Stopping to take photos - doesn't it mess up your ride?
 

I am seeing a lot of great photography here of open roads, bikes with graffiti, etc. Very inspirational and I'm always glad when you post those images.

During my ride(s) I often come across scenes I'd like to shoot. Trouble is my phone is in my back pocket, in my pouch. If I want to take the photo it would really mess with my ride, in as much I'd have to stop the 'groove' I'm in, take the photo, and then get going again. So because of that, I more often than not just blow past the scene and leave it at that.

How does stopping for photos impact your rides? When do you decide to stop? Will you always stop if there is a good scene to capture? Do you find it difficult to get back in to a rhythm after you're stopped and cooled down a bit to take your image?

Cheers.

The time to take the photo is when you see it. I usually won't stop in a group ride but when out solo it's hard to pass up a unique shot.

It only takes 30 seconds to get out your phone, take some pics, and pick back up again. You probably spend more time waiting at a red light.

Around town I rarely stop, I've seen these roads a thousand times already. Out someone, I'm probably riding there because of the scenery, of course I'll stop. The whole experience of a ride is moving at speed, working hard, and enjoying your surroundings in a way that isn't possible in a car.

Flipping through the pictures I take on my rides when I'm stuck inside an office 40+ hours a week is a pleasure worth the time it takes to stop. Also can serve as a reminder for something I see since the photos appear on the map in Strava - faster than writing a note.

I never stop if I am riding solo. The only time I stop is when I am riding with groups and their planned rest stops.

Heaven Forbid if you had to stop, get out a 35mm camera and take a photograph...... could ruin your whole day.

I take lots of photos during group rides. Camera is in a Bento box on the top tube so it's easy to grab and take a photo. The lens is pretty wide-angle so I don't usually even glance at the camera while shooting. Just point it in the general direction and depend on later rotating and cropping.

Priorities. We are all different.

stop n take the photos if you're solo, or learn to take them while riding aka put it in a easier access location.

I do a combo of both

I don't feel it affects my ride. You're quickly back up to speed. It's more about the trouble - so it has to be a shot worth taking, unique in a way.
I tend to take more generic shots in a short pause for eating or resting, just to have some documentation of that particular ride.

Stopping to take a photo messing up my ride is a foreign concept to me.

Stopping to take photos is a part of riding. Sometimes you stop because the scene and memory is more important than the "groove." Other times moving on is more important.


-Tim-

Shot a combined 100 rolls of 120 and 35mm while on the road for four months. Didn't mess up my ride one bit. With that said, there have been times when I have been riding and have seen things that were totally photo worthy, but stopping would have ruined the experience I was having at the moment. When that happens, I opt to enjoy the ride.

Joy. Beauty. Breathlessness.
 

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4a5ec06744.jpg
I love speed. I love feeling rung out after a tough ride.
It's recognizing a different kind of breathlessness.

Regular Route, Fantastic Stretch of Paving
 

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...48a19fc370.jpg

I always loved this view of the road winding and disappearing uphill around the corner.
Tough to really capture...More presence in person, but I had to try.

Agree with Spoonrobot above: the off-bike inspiration is worth the brief stop.

All depends on what you are riding for.

It's more of a PITA when it's cold. Layers, gloves, frozen body parts. In summer, I'll stop if I'm in an area I normally don't ride, and I'm not going uphill. Usually when I'm climbing, I like to keep a rhythm.

Not every ride is a training ride. And even if I'm doing intervals I still need to stop and rest a few minutes after about half an hour. Plenty of time to stop and snap pix.

Occasionally I'll tote a compact Olympus shockproof/weatherproof camera in a jersey pocket for snaps while riding. I don't like phone cam ergonomics and won't use one while riding. Too dangerous to myself and others. Compact cameras have better ergonomics and wrist or neck strap in case I drop the camera.

My local group rides don't have many stops. I usually mount a video camera on the handlebar or helmet and snag screencaps later if I want stills.

I don't stop unless I'm stopped. I think I've taken one picture in 12 years of riding, and it was of a baby deer that I noticed on the side of the road after I'd stopped to fix a skewer.

I have a Fujifilm XP50; it's a waterproof pocket cam. Won't turn on anymore after a few years.
But when it was working; I got used to pulling it out of my jersey pocket, turning it on, take pics/vids while still riding:

I find as I'm getting older little micro rests stops are better for my health than smashing out a ride start to finish. I feel strong again after a rest and helps me have a longer ride. I'm 48 have had L5 S1 fusion complete left foot fusion rheumatoid arthritis and over trained in my younger days for MX, a brutal sport .It helps that photography is a hobby even when carrying a phone.