In an age where photography seems to be an integral part of our lives and sharing images of everything we do on Instagram is commonplace, it’s no surprise that bike pictures are beloved.
Between shooting hundreds of bike photos for reviews and print features for Bicycling as well as photographing cycling with friends, I’ve learned a few tricks. Here are some tips to strengthen your bike images and to keep your riding buddies and followers inspired.
Location, Location or No Location?
Many rides will take you to amazing places where you’ll find great backdrops like murals, mountain views, farmland, coffee shops, that perfect switchback... you get the picture. Just be careful not to have too busy of a background.
Not every ride will take you to a scenic vista, but that shouldn’t stop you from snapping a quality bike photo of your trusty steed. Even if the route seems bland, I’ve always found one of the most reliable backdrops to be a simple rise in the road. It not only works well to show off the bicycle, but also maintains an authenticity.
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Use Technology
I recommend using a “real” camera if you have one. But with today’s super techy phones, it’s easier than ever to snap a good photo. Newer iPhones/Pixels even feature a portrait mode or manual controls that can be used to achieve a shallow depth of field or bokeh (blur) effect. Take the time to lightly edit your bike picture before posting. Don’t go overboard adding filters or adjusting settings. Adding just a little contrast and a touch of sharpening goes a long way.
The Pro Look
Ever wonder why photos you take of your brand new bike don’t look as good as the bike being ridden by the real pros? Much like wearing the right length socks and a proper fitting kit, the answer often lies in the details. To help get that extra clean look, put your valve stems at either 6 or 12 o’clock (I prefer 6), make sure the chain is in the big ring and your camera is facing the drive side of the bike.
You can also shift the rear cassette to the middle of the cassette, so the chain runs parallel to the ground. Bonus points for matching bottles and cages. These are little details you might not have noticed, but I can assure you design-savvy viewers will, and they will be appreciated.
The Magic Standing Bike
Use a small stick to prop the bike up (crop it out if you can, with Photoshop or other editing app) or make your riding buddy hold the bike and, on your count, briefly let go for the photo—get the timing right and it will look like your bike is magically frozen upright on the trail or road.
Quick Tip:
Find the light.
Quick Tip:
Shoot a variety of compositions. You don’t always have to show the whole bicycle.
More Quick Tips:
Play with the shapes and textures of the bike. For example, if you just rode your first bit of gravel, show a detail of the dirt on the frame or tires.
Show what makes the bike yours. Maybe you have a special sticker or top cap. Highlight these features to help stand out from the crowd.
Before and after shots tell a story. On a rainy ride, show the bike before it’s muddied up, and after, and again after you’ve cleaned it.
Show the “outtakes.” Off-the-bike moments of your ride can be just as authentic as the action shots.
Have a riding buddy snap a photo of you riding your beloved bicycle.
The Most Important Tip!
Enjoy the ride! If you are too focused on making a photo of your bike rather than riding your bike, you are doing it wrong and your friends will likely hate you. If you are enjoying yourself, taking photos along the way, solid images will likely follow.
Trevor Raab is the staff photographer for Runner’s World and Bicycling, a CAT 1 cyclocross racer, and, occasionally, a product reviewer for the Test Team. He fits the typical “how I got in to bikes” story: his dad introduced him to mountain bikes when he was a kid, then he had a stint as a skateboarder in high school, and since 2011 he’s been riding every sort of bike he can find.
