Video by Seth Alvo, Article by Daniel Sapp
Have you ever wondered why photos of bikes you see on a website or in a magazine look so damn good? Is it the camera? Is it the fact that it’s a professional athlete’s finely tuned race bike, or is it simply brand new? Maybe it was photographed in a studio? Photoshopped? Maybe…While it surely could and very well may be one or a combination of several of those factors, in reality, it’s usually more about the rules. Yes, the rules.
For years, I’ve attempted to take seemingly perfect bike photos. Having reviewed and bike-checked hundreds of bikes during my time working in bicycle media, I’ve spent a lot of time with this. So when Seth asked me how you’re ‘supposed’ to take a photo of a bike, I had a few thoughts.
Ask anyone who is being compensated for taking a photo of a bike, and the answer you get for the correct way to do it will be different for everyone. However, there are some standards that “the industry” tends to adhere to. While there may be some small discrepancies from one person to another, you’re more or less going to get similar answers, some more nuanced than others. Most importantly, those small details aside, if you follow the rules, you’re going to end up with a really good and, most importantly, consistent photo.
