General introduction to cycling photography, full of tips and advice on getting memorable pictures of memorable rides.
Of course Suite101 has lots of dedicated photography pages, and for general advice on everything from buying cameras to technical issues like depth of field or JPEG versus RAW format, they’d be the place to go.
However, photography for cyclists raises several particular issues. And we are specifically talking about taking pictures when you’re out riding a bike. Standing at the roadside to see the Tour de France go by, or even shooting it from the back of a motorbike like the pros do, is another thing entirely. There are specific shooting techniques that often help, and it’s also worth thinking about the best way to carry a camera when you’re riding, but there’s something even more basic to think about first.
The basic issue is this: you have to stop to take pictures. There can be exceptions to this rule; it certainly is possible to shoot from the saddle, but most of the time it isn’t advised - certainly not on roads shared with other traffic, nor on tricky mountain bike trails. Most of the time, both for safety and to get the best pictures, stopping is essential.
Make Your Stops Count
This is definitely a bigger issue in cycling than most other activities. When walking, for instance, you might just break stride for a moment or two; it’s nowhere near as irksome as jamming on the brakes, pulling in to the side of the road, getting off the bike and finding somewhere to put it. If you love to ride, you don’t want to do this every five minutes, so make every stop count. This means thinking about the shots you want, and more particularly, thinking ahead. Great photos depend, above everything else, on
- Being in the right place at the right moment.
- Being ready with the camera.
But being in the right place at the right moment is not just a matter of luck, but forethought.
Stopping to photograph a great view is one thing (the top of a climb is often a good place, but not always the best). But if you ride with friends, or a club, you’ll probably want photos of them. Of course if you simply pull into the side, they’ll probably all have gone sailing by before you’re ready, leaving you with a distant view of rapidly diminishing rear ends. Wouldn't you rather see some smiling faces - or even grimacing from the effort on a climb?
Think Ahead - Ride Ahead
This is where thinking ahead really counts. If you think there’s a good spot coming up, it’s time to sprint ahead - well ahead - stop to take the shot as they come towards you, and then sprint again to catch up. Well, it’s good training. Alternatively, especially if you’re a leisurely-riding group, you could just ask them to slow down a bit!
This can be less of a hassle on mountain-bike rides, where you naturally tend to string out a bit anyway, than on road, where you are more likely to ride in a compact group. But still you need to be out in front before you hit the bits with the best views or greatest technical interest (which often translates as ‘the place where X is most likely to fall off’).
This all underlines another point: cycling is fast. It shows in the way that everyone can sweep past you before you’re quite ready to shoot. It also shows in another way: it’s all too easy to get blurred pictures, or to miss the action entirely. The point is clear: unless you’re happy with static posed shots, or you get everyone to ride at walking pace (which often looks unnatural anyway), cycling photography is real action photography.
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