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How to take
pictures of your vintage bike
Updated 9.29.2022
Approach:
We assume the purpose of taking these images is to tell the
viewer as much as can be conveyed about this particular bike;
1.) It's cosmetic appearance, color(s), decals, chrome, pin
striping, etc.
2.) How it was constructed by studying frame details, lugs, dropout
junctures, etc.
3.) The specific components attached to the frame.
4.) It's physical condition
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Preparing the bike for
the "shoot".
1.) Thorough but gentle cleaning (unless you desire the "patina" to be
the subject of the pictures too.)
2.) Consider using a "low luster" ArmorAll type product
(silicon "protectant") on
almost every surface.
3.) Set bars, stem, saddle height & angle to a "normal"
arrangement.
4.) Replace or treat elements showing excess wear or
deterioration.
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Choosing the setting for taking pictures:
1.)
Outside in natural light is always best
- Look for a light colored &
minimally textured back ground.
- Good options include a concrete
wall, a solid painted wall.
- Bad options are foliage,
architectural complications, boulders & stones, highly
textured surfaces, etc.
2.) Use available light & avoid direct light (bright sun
is the least desirable) but with ample
ambient light.
3.) Level ground, similarly uncomplicated or minimally textured.

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Equipment needed:
1.) The assumption is that we are
not creating a studio (that would be nice though!) but using
what we can find, as described above.
2.) A "real" digital camera is preferred over a cell phone
(although they get better every day!)
3.) Use some sort of inconspicuous support for the bike. (might
be able to just lean it/position it against the wall?)
4.) Do not use the flash, but if possible, set your camera for low light
use. A tripod will help! (Exception: a "fill flash" can
sometimes work well but move relatively far away from bike to
avoid glare.)
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Shooting sequence:
1.) Try to shoot in a logical way, the way we look at bikes with
our eyes when studying them.
This set of pics illustrates this technique as well.
- First the overall look at the
complete bike
- then focus on the front end & all its details.
- follow the down tube to crank
- then back to rear derailleur or hub
- up to rear
brake
- on the seat stay "cluster", up to saddle
- then along top
tube back to handlebars.
- Then there is the other side, same
process!
2.) Include carefully composed close-ups of those features which
make up the bike's "personality" (lugs, dropouts, fork
crown, special decals, seat "cluster.).
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What to do with the pictures?
1.) Crop & edit the pictures for
composition, light & dark, contrast & color saturation. There
are many free programs, and one is possibly already included in
your computer.
2.) Save them in the largest format/resolution.
3.) Use one of the online picture hosting services to store
and refer people to them. Flickr
is a huge favorite, and Google now has free hosting for gmail users.
And there are others like Smugmug,
Imgur,
Imageshack, and probably more.
4.) Include the bikes dimensions and key features in your
picture album.
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