calstar 

While trying to get away from the common garage door shot I came up with this lo-tech solution(ok, very lo-tech). Seems to work well, no background distractions, and the price was right, already had the painters drop cloth. I find it best to photograph out of direct sun light. I use photobucket as a host for jpegs, when they transfer the size is always 1024 as the largest demension which I edit down to 750 as the largest that fills the screen well, then play with the edit tools such as brightness, contrast, etc.

Experienced photographers please excuse my primitive techniques.

couple of examples:





and the "studio"(fair weather only) paint stains and all.

repechage

If you select a way of supporting the bikes on their own you can pull the drop cloth out and create a "cove" base.

Chombi

I guess you can never eliminate the garage door totally in most C&V photo shoots....
The gagrage door is such a common part of our culture now that maybe we should call ourselves C&V&GDers....?

cehowardGS

Basically you are coming with a background other than that garage door. IMO, good move. I am going to try something like that, but it will be inside. Maybe put up a dark sheet in back..

shoota 

I wish I had a garage door..

ftwelder

Two things that I really want is a photo studio and a big sandblaster.

Currently, I use the parking lot for both.


12 001 by barnstormerbikes, on Flickr

cb400bill

Ray Dobbins has posted some outstanding bike photos on his website. He has a very good write up on how he does it using an inexpensive camera and very basic materials.

https://www.raydobbins.com/photosetup.htm

Here is a pic of his setup.

brandenjs

Me too! I always break that rule and just take pics in my basement with all kinds of crap in the background. Or in the backyard like this.

photogravity

+1 Me too. I take most of my pics at the train station near me.

rootboy 

Looking good Calstar. But I think you need more paint splatters. You know, go to town on that drop cloth a'la Jackson Pollock...so it looks Art-y, instead of dirty. This is a good idea. I've got a big canvas drop cloth.

Flying Merkel

I try for appropriate backgrounds:

Mountain macho:



and Urban cool

Otto Rax

My garage door is also a bedroom door.

bike photos should be like "planking" where you have to tag backgrounds (brick wall, bookshelf, white garage door, etc)

Retrocykel

Simple solutions like this are cool if you ask me! I don't have a drop cloth, so I do mine in the garden or around town. I find that 1 hour before sunset gives good lighting for my stories.
Cheers, Neil

BluesDaddy

My stone wall is my favorite spot:

Wil Davis

"…garage door!…"

You are lucky! When we were young we used to dream of having a door, any door! We used to live in a card-board box, in t'middle of t'road, of course it were a 'ome to us!

- Wil

calstar 

thanks for the link, some really great ideas! Brian

Kobe 

Then he might be discovered as a famous artist, get rich off his canvas splatters, figure he can do better that old bikes and end up with one of those plastic bikes. Then we would all be stuck here saying we knew him back when.

ScottRyder 

I have a location that has open shade, it's a bath house right on the edge of a south facing beach. In the summer, when the sun is high, the overhang creates a huge space to work in. If it's cloudy it can go a little flat in contrast. The background and floor are pretty neutral so I don't get a lot of stray color bouncing around the highlights of the chrome.



However, I'm a sucker for a nice location shot too.



1982 Fuji Newest

Scott

calstar 

Beautiful pic and bike.

ColonelJLloyd 

Cool klunker, BluesDaddy.

liquefied

It's all about lighting and separation from background.

auchencrow

While we're on the topic, maybe we should talk about the ideal POSE for a C&V bike.
- Here is my take (though I don't follow it rigorously myself.)

• Drive side profile (obviously).
• Handlebar ramps in-line with the horizontal member of the stem.
• A fistful of seat post.
• Saddle level, or canted up slightly.
• Right side crank with pedal down, and in-line with the seat post.
• Front QR up, aligned with the fork just ahead of it.
• Rear QR aligned with either of the seat or chain-stays.
• Tire label facing right, at the valve stem.
• Valve stems at the 12:00 position.
• Chain on a middle cog (not cross chained)
• Brake levers positioned with tips ~ 1/4" above an imaginary line projected from the drops.

EhGiOeS

Basically I think you need a totally blank background. Anything else may be pretty but detracts from the buke. Ed

calstar 

I remeber that place, it was always snowing and whether coming to, or going from it, it was uphill!

Reynolds 

Some say the chain should be on big ring/small sprocket.
No bottles or bags - some allow a folded tubular.
Pedals: horizontal or gravity-positioned?