Photographing Bicycles as Art

In the first post in this series we discussed some tips about taking documentary images of bicycles. While that is a very good place to start, there is so much more to bicycles than just a sum of it’s components. Bicycles are one of the most efficient and elegant machines mankind has ever created. So why not show off just how beautiful bicycles really are. (Please note that most of the images in this article are not mine and I did attempt to get permission to use them, as a result some of the images may change over time.) We are not professional photographers but dabble in both photography and cycling. Do not take this article as the gospel on artistic bicycle photography but rather a starting point to spur your imagination.

The first thing to note about taking an artistic image of your bicycle is that it is “not about the bike.” As any real estate professional will tell you, “location, location, location,” sometimes it is the setting in which your bicycle is photographed. Take for example the following images:

This bicycle is not extraordinarily beautiful, but placed in the right setting it can be a beautiful image. Everyone knows that cycling is as much about the journey and destination as it is about the bicycle. If you truly feel this way then take your camera along for the ride and use it along the way and when you finally arrive at where you were headed in the first place.

Some things to remember about destination photography:

1. Make sure the background is interesting.
   As opposed to documentation where plain backgrounds are  preferred, make sure there is visual interest in the destination, but also make sure that there is not too much distraction directly in the line of sight of the bicycle, after all we are looking at the bicycle.
2. Use the “rule of thirds.”
   A basic tenet in photography is to divide your image in thirds, both vertically and horizontally and place your subject of interest at the intersection of one of those thirds. This general rule makes most pictures visually appealing.
3. Focus on the bicycle.
   May times when taking images that include scenery it is all too easy to allow the camera to autofocus on the background and then we end up with a soft image of the actual subject, the bicycle! This is not too much of an issue with cell phone images or small Point & Shoot camera as they usually have incredible depth of field. Just be careful when using a DSLR to watch for this.

Artistic expression may also be displayed by the perspective used to display your bicycle. If we get down low to the ground and shoot up through the spokes, shooting from overhead, highlighting certain parts of the bike, getting real close (macro photography), or even the creative use of lighting can all be used to highlight just how beautiful the bicycle is. Take a look at some of these examples:

The first image here uses perspective to provide visual interest to the bicycle.

This image uses an overhead vantage point and highlighting a particular part of the bicycle, in this case the handlebars, to display the sweeping curves and beauty.

Taking a photograph of just a specific part on a bicycle can relate the beauty inherent in the component choices.

Intricate designs in decals, frame lugs or any other part of the frame itself can lend artistic flair to your bicycle images

Creative use of lighting can make any bicycle look like a one of a kind masterpiece.

When it comes to artistic expression and your bicycle, you are really only limited by your imagination. Tools used in post processing can also provide the punch to make an ordinary image into a spectacular image. Don’t forget to look at interesting locations as backdrops for your masterpiece, not every image need be taken in front of a slab of concrete or garage door. The most important thing to remember is to have fun, after all isn’t that what cycling is all about.

If you have any suggestions or tips on how to make your bicycle images more artistic please share them here with us. We are always looking at how we can improve our picture taking ability.