Picture tips, by Russ Watson...

[Russ]

I’d like to share with you the tips I learned from BiciSport Magazine, about how to take pictures of your road bikes. Remember, those Italians are into style, so let’s follow their instructions and let’s make our forum gallery the best bike picture gallery out there!

Tips:

1) Choose a flat, even-colored background, such as brick, wood or stucco wall. An overcast sky is also very good. However, a blue sky may not be best if you have a bike of similar colors.

2) Make sure the wheels, bar tape and frame are visually clean.

3) Position the bike heading to the right, so that the drive train is visible, and make sure the handlebars are straight.

4) Do not lean your bike against any vertical object or near objects such as trees, light posts, etc. This would interrupt the flow of the picture. Use the handle bars to support the bike to the surface, or better yet, a small object that can be concealed behind the rear wheel such as a small metal rod. Old Mavic Zircal spokes have been useful for this.

5) Position of the bike parts:
A) Wheels:
a) If the wheels have a visible brand make sure it is positioned so it is not upside down and easy to read.

B) Tires:
a) The labels on the tires should be centered to the valve of the tubes and facing you.
b) The valves of the tubes should be at the 6:00 O’clock position.

C) Components:
a) The right crank arm should be at the 5:00 O’clock position so that the left arm is hidden behind the down tube.
b) Place the chain in the highest gear, for instance 53 x 11, so that your chain is stretched and the rear derailleur is extended and fully visible.
c) Saddle: unless you are DBRK*, or have a bike that was ridden by Fausto Coppi, go ahead and RAISE your saddle to make the bike look fast! Don’t forget to mark your original saddle position!

6) Take two or three pictures as follow:
a) One main, side picture to display the whole bike and drive train. When taking this picture, center the bike on the frame as much as possible, and try to fill the entire frame. However, make sure you do not cut any part of the bike from the picture! Watch for the wheels and the crank set.
b) Leave anything that does not belong to the bike itself out of the picture. We know you love your pets and/or kids, but others may not care.
c) Take another picture to show the front end of the bike
d) Take another picture to show the bike from behind, as if it was riding away from you.
e) Finally, take close ups pictures of parts of the bike you want to show us. A computer, specialty brakes, decals, etc.

Remember; use a flash, even when you (or your camera) do not think that you need to. The flash works really well in daylight by helping get rid of unwanted shadows and it also helps create sharp pictures and bring your bike colors to shine! Take a look at some of the pictures from Graham Watson, rarely will you see shadows in the faces or bodies of riders and the metal parts of the bike, such as the spokes, look shiny and bright…
If you have access to Photoshop or a similar program, use it to edit your picture and to correct or improve any flaws in your pictures.

If you have questions or if you wish further I help posting your pictures, please PM me here at the forum. For an example of this photo taking techniques, see this post!

Best,

Avispa

* This is my own editorial comment. This was NOT on the magazine article!

[Keith A]

Thanks for the photo tips.

[Russ]

nm

[Ahneida Ride]

Russ

I hope Uncle Ben actually uses customers bikes in next
years catalogue.

What a great concept !!!!

Russ,

Great tips. I'll use them for the new C-III when it's done. Do you know how to put multiple pcitures in the same reply?

Don

[Russ]

Originally posted by DonG
Great tips. I'll use them for the new C-III when it's done. Do you know how to put multiple pcitures in the same reply?

Don,

The way I loaded more than one picture was by putting one URL next to the other, like this:

{http://myserver.com/russ/pictures/bike_one.jpg}
{http://myserver.com/russ/pictures/bike_two.jpg}
{http://myserver.com/russ/pictures/bike_three.jpg}


I am using curly brakets here to show you the example, on the forum, just hit the "IMG" (insert image) button and place the pictures one after the other...

Another way you may do this is edit ALL the pictures into one collage using Photoshop. However, this may create an image that is too large.

Let me know if you need further help via forum message.

Russ - thanks. I had been using the attache file route. I'll try the IMG route when I'm ready. The cranks are supposed to be in Tuesday so . . . hopefully this weekend will be the one.

Don

[RDP]

Russ,

What digital camera are you using and what resolution do you use in your compositions? Good eye BTW.

Richard

[Russ]

Originally Posted by RDP

What digital camera are you using and what resolution do you use in your compositions?Richard

Richard,

I have a Nikon CoolPix 5700. I take most pictures in JPEG format at 2500 x 1875 8 bit resolution, which is "medium" for this camera. This, however, makes a huge file that is hard to upload or open if you do not have a well equiped computer (lots of RAM, large monitor, etc.).

So, I normally work with Photoshop and reduce the images to 1280 x 764 with high (8 bit) resloution. The images that I have posted in the forum are 800 x 600 at 8 bit, which makes them smaller, but very nice and sharp!

Hope this helps...

[RDP]

Russ,

Thank you for the details.....I should upgrade my camera and learn how to take a good photo. I do not have the patience to take a good shot yet. The sharpness of your images is impressive. Really brings out the aesthetics of your subject.

Thanks for the help.

[Sacha White]

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[Sacha White]

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[shinomaster]

Originally Posted by Sacha White

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?

[Wayne77]

!

[dirtdigger88]

[IMG][/IMG]

Jason