What’s the cyclist looking at?

Instead of just taking a landscape photo, try including your cycling partner looking at the scenery – it definitely gives a more “personal touch” to the photo and shows others the type of landscape you cycled through on your trip.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Horizon

Try placing the horizon near the top or the bottom and not in the middle of your picture. For example, in the first photo – the low horizon emphasizes the vast deep blue sky, whereas in the second picture your attention is drawn to the dry grey desert.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.


Rule of thirds

Photos often look better when the cyclist isn’t centred. Try imagining your picture with four evenly spaced lines on it, and then place the bicyclist on one of the lines.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Leading line

With a leading line you bring the viewer’s eye to the point of interest.

In this image the white line brings your eye up to the cyclist.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Rest stops

A western cyclist leans against a building with an Indian bicycle painted on it during a bicycle tour of South India.
Why not take extra rest stops in characteristic / beautiful places? They sure make great photo opportunities.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Diagonal line

a blue cyclist pedals through the grey desert in Utah.The diagonal line of this desert road helps draw the viewer’s eye through the image. It also adds a sense of action and a dynamic look to the photo.

To take a slanted road shot, stop your partner and have them wait while you search for an interesting camera perspective. Once you have found it, either just signal to your partner to start pedaling again so that you can take their picture.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Continuous mode

Use the camera in continuous mode when you want to capture someone speeding past, as this increases your chances of getting a well-composed shot.

For example, in this photo, I was able to capture the cyclist just entering the photo frame since continuous mode was already running.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Hotel rooms


In hotel rooms, try taking pictures of daily routines such as route planning, reading a book and washing clothes. Also be on the lookout for original camera standpoints such as reflections in a mirror, shooting between ceiling fan blades or even using your bicycle as the foreground object.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Scanning the road


When you come across some beautiful scenery alongside the road, first look up and down the road to find the point from which you want to photograph the bicyclist. Next, look past the camera to see if your partner is approaching that point. You are now prepared and can push the shutter button at the right moment.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Cycling self portraits


For better-composed solo riding photos, consider investing in a remote control. The image right was made by setting up the camera tripod, then deciding at which point I wanted to photograph us bicycling. I marked it with a small twig and we set off. Upon reaching the twig – I pressed the remote control button to get the shot.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Sense of place

Cycle touring isn’t just about racing up and over mountain passes. Experiencing new cultures is another important aspect and shooting images of your partner pedalling past medieval churches, temples, and through ancient archways is a good way to remember that experience.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Edit

To end up with great pictures, shoot from many different perspectives, camera standpoints and even try completely new shots.

Once you are finished, ruthlessly edit and delete photos until you have one that best captures the scene. In other words, an important part of being a good photographer is to only show your best images.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Ugh, his eyes are closed.

Yay!, he’s smiling for the camera.


Kids

When photographing kids, you have to work quickly. Children have a short attention span and after a couple of minutes they will lose interest and start looking around for other things to do. Try holding their attention by asking questions, making funny faces or even pointing at one of them while stating the name of the local sports hero. In India, the kids love cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. They instantly smile when you imply that one of their friends will be the next ‘Sachin’.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Pictures of your bike


A bicycle is more than just a metal frame with rubber tires – it’s your traveling partner. Of course, you want to take photos of it. An easy way to do that is to look for buildings with colorful decorations. Place your two-wheeler near the decoration or painting – preferably against a section of plain colored wall, and snap away.

Cass Gilbert has popularized the ‘frontal’ style of bike photography as seen above. Why not also shoot pictures from different angles as pictured below?

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.

Bright colors

Many cyclists wear dark colored clothing since it’s great for hiding dirt. Yet it also hides them when they’re photographed from a distance.

A little red cyclist pedaling through monumental scenery is a theme that I began shooting in the 1990’s. Other bicyclists have since emulated this style, but why not try taking the idea further.

Gold and orange shirts also show up well against dark landscapes. These colors are better than red when taking close-up pictures of your cycling partner since too much red can overpower your image.

Download our free Bicycle Touring Photography guide. It’s full of tips and tricks that will aid you in shooting better cycling images.