If there was one piece of advice I could give to getting better motorcycle pictures it would have to be to get down low. There is nothing that will change your photos as dramatically as changing the view point of the shot. This secret applies to just about any photograph you take, but especially when it comes to motorcycles and hot rods. When you get down low the photograph automatically becomes more interesting. Why? Because we seldom see things from this angle. It can also give what you are taking a picture of a sense of power and dominance, which works great with motorcycles and custom cars. Remember we are trying to convey an emotion with our photography. When our photographs can convey a feeling, as well as show whatever it is we are taking a picture of is when we know we  have crossed over from just an average photographer to an artist.

This secret is not limited to just motorcycle photography. Taking pictures of people as well from a lower angle than eye level can make a dramatic difference in your photos as well. It can be a way of showing a man or woman is in a position of authority or power. I would say almost every photo you take should be taken from a different angle than eye level. If you try it I guarantee you will see it’s worth the effort to get down on one knee or if you’re taking a photo of a bike even laying on the ground. People may laugh, but when they see your photos the laughing will stop and you may have company on the ground at the next rally. Here are a few of my bike week photos that show how getting down low can change the whole feel of a photo.

I got this shot by literally placing my Canon 5D Mark II on the ground.

This is another shot where I placed the camera on the ground. Sometimes you just have to hope you got the shot because it is to low to look through the viewfinder.

Getting Down Low

If you’re opposed to laying on the ground you could try a product from Flipbac. It fits over a camera’s 3 inch LCD screen and reflects it so you can see your shot without getting on the ground. I use it with my Canon 5D Mark II in live mode, but it will also work on any point-and-shot with a  3 inch LCD screen. You can also use it to get shots from overhead. It does a great job of protecting the screen on the back of the camera as well.

Flipbac 3" Angle Viewfinder

By Tim Wemple © 2010
www.BikeRallyPhotography.com
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