Classic Ford Mustang Photoshoot - Behind the Scenes

I have been waiting to find the perfect location to photograph my very own 1966 Ford Mustang and after a little research on Google Maps and making some calls, the wait is now over.  My dad and I purchased this car from a guy in California while I was a sophomore in high school.  Fun fact: It was shipped to us in an enclosed trailer right next to Mario Andretti’s Lamborghini.  My dad and I spent countless hours getting it to run and look like it does today, but that’s a whole other story to tell. 

Continue on for some details and photos from behind the scenes.

First of all, this was one hot day for the first week of September in Pennsylvania.  I remember it being in the 70’s the days leading up to this shoot.  On the day of the shoot, the temperature got up to 96 degrees and possibly higher.  Needless to say, we had plenty of water and shade on hand to keep ourselves cool.

This location is an area in Pennsylvania that is currently being strip-mined.  After a few calls, I was able to get the ‘OK’ from the property owner and locked in the location. 

When it’s possible, I really like to shoot tethered to a computer.  It’s a great way to see your results immediately, and it allows you to make any adjustments if necessary.  To minimize screen-glare on my Macbook, I used the carrying case for my Alien Bees Ring Flash as a make-shift screen tent. 

I also brought a tall ladder with me as I knew I wanted to try something a little different than shooting eye-level with the car.  I wanted to show the stripes of the car, and I had to get up high to do that.

I mainly used two lights for the shoot.  Although they’re not as powerful as I’d like, I do my best to make due with what I have.  In the end, the lights did their job, and I believe I came away with a pretty decent shot.

To get some variety, I made sure to get down from the ladder and shoot at various points of view.  Shooting video footage is my younger sister.  I tend to make shoots in Pennsylvania a family event.  She was bored at home so she volunteered to come assist with lights and video.  And of course, my dad is the one shooting all these BTS photos for the blog.  Thanks for all the help you two.  If only we had mom there serving ice cold lemonade and watermelon.

Despite the intense heat, it was a great shoot.  Since shooting the car, I’ve been lining up other automotive shoots with friends.  You’ll hopefully see more of this kind of work from me in the future.