Bicycle Rides - Aboard the Bike

[figbat]

View attachment 514451
A misty sunrise on the marsh road

I am merely an enthusiastic amateur photographer (although I do have a qualification - I gained an 'O'-level in photography in 1987). This image above is superb. Fantastic framing and composition but it is absolutely made by the tiny dot of the cycle light - it would be good without but this tiny detail really lifts it. I keep meaning to dust off my kit and go out photographing on the bike - my Nikon body has a built-in intervalometer plus I have an IR remote control. The main challenge for me is getting up early enough to catch the good light.

 

[hoopdriver]

Thank you For your kind words. I do try to make good use of the headlamp, and, to a lesser extent the taillight, in these sorts of images as it really does life the overall image.

You should get out your Nikon and head out into the morning light. Combining photography with cycling is a wonderful way to broaden your vision, see and appreciate the landscapes and street scenes around you In an entirely new way.

 

[hoopdriver]

It can be a little spooky sometimes venturing out all alone across the marshes on a dark and misty morning before dawn

 

[hoopdriver]

Sunrise caught me me on a hilltop....

 

[figbat]

Out of interest, can I ask at your hit rate? How many images were taken to get that one above? And what post-processing, if any, did you do?

 

[hoopdriver]

The hit rate really varies, depending on what it is I'm trying to do and the angles and light. Getting the body language right and positioning on the road is often the trickiest part, but that too gets better with practice. For this particular shot this morning, the strike rate was very high. I could take my pick of shots. I use a Canon 5D4 - the 61-point autofocus is a dream, as is its low-light capabilities.

I post-process in Lightroom. I don't do a lot of fiddling, mainly just contrast and exposure adjustments. I tend to prefer a softer colour palette - which can be hard to achieve on sunrises.

 

[figbat]

So that monochrome effect above was all in the camera, no colour/saturation adjustments or filters? Cool!

 

[hoopdriver]

So that monochrome effect above was all in the camera, no colour/saturation adjustments or filters? Cool!

It's not that hard to achieve a monochrome effect shooting towards the sun - but not directly into it. The trick is to let the brightness blow out the colours. It helps even more if there is a bit of mist, as thee was on the marsh this morning. It diffuses the light a bit more and with the low angled sun, allows more of the warmer tones to come through. After that I play with exposure and contrast.

Here's virtual monochrome shot I took of social distancing on the beach at Cooden the other morning. I did almost nothing at to this image - the dazzling sunlight on the water and shimmering beach sands blew out all the colour:

 

[hoopdriver]

I wouldn't want to give the impression by what I said earlier about post-processing that I am some sort of purist about these things. I'm not (well, except for journalistic work where purity is required). I don't use filters but I am not at all above playing with contrast and exposure, levels and curves etc. It's art, after all. Here I've cooled all the highlights in the image I posted earlier to create a very different style of picture.

I also on occasion, were the subject matter lends itself to it, like to render some of my images as vintage postcards or magazine illustrations and this typically requires a more adventurous hand in Lightroom.

 

[Shadow]

Here's virtual monochrome shot I took of social distancing on the beach at Cooden the other morning. I did almost nothing at to this image - the dazzling sunlight on the water and shimmering beach sands blew out all the colour:

Similar to my version. Much more amateurishly. With a phone camera.

 

[stoatsngroats]

No doubt there are better views!
Interesting seeing the muted colours on some of the images here. I think the absence of multiple colours, and mono, can add much more than many colours. I don’t know whether this is because a simple palette magnifies the subject.
Not a cycle pic, but this one intrigues me...

 

[hoopdriver]

Springtime on the lanes - I love all the myriad shades of green.

 

[hoopdriver]

Some of the hills in the Sussex weald are no joke - like this gentle rise out of the village of Doleham, in East Sussex

 

[footloose crow]

I hope that is foreshortened or you have just cycled up a vertical road?!!

 

[hoopdriver]

I hope that is foreshortened or you have just cycled up a vertical road?!!

Yes, it looks steeper than it actually is because the backdrop is also a steeply rising hill. Both are plenty steep though!