Unusual Cycling Stop
An unusual display of old bicycles along a path in southern Quebec.
http:--www.istockphoto.com-ca-photos-artiste9999
An unusual display of old bicycles along a path in southern Quebec.
http:--www.istockphoto.com-ca-photos-artiste9999
Read less
http:--www.istockphoto.com-ca-photos-artiste9999
Read less
Jul, 2016Views
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Awards
People's Choice in Bicycles in odd locations Photo Challenge
Peer Award
Outstanding Creativity
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
Absolute Masterpiece
All Star
Superior Skill
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken along a bicycle path south of Quebec City called 'Cycloroute de Bellechasse'. This is a 74 kilometer paved trail that traverses agricultural land and follows alongside the Etchemin river. A creative artist hung these bicycles on an abandoned bridge abutment.Time
I like riding my bike, especially in new places. This time around, I slapped my bike on my bike carrier and went camping south of Quebec City for several days. When I do this, I often bring my camera in my saddlebags, just in case. I had never been on this trail before, so when I came upon this display, I was charmed by it. I dismounted my bike, leaned it against the wall and took the shot.Lighting
Unlike studio photography, with nature photography you are not in control of lighting. This time, the conditions were cloudy outside, but strong sun rays pierced through as well. I walked around for a few minutes to find the best angle to avoid direct light and flares. I composed the shot to maximize the view of the wall without surrounding intense light.Equipment
I shoot with a Canon 70D camera. Being on my bike, I did not have a tripod, so I did the next best thing. I leaned my camera against a tree when pressing the shutter. Otherwise, no flash. I sharpened the photo in post processing because I find linear shapes such as bicycle frames look better after algorithmic straightening.Inspiration
I happened upon this scene by pure accident. Whether cycling or hiking, many of my shots are spur of the moment discoveries along the way. I like capturing nature especially in its many forms. Many photographers will tell you this: take many photos. In this case, I must have taken 10 shots of this wall before I settled on this one.Editing
As mentioned earlier, I sharpened the image. This works especially well with a view of objects with linear lines. No matter how good you camera is, no matter how many pixels of resolution, linear shapes will turn out as a staircase transition when observed at the pixel level. Good sharpening tools will often straighten out those edges.In my camera bag
Sometimes, just my camera and a general purpose zoom lens. But given that I like nature shots and animals, I occasionally also throw in my Canon 400mm pump zoom and a doubling lens. These are not the best lenses around, but they weigh collectively less than 10 pounds. This is useful when cycling or hiking long distances when you need to be as light as possible.Feedback
I like to believe that everyone has creativity within them. Just let your imagination go before you take the shot. A few seconds of thought before pressing the shutter and visualizing the photo goes a long way towards great composition. And as noted before, take many shots of the same scene. Over time, this process takes just a few seconds and becomes instinctive.
