We’ve all been there; you’re out on an amazing cycling trip, the weather’s behaved itself, you’ve taken in some fantastic views, and you’ve enjoyed the ups as much as the downs. But then you get home, settle down to look at your photos and everything feels a bit…. flat? The photos on your screen just don’t do the trip justice and they don’t even begin to capture the feeling you had when you were out there, so what went wrong?
We think of photography as something that anyone can do, you just point and click, right? But there’s something about cycling photography that makes it notoriously difficult, maybe because there are so many different elements to capture, including action, movement and emotions.
We’ve put together some simple tips to make sure your next cycling trip is insta-ready, whether you’re out cycling with the family, or bikepacking with friends.
1. KNOW YOUR CAMERA
Familiarise yourself with your camera’s strengths and weaknesses and get to know the settings, whether you have a trusty DSLR with a choice of lenses, or an all singing, all dancing action camera. Taking a photo of a stationary subject is different to trying to capture a moving object, so this is when shutter speeds and ISO need to be at their maximum levels. You also need to make sure you have enough storage as you’ll probably be taking lots of shots, so you might want to increase your storage capacity with an SD card. The very nature of cycling photography means you’ll need to shoot fast and experiment with different apertures.
2. THE RIGHT ANGLE
One way to make sure your photos stand out is to choose an angle that’s a little bit different, whether that’s shooting from higher up, or low down on the ground, taking an extreme close-up of a rear gears, or an odd angle as someone is taking a bend. Think about what you want the viewer to see, do you want the cyclist riding into the shot, or out of it? You could also try panning, which will take some practice but is a very effective way of capturing something in motion. Have a look at photos in cycling magazines, or big road race coverage such as the Tour de France for inspiration for unique angles, and don’t feel you have to stick to any rules, experiment.
3. EDITING
Whether or not you edit is an individual choice, but even the bare minimum of adjustment can really improve an image. Look at it closely and try to decide which feature stands out to you, and what might make the image more interesting; sometimes that can be something as simple as making it black and white, or cropping it. Play around with it and experiment, there’s plenty of editing software, or apps, out there, such as Adobe Lightroom. It often helps to think about how you were feeling when you observed the scene you captured, was it light-hearted? Tired? Uncertain? Disheartened?
4. LIGHTING
Time and place play a huge role in capturing the perfect shot, and a lot of this is down to the lighting at certain times of the day and in certain places. Some photographers prefer an afternoon shot, when the sunlight is low and there are better contrasts or reflections, but everyone’s idea of what great light looks like is different but look for what catches your eye; what feels right for you. Lighting can change the mood of an image, which in turn affects the narrative behind it; for example, soft light feels gentler and less intense than a harsh light, and a subject lit from the back has a different feel to something that’s front-lit. We have less control over natural light, which is what you’ll be dealing with when photographing cycling, but it can be more mood-provoking.
5. DON’T JUST CAPTURE THE GOOD STUFF
Sometimes the best photographs are the ones that capture the ‘real’ moments, as opposed to the times when everyone’s smiling and you’re not battling the elements. So don’t just wait for a photo of you all on the flat, smiling, on a sunny day, get a shot of someone sweating and grimacing as they walk their bike up a steep pass in the mist, or as they’re half in the shade as they come out of a tunnel – these are the moments that capture a great trip.
We hope these tips are useful as you head out on your next trip, the most important thing is to have fun with it. As with cycling, you won’t be an expert cycling photographer straight away so start off simple, get lots of practice in and be prepared for a few trips where things may not go to plan – although these are often the ones that produce the most interesting photo opportunities. And as with cycling, laugh at your mistakes and celebrate your successes.
Having the right equipment is key, but camera equipment doesn’t come cheap so it might be a good idea to have a look at camera insurance that you can tweak to fit around your photography – whether that’s as professional work, or a part-time hobby, this means you’re only paying for the cover you need.
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