I saw this post this morning on the FB Group – and realised that I was reading things I had read before – as with so many things – there are clearly a set of unwritten rules regarding ‘Photographing Your Bike’.
“Nice backdrop, but the bike, oh the bike. It’s all wrong. You need to take a leaf out of Mark‘s composition book. Big ring, always take the picture in the “Big Dawg”. Cranks, vertical. Use your iPhone to level if necessary. Tyres! You’re letting us down, they are not lined up. Get them logos aligned to the valves. Whilst you’re at it line the wheel logos up for the photo too. At least your bottles are matching. Saddle bag? What’s that all about?“
— Darren Wareing
Let us assume you have the perfect day, the perfect vista, lite, lets pull this apart lets address these points top down – stuff sun behind you, no shadows in the frame and the Thirds Rule – this is important:
Chainset – Big Ring and mid cassette – nothing too cross chained;
Cranks – vertical. Always;
Tyres – Logo to valve, symmetric in image (rule #40);
Beverages – cages and bottles matching;
Saddle bag – seriously consider are you *that* rider (rule #29).
The summer is almost upon us… for heavens sake, lets not waste any of that blue sky and glorious long bright days with shoddy images people! Happy Snapping.