WRX STi

S202 - Limited Edition WRX STi. Light weight version. Came with Carbon Fiber rear spoiler, Volk wheels, lowered/uprated suspension, titanium exhaust and other performance/appearance differences.

Spec C - Ultra lightweight version of the Impreza WRX STi - Light weight Rally version.

Subaru WRX Wagon

Here's an interesting article that's worth reading a couple times :)

Road Tests: Follow-Up Test

Follow-Up Test: 2002 Subaru Impreza WRX Sport Wagon
Subaru Boosts its Versatile Compact Wagon
By Brent Romans
Date Posted 01-01-2002

We like the Audi S4 Avant. This 250-horsepower wagon has handsome styling, capable handling characteristics and a weather-beating all-wheel-drive system. Its more-than-$40,000 asking price actually seems worth it. Until one drives a Subaru Impreza WRX Sport Wagon, that is.

Subaru's fortunes have improved dramatically since its Spring 2001 introduction of the 2002 Impreza WRX. Equipped with a turbocharged engine and a sport-tuned suspension, this performance-minded Impreza has tapped into America's growing interest in sporty compact cars and expanded the awareness of the brand. The company's new tagline should be "Subaru: It's Not Just for Vermonters any More."

When Subaru decided to offer a WRX wagon along with the sedan, it wasn't quite sure how well the car would be received. Would Americans go for a hot-rodded compact station wagon, or did the wagon's last hope at being cool die in 1983 after Clark Griswold tied Aunt Edna to the top of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster?

So far, it seems Americans have given the WRX Sport Wagon a hearty thumbs up. Both the sedan and the wagon are selling briskly. Previously, we've driven the WRX sedan and the Impreza Outback Sport. We've given positive reviews to both, so logic would dictate that we'd like the WRX Sport Wagon, too. We acquired a Blue Pearl Sport Wagon and spent a week doing things we expect WRX owners to do, such as driving to work, heading to the mountains with gear in the back and, on a few occasions, beating the pants off other unsuspecting sporty cars.

There are very few mechanical differences between the WRX sedan and wagon. Both come with a turbocharged and intercooled 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine. This small dynamo packs 227 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 217 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. Impressive to be sure, but near idle, the engine's responses are dulled. There's turbo lag down low on the tachometer. Big happy mega fun time happens past three grand. Here, the turbo awakens, the extra boost pressure flows freely, and the engine pulls hard toward the 7,000 rpm redline.

Power is routed to all four wheels via a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic transmission. The WRX sedan we tested had the five-speed, so we were interested in the performance of our automatic-equipped wagon. While we don't recommend it for people looking for maximum performance, the auto certainly makes congested traffic much easier to bear. We did note that the transmission could stand some additional refinement, as shifts are a bit rough and downshifts don't occur promptly enough. Given the sporting nature of the WRX, Subaru would be wise to give the auto a sequential-shift mode similar to Porsche's Tiptronic.

From a standing start, the automatic amplifies the engine's sluggish low-end response. Step on the throttle after coming off the brake, and the WRX dribbles forward. In our first acceleration run, we recorded an unimpressive 0-to-30-mph time of 4.0 seconds on the way to an 8.7-second 0-to-60. Better results can be obtained by using a brake torque launch technique. This technique (for an automatic transmission only) is done by placing the transmission in drive, firmly applying the brakes with the left foot and applying ever-more throttle with the right. The brakes keep the car immobile while the engine spools up until it reaches the transmission's stall speed. Results vary depending on the type of powertrain, but the WRX responds quite well. Done this way, the WRX winds up to about 3,000 rpm and then shoots forward vigorously once the brakes are released. Our best acceleration run gave us a 0-to-60 time of 6.7 seconds with the quarter-mile occurring in 15.1 seconds at 89.0 mph.

The automatic also gives the WRX a different type of all-wheel-drive system. Manual-equipped cars have a simple but effective center differential-mounted viscous coupling. WRXs equipped with the four-speed automatic get Subaru's Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) all-wheel-drive system. Used in the WRX and the Outback H6 3.0 VDC, VTD employs an electronically controlled hydraulic transfer clutch and a planetary gear center differential to distribute power in a 45/55 split between the front and rear axles.

The VTD system uses multiple sensors to measure front and rear driveshaft speeds, throttle position and gear selection. Then it actively transfers power accordingly between the front and rear wheels for optimum traction and handling. Enter a turn under braking, and the system will bias the power toward the front for greater steering control. Lay on the throttle out of a turn, and the VTD will send the torque out back for maximum thrust; all of this done in a matter of milliseconds completely imperceptible to the driver.

While it didn't rain or snow during our time with the car (as is usually the case here in Los Angeles), we're confident in saying that the WRX's all-wheel drive adds an element of security. It works quietly behind the scenes, applying power where needed. Owners living in climates where there is actually weather should appreciate the increased traction.

Another useful feature is the WRX's ABS-equipped four-wheel disc brake setup. Our particular test car did not perform as well as we expected, with a 60-to-0-mph stopping distance of 131 feet, longer than the WRX sedan we tested. It was also longer than that of the Impreza Outback Sport we drove, and that car has rear drum brakes. We can't offer an explanation other than this particular car might have been an anomaly.

Taken to curvy roads, the WRX Sport Wagon provides a high level of driving entertainment. The wagon weighs just 80 pounds more than the sedan, and the automatic adds another 55 pounds, bringing the total to 3,220 pounds. This might seem a bit hefty for a compact, but consider that an S4 Avant weighs 3,704-pounds. In terms of suspension, the WRX Sport Wagon (as well as the sedan) has a MacPherson strut at each corner. It's a simple design, but Subaru's engineers have managed to tune the suspension quite well. Pitch it into a corner, and the car claws its way around. There's no wheelspin or loss of grip thanks to the all-wheel drive. The WRX's enduring appeal is that it can flatter the most ham-fisted pilot.

Through quick transitions, the wagon is not as sharp as the sedan, a result of a higher center of gravity and the thinner-diameter rear antiroll bar. We managed a 62.6 mph slalom speed, slower than the WRX sedan we tested. Our test driver did note, however, that the sedan had the optional 17-inch wheels and the 215/45R17 tires, while the wagon was stuck with the stock 16s with 205/55R16s. With the 17s, the wagon would have certainly posted better times. It is also interesting to note that the wagon has a slightly narrower track front and rear than the sedan.

Around town, the ride quality is comfortable enough, and the wagon is certainly more versatile than the sedan. It's roomier, with additional headroom given to both front and rear passengers. Rear passengers also get slightly more legroom. Being an Impreza, the WRX Sport Wagon is saddled with a few lackluster interior trim materials, but this is a minor complaint. Behind the rear seat, the wagon can hold 27.9 cubic feet of cargo. Folding down the 60/40-split rear seat increases that maximum amount to 61.6 cubic feet, more than the S4 Avant, the BMW 325i wagon and the Mazda Protegé5. If that's still not enough, the wagon's roof rack can be used to hold up to 100 pounds of gear (meaning it could support Aunt Edna's weight).

Not too shabby for a car with an MSRP of just over $24,000. Like the Impreza Outback, the WRX Sport Wagon is perfectly suited for people with an active lifestyle. Hiking, rock climbing, biking, surfing — pretty much any activity that requires more than a pair of shorts — can all be accommodated. And like the WRX sedan, the wagon has the power and the grip to compete against sport coupes like the Acura RSX Type-S and even high-end luxury wagons like the S4. It's the perfect blend, and for the money, you won't find a more capable sport wagon in 2002.

Wagon Body Kits

Wagon Spoiler!

Wagon body kits

BMW E30 M3

I remember a while ago I had a very strong urge of owning a BMW E30. I was still going to school and working part time, and I managed to save up a couple thousand dollars, ready to trade in my 94' Corolla DX for an even older car of my dream. The enthusiasm died down after I moved down to LA snapping back into reality. I forgot about the car and ended up purchasing a Subaru WRX Sports Wagon, and got deeply interested in automobiles. I started reading articles about cars, aftermarket parts, and even started doing hands on experiments on my car. It wasn't long until I realized I even regret picking the easy choice of an 4EAT WRX isntead of a manual. My desire for a sport utility AWD daily grocery driver soon turned out to be the ultimate sport utility Mustang and Ricer beater. All that has to stop at some point thou, I tell myself. That is when the money I spend into the car can no longer be justified. If I spend more money on the car including its original cost gets over the cost of getting a stock STi version, then it's no longer worth it. At least I am conscious enough to set a budget.