Someone asked how to do this from another topic, so here goes, i'll add pics 4 most of the way
19pics all up, everything was done in Photoshop, i'll add the original pics to this post if any1 else wants 2 try
When i did this in Photoshop, i was being kind of lazy, i didn't zoom in to get the edges perfect, i'm not fussed as i'm just messing around, if you want it to look really good, take the time and zoom in as much as you can on the area your working on.

Finished Photo
 final_bonnet.jpg ( 411.39K ) Number of downloads: 90


Originals: open the pics, then right click on them and click 'Save Image As'
 orig_bonnet_open.jpg ( 208.19K ) Number of downloads: 31

 orig_bonnet_close.jpg ( 212.64K ) Number of downloads: 19





you need 2 get 2 shots, lock your camera off on a tripod or something stable so it won't move.

Get the 1st shot, doesn't matter which 1 first (bonnet up or down)
DO NOT MOVE THE CAMERA AT ALL DURING THIS TIME, OR YOU"LL JUST GIVE YOURSELF MORE WORK FOR LATER
2nd shot is just the opposite to the 1st (with the bonnets)

use any program that can edit with layers and masks (good old Photoshop)

open both
 002.jpg ( 110.99K ) Number of downloads: 10


if you want to be lazy, hold down SHIFT & drag one on top of the other (ends up with one file and two layers)
holding down the SHIFT key centers the image
 004.jpg ( 257.71K ) Number of downloads: 11


Here you want to SAVE the file but with a different name (downside of being lazy ^^) if you don't change the file name, and you mess up the bottom layer and save, you would have just destroyed the original and it's not that easy to get back (esp if it's ur only copy, had this happen a few times )
so SAVE AS, call it what ever you like

I've got the bonnets open as the top layer

add a layer mask to the top layer
 005.jpg ( 103.46K ) Number of downloads: 6



should look something like this
 006.jpg ( 120.84K ) Number of downloads: 8


Select the Brush Tool
 007.jpg ( 155.64K ) Number of downloads: 4


change brush size
 008.jpg ( 251.27K ) Number of downloads: 5


change the brush opacity, if it's to strong, you might get a bit trigger happy and erase to much (you can always go back)
anywhere around 75% - 80%
 009.jpg ( 152.26K ) Number of downloads: 4


make sure the layer mask is still selected (i've missed this a few times, CTRL Z )
 010.jpg ( 68.91K ) Number of downloads: 1



down the bottom of the TOOLS window, make sure the foreground colour is set to Black, if it's set to White, you'll just paint nothing
 011.jpg ( 22.48K ) Number of downloads: 4


now with the brush tool, start painting out the parts you don't want
 012.jpg ( 200.6K ) Number of downloads: 11


now that you have discovered that this is all you really have to do, you might notice that you got a bit excited and erased to much, you see on the closest cars bonnet. ooopps now to fix that, back down the bottom of the TOOLS pallet, you'll need to change the foreground colour to white
 013.jpg ( 219.82K ) Number of downloads: 10


you might want to make the brush size a bit smaller, or not, then just paint out CAREFULLY the bad bits
 014.jpg ( 174.16K ) Number of downloads: 6


so that could b an easier way to get a photo of your car with the bonnet off
 015.jpg ( 216.27K ) Number of downloads: 8


if you want that smoked bonnet look, heres how, back down to the bottom of the TOOLS pallet, make sure the colour is set to black
 016.jpg ( 16.23K ) Number of downloads: 1


turn your brush OPACITY down, if it's to high, then when you try to paint your bonnet back on, it will look to dark, and you'll lose the effect your going for
 017.jpg ( 58.12K ) Number of downloads: 1


then just paint over where the bonnets should be, try and use the BRUSH tool like a brush, pick 2 points and paint for one to the other, should give you a more even look
 018.jpg ( 178.72K ) Number of downloads: 24



Finished Pic is at the TOP


Now i can stop typing this, as it taken me longer to type this post than the Photoshop work

Anyone wants to add, feel free, this is just a very quick example
Once you do this a few times, it will get real easy
Enjoy

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lol wicked, lol yep evrybody thats my r32 in the pics

sssshhh steve, your giving away all the good secrets

lol nice job, yeh it is a good technique, depending on how confident with p/shop u are u can get some amazing effects

top job, might have a look at giving it a go lol

haha, yeah twisty, gotta share the wealth

thought i should give something back as i've learned a lot about my car from these forums

i tried this quick whilst watching a movie, its a bit hard using the laptop thumbpad lol instead of a mouse but ill refine it later,


its my brothers r33,

 kieransPS.jpg ( 669.83K ) Number of downloads: 24

looks THE shit

lol damn thumb pads, but u got the right idea, might i suggest (assuming ur using p/shop) use the eraser tool, set it to a quite large setting, about 1/8th the size of the bonnet, and change the eraser type to the one that fades around the edges, that should give you a nice even fade in/out between the bonnet and the engine:D

Did this to a mates 31... not the best pics but it was fun, to do it properly I'd need a wider angle close up shot and probably make the middle almost 100% see thru.