A picture tells a thousand words, but some images just never get the meaning across. So many of us are taking more and more photos thanks to the prevalence of smart phones and compact, high-powered cameras. Capturing great photos to help you remember your rides should never be easier.
But are you tired of looking at your photos and feeling they don’t represent what you saw, or invoke the reaction you want from friends? We asked a pro photographer what his tips are for nailing the perfect shot.
Marcus Enno, aka Beardy McBeard, travels the world as a professional cycling photographer. Far from just shooting the pro peloton, Beardy captures the lifestyle, environments and passion that combine to make cycling such a diverse and beautiful sport.
Cameras don’t always mix well with the conditions we find ourselves riding in, even though those epic conditions often create the best images and memories. If you’re thinking of looking for a new camera, Beardy recommends “something compact, lightweight, weather sealed, that shoots RAW, and has a large sensor to make the most of low light. Something like the Olympus OM-D, which is my go to.”
Like most pro photographers, Beardy uses a range of cameras. But on the bike his preference is the aforementioned Olympus OM-D E-M1 MarkII. He uses a range of lenses on that body, but for this shot he was using a M.Zuiko 12-40mm F2.8 PRO lens.
After speaking to Beardy it’s clear that one part of the mix is how to use your camera, and understanding the functions. He really recommends shooting in RAW format, which captures more details than a JPG, to allow for editing on your computer later.