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Obsessive Compulsive Poser (OCP) guide to bike photos

AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
edited September 2018 in Your road bikes
There are many bike photographs on here but the reference shot must be taken in a specific way otherwise there will be a higher risk of flaming. Plus, it shows your lovely bikes off better!
Don't say I didn't warn you!

1 - Bike should be against a white background, preferable a garage door so the bike shows up properly, or if taken well, a black background with suitable lighting.

2 - Bike must be flat to camera, no silly angles.

3 - Bike must be drive side showing

4 - Chain in big ring, towards the smaller cogs at the back

5 - Crankarm following the line of the seat tube or chainstay

6 - Stem must be in the negative fitting. Even if you ride with it pointing up.

7 - Dork discs, reflectors, pumps, lights etc are NOT acceptable, again, even if you ride with them.

Thiese are examples of a good OCP shot -

My very own bike-

S2OCP.jpg

These aren't mine but very good shots -

choptcr.jpg

original.jpg

daccordimproveio7.jpg


Whereas this is rather non-OCP...

DSC00208.jpg
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Posts

  • Tail end CharlieTail end Charlie Posts: 352
    .............. tyre valves must be at the bottom, pedals also at either six o'clock or nine o'clock, although in line with the downtube is acceptable ...........
  • Gary DGary D Posts: 431
    Don't agree about the white background :? :?

    Most cameras (and especially the people behind them :oops: ) do not cope very well on exposure with a huge expanse of white. Even with sophisticated metering systems, they will calculate to expose to an average mid-grey tone, under-expose, and consequently turn white in to grey - see your first shot :wink::wink:
    Paricularly noticeable if the subject is very dark like that bike. All the detail is lost in shadow.

    The second shot is fine though :D:D

    PS aren't you going to mention about lining up the valves and logo's on the tyres etc? :roll: :roll:

    Gary.
    Fungus The Muffin MAn wrote:
    Oh and I feel like I've been raped by an Orangutan :shock: And I've got legs like Girders :lol:
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    This is OCP bikes, not photography BTW! The industry standard OCP bike shot is, unfortunately, a white garage door.

    Yes indeed, comments had been made on the above shots regarding tyres and logos, except for the Look, that guy is OCP king...
  • Slow DowncpSlow Downcp Posts: 3,041
    NapoleonD wrote:
    This is OCP bikes, not photography BTW! The industry standard OCP bike shot is, unfortunately, a white garage door.

    Yes indeed, comments had been made on the above shots regarding tyres and logos, except for the Look, that guy is OCP king...

    The front wheel of the Look isn't quite as high as the rear - there's a 0.01 degree slope on the top tube. :wink:
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    He got that sorted when he took a picture of his Serotta...

    He also got flamed for a spacer above the stem.
  • Gary DGary D Posts: 431
    Yes I know :D:D

    But if you are going to do it - you may as well do it properly :wink::wink:

    I am afraid it is one of my OCD tendencies :oops: I used to be quite a keen photographer and I like to see well taken pictures. It frustrates me when people post pictures and ask "what do you think of my bike?" and the photo looks similar to your last example :evil: :evil:

    (I was still typing when the seond post was made).


    That Look is really nice - and well photographed :lol::lol:

    Gary.
    Fungus The Muffin MAn wrote:
    Oh and I feel like I've been raped by an Orangutan :shock: And I've got legs like Girders :lol:
  • Monty DogMonty Dog Posts: 20,614
    How could you ride that beautiful Daccordi in public with that ugly seatpost? Get a polished Campagnolo one on there immediately!
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • maddog 2maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    jf12titmini.JPG

    crank angle a little off....
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Maddog 2, this is a serious subject.




    Besides, the valves aren't at 6 o'clock and there is a bag attached to the handlebars as well as the duff crank angle.
  • maddog 2maddog 2 Posts: 8,114
    you think my tassles are too long don't you....
    Facts are meaningless, you can use facts to prove anything that's remotely true! - Homer
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    The tassles are fine, they match the bike and are long enough to appear as though they are touching the downtube without obscuring it.
  • HonestAlHonestAl Posts: 406
    maddog 2, is that a compact or triple on there?
    "The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    HonestAl wrote:
    maddog 2, is that a compact or triple on there?

    Duh!

    It's a fixed gear or single speed!

    Some people!
  • _Brun__Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    edited April 2009
    Tail end Charlie wrote:
    .............. tyre valves must be at the bottom, pedals also at either six o'clock or nine o'clock, although in line with the downtube is acceptable ...........

    I always thought valves hidden behind the frame was the better option.
  • HonestAlHonestAl Posts: 406
    didn't realise they put tassles on fixies. Very cool :D
    "The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Tail end Charlie wrote:
    .............. tyre valves must be at the bottom, pedals also at either six o'clock or nine o'clock, although in line with the downtube is acceptable ...........


    I always thought valves hidden behind the frame was the better option.

    The only thing with this is often the valve holes are usually lined up with the wheel decals meaning the decals aren't in the right place...
  • Smokin JoeSmokin Joe Posts: 2,706
    The front QR lever on the Giant is angled below the horizontal.

    Oh dear... :roll:
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    HonestAl wrote:
    didn't realise they put tassles on fixies. Very cool :D
    They put anything on fixies!
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Smokin Joe wrote:
    The front QR lever on the Giant is angled below the horizontal.

    Oh dear... :roll:

    Now, front QR angle is open to debate, as long as the front one is not pointing forward or straight down there seems to be a grey area on this...

    The rear is even less regulated...
  • petegoodyearpetegoodyear Posts: 20
    i wish to say that the third bike looks dam fine, even for a road bike, and not just a piece of engineering.
  • billy whippetbilly whippet Posts: 171
    am a bit worried by the crank arms not quite, actually, in most cases in your pics, lining with the chainstay or seat post... please adjust and re shoot asap
  • Slow DowncpSlow Downcp Posts: 3,041
    The garage door behind the Giant needs cleaning and/or painting, and the driveway on the Look needs sweeping.
    Carlsberg don't make cycle clothing, but if they did it would probably still not be as good as Assos
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Noted.
  • _Brun__Brun_ Posts: 1,740
    NapoleonD wrote:
    _Brun_ wrote:
    Tail end Charlie wrote:
    .............. tyre valves must be at the bottom, pedals also at either six o'clock or nine o'clock, although in line with the downtube is acceptable ...........
    I always thought valves hidden behind the frame was the better option.
    The only thing with this is often the valve holes are usually lined up with the wheel decals meaning the decals aren't in the right place...
    Good point. How about "Photoshop's clone stamp tool should be used to eradicate valves entirely"?

    Or would that be unethical?
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Oh so this is what it has come to? Photoshopping pictures of out bikes like they do to supermodels to make them look better! :lol:

    Are you going to be airbrushing your bikes next???
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Roadbike2-1.jpg
  • acorn_useracorn_user Posts: 1,137
    I'm offended that you airbrushed Colnago over Fondriest!

    Also, that Daccordi belongs to 55/rad as I recall, who posts elsewhere :) His bikes are fantastic.
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    Have you seen 55/rad's new bamboo/CF one? :shock:

    http://www.renovobikes.com/
  • bompingtonbompington Posts: 7,674
    NapoleonD wrote:
    Have you seen 55/rad's new bamboo/CF one? :shock:

    http://www.renovobikes.com/
    that's no good, look where the valves are!
  • AnonymousAnonymous Posts: 79,667
    and the crank arms, stem not flipped and chain in small ring...
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