How the Bike Industry Takes Bike Photos

Have you ever wondered why photos of bikes you see on a website or in a magazine look so damn good? Is it the camera? Is it the fact that it’s a professional athlete’s finely tuned race bike, or is it simply brand new? Maybe it was photographed in a studio? Photoshopped? Maybe…While it surely could and very well may be one or a combination of several of those factors, in reality, it’s usually more about the rules. Yes, the rules.
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[@gordierogers780]

I used to shoot bike photos for a company within the industry and I can tell you everything here is 100% true! I actually used to go so far as carrying the bike up trails to avoid getting any dirt on the tires and to keep it as clean as possible when shooting photos. Great video Seth.

[@kanukster]

He left out a lot more. He didn't discuss camera settings, tripods or even lighting.

[@echomike8591]

@@kanukster those arethe basics in photography not only for bikes, no need

[@bensun432]

🤣🤣

[@96gts]

I knew most of these just from reading mountain biking publications for years, but I never noticed the halfway extended droppers on trail bikes!

[@kikarias79]

But still…in the “pro-picture” he took he still forgot his dropper post as he said it should be, his back wheel aligned with it’s front wheel, both bottles were there, and that gear was not in the 4th counting up. 😂😅

[@corl4147]

9:31 "I think we nailed it!" proceeds to show random picture with bottles left on

[@gondigondi7547]

😂😂😂

[@alaricpaley6865]

Bottles on, logos not lined up, wrong gear, dropper post slammed... Yup, nailed it.

[@ghjgjihjgjyrdrgydsgr137]

Absolutely 🤣 and he can claim it's his sense of humour

[@brilog69]

True!

[@alpardal]

That was a repeat of when he explained the 1-2-3 method, @ around 2:46 - after which he proceeds to say that everything about that shot was wrong 😂 Don't know why he didn't show the "correct" picture - he probably missed the timing and didn't want to drop his bike again 😅

[@LagBomer]

You cannot hide your theater acting background. That is what gave you and will always give you the edge over the other "just enthusiastic mtb youtubers". You look at the world as an artist. Good for you.

[@LavalleeLures]

When I flip bikes I follow these rules for photographing cover photos. It makes a huge difference and I can usually sell a bike within a week while others are sitting months before they sell.

[@wertacus]

The number of marketplace listing I see where the first pic is just the front wheel. I swear you could flip bikes just by taking a good picture and airing up the tires

[@LavalleeLures]

@@wertacus sometimes I wonder

[@elias8981]

Could you make a tutorial on how to flip bikes on marketplace and giving tips ?

[@wertacus]

@elias8981 you're not gonna believe this but there's an entire flip bike series on this channel. The hardest part IMHO is tactfully sending out lowball offers and watching the market like a hawk

[@HPsawus]

It goes back to the old “no pic no click” principle, that’s what people used to say on mod forums when you’d post one without a good thumbnail 😂

[@AdventureAwaits4u]

It’s like you read my mind! I just noticed some of the items media photos do and I was thinking 🤔 that would make a great video. Thanks for making this and sharing it with us. 👍🏼

[@DirtlovR]

Protip I picked up from Doddy when he was at GMBN: use acrylic rod for a stand. It's nearly invisible/easy to edit out.

[@dameanvil]

- [00:00] 📸 Pictures of mountain bikes in natural environments offer personality and story. - [02:00] 🏔 Choosing an appropriate environment for bike photography enhances authenticity. - [03:00] 🚲 The "one, two, three" method is recommended for pro-style bike setup. - [04:00] 🚴‍♂ Product photos should focus on the bike, not personalizations like bottle cages. - [05:00] 🧼 Cleanliness is key for product photos; bikes should be spotless. - [06:00] ⚙ Gears, cranks, and pedals should be set in neutral positions for comparison. - [07:00] 🛠 Dropper seat posts should be adjusted appropriately for bike type and user. - [08:00] 🔍 Attention to detail: sag indicators, wheel alignment, and quick-release levers. - [09:00] 🔄 Tire logos should align with valve stems for professional presentation. - [10:00] 📷 Capturing bike photos should reflect the authenticity of the riding experience. - [11:00] 🤝 Joining the Substack community offers early access and additional content.

[@BenBike]

Hey Seth, I'd love a video on how to maintain your MTB, from beginner to advanced and the frequency you should do them

[@ravenragnar]

Great video! BTW this is the first time I am seeing AI generated video summary from KZbin below the description. After watching the entire video I would say it did a great job summing up the video. Wild times to be alive!

[@Elektronijaenis]

As someone who mostly just uses a bicycle to get around and is interested in photography in general, some of thart stuff seems just insane. Well... Now I know why many of those photos look so much alike.

[@erikvdo]

Your pic had the shadow of your head visible on the ground. That's a no-no in professional photography. Also, the lighting had too many shadows, in general, because of the position of the sun relative to the bike. If you don't care, that's cool. I'm just passing on information that's been given to me by really good, pro photographers.

[@TheBackPasture]

This felt like one of the old seth's bike hack videos and I loved it so much...

[@avalanchas336]

Today on "Seth and the mysteriously appearing and disappearing bottle cages", perfectly captured with mystery music below it LOL

[@uldi1s]

Thank you for explaining these (absurd) media standards! I had taken some (wrong) pictures of my bike and didn't know what was wrong with them until I saw this video. Yeah, I get the need to be able to compare, but sod it, I'm on your side, the picture needs to be genuine, as it was when I rode it. 😎

[@drakon_bourbon]

One thing, that i am doing every time, is turning handlebar few degrees to the right, so the legs of the fork will be on the one line, from point of view

[@andrec.136]

I have a trail bike, but I prefer to see and photograph it with the seat up.

[@pascalbruyere7108]

The saddle is too far forward 😂 Nice video, and surprisingly interesting topic. I realize I almost never intentionally take pictures of my bike nor anybody’s bikes. When we go out with friends we picture people only. One can see we’re biking because of our gear.

[@MaximRecoil]

"The saddle is too far forward" Also, it's a seat. That's why the thing you mount it on is called a seat post, and the thing you insert the seat post into is called the seat tube, and the things that connect the top of the seat tube with the rear dropouts are called the seat stays. Saddles are for animals such as horses, regardless of how many times GCN and the hoity-toity manufacturers call a bicycle seat a "saddle."

[@andyarchitect]

The media "rules" are pretty stupid for dropper posts... if buying a bike i want to know that i can slam the dropper post without a bottle boss or weld obstructing it, and want to see how long the extension on the dropper looks.

[@TivonSanders]

The fact that my mountain bike is to media spec in my room, by accident, is hilarious. LOL I have a good eye for aesthetics.

[@sethcoulter2551]

Watched your video a couple days ago and today I'm looking at Walmart's "Ozark g1" and I noticed the chain on the crank is a little funny. they down shifted. Then turned the crank back. lol btw thew way also a Seth here... we are few and far in between. But every Seth I know is awesome lol

[@MorryB]

I too am guilty of bumbling around with my bike photos. Thanks for the Pro tips! :D

[@joshuaanothereraseddad]

Bizarre, because I already do all of that and didn't even know it's a thing. Except, I always point the valve stems up. I did decide to offset the tire labels to the valve stems on my newest build though. Btw, should've slid the seat back to a neutral position. Good video sir.

[@user-rl4ji5ne4o]

Actually, amongst any contention about style and positiona, ive watched your video a few times as im about to sell a few bikes i dont want as the weather gets warmer. I hope the local market where i am will result in more hits on my adverts with nicer setup photos. I'm halfway through rotating the tyres to betweem the rim labels, tubeless sealant drips splashing on the bikes and the floor 😂

[@stefansmochina8380]

try making a double front suspention and a double rear suspention mtb!!! love ur vids, would be amazing if you would do that

[@volition5559]

I work adjacent to bike media (I have some published work) and the major thing I disagree with here is the 1,2,3. I don't know anyone that does that. You can use any variety of stick or hardware store rods to prop the bike up and edit it out later. Doesn't take much skill, you won't damage your bike by intentionally throwing it on the floor, and you can appropriately focus the picture. In addition to that, I think a lot of what you said is true for a tried and true industry (product) side. But you don't need to follow those rules to get a nice photo of your bike. Any random person with a modern iPhone just needs to step back, zoom in (use the non-digital lens zoom. ((so instead of anything that isn't artificially zoomed in, just keep it to whatever the phone camera maxes out at. Iphone 14 is 3x. you do this to tone down the focal length distortion aka the bike looks more flat)) and practice framing. That's all you need to have a half decent bike pic. Oh and lighting. But that takes a learned eye. You'll figure it out!

[@gwynnlyell2539]

You know I never thought about it, but you are so right. Screw the media.

[@TheboysfromQLD]

People who want the same bikes as Seth

[@canadmos]

I like nondrive side pics. We all know what every drivetrain looks like, let's see those brakes and frame details!

[@duroxkilo]

a friend bought a nice camera, some nice lenses and decided to take landscape photos. the first year was the most annoying period in our relationship, by far. he would quote some instagram or youtube video on how a photo should be taken... 1000 rules. regardless, his photos were not that good and it got boring very quick talking about his 'best ones'. it took him a few years to get it: there are no rules. 1000 rules don't make a great photo. we only need the rules to help us when we don't understand what we're doing.

[@bigchungus914]

9:37 it bothers me the logo isn't aligned, especially since it was mentioned in the video

[@Adephx]

It was a joke. Most of the things are wrong on that photo.

[@j.l.5966]

If you’ve seen enough of Seth’s videos, one thing he says tongue in cheek is “I think we nailed it!” when he obviously and purposely didn’t 😂

[@ComputerRouter]

Got to get a GCN Supernice to get into the bike vault somehow Biggie-Smalls No chimney Cranks level, Peddles level Wheels aligned, valves and tyres No bottles, no lights, no saddle bag

[@madtownangler]

I don't think I have ever bought a bike that was shown in a magazine except if it was used like an expensive GT. I just bought whatever was in my price range and at the bike shop at the time. Therefore I have never planned on what the bike was before I bought it

[@BaldyTheOnlyOne]

Today it is April 12th and it says the video is 4 days old.. so not an April 1st joke... hard to imagine! 🤪

[@BluPheesh]

Dude. You are completely bike media!!

[@j.l.5966]

The best bike media

[@marknycz500]

FYI, this is called "styling" it helps keep photos organized and meets the goals of advertising

[@evan24pen]

Valve stems aren't pointed down but 99% is good enough LOL. This video will be filed under "things I never noticed before but now can't unsee" hahaha

[@haroldochiquito]

You missed using a long focal lenght to flatten the field of view. You've mentioned it before in another video

[@DreMTB]

Those gold flat pedals at 3:31 look sick, anyone know what brand?

[@sheeprar]

"Sensus Crue" in rose gold, and as expensive as they look (250GBP from Brink). I wouldn't use them for fear of damaging or getting them dirty!

[@BearZA_91]

I love adding stickers to my bike. These guidelines just make the bikes seem generic, I'd much rather look at bikes that seem like it's got a loving owner. Even the gear... damn.

[@SteveKimbo]

I've always lined my tyre logos up with the logo on the rim! The horror! Now I can't ride my bike until I've rectified this glaring mistake...

[@TheFloydPage]

Kickstands are great, we certainly DO use kickstands.

[@edscoble]

How come you don't do closed captioning anymore? :(

[@NikkiRudy]

I would of seen this sooner but I was on a 16 mile ride

[@trentvlak]

Has over 1 million subs, "I'm not bike media". OK SETH. :)

[@jonah06371]

I use kickstands

[@IvanBoychuk]

We give it supernice (c) GCN xDD

[@RoryMag]

You used the wrong picture lol

[@Dansanan]

a video i didint know i needed

[@TheSlowworms]

Hmm, I’m still not getting it. Can I borrow your bike and see if that works 😅

[@JasonTankard]

Your 'media spec' one at 9:38 still had the bottle cages, seat slammed, wrong gear, rear tyre not lined up correctly... You used the wrong image when you did your editing lol - or you tried to pull one off on us. It definitely wasn't the one you just took according to the video.

[@porterwilliams2630]

"We don't use kickstands" -refuses to elaborate

[@imaXkillXya]

3D print a lowkey stand or make a clear epoxy stand.

[@PicsOfBikesLeaningOnStuffIG]

Too bad there’s not a IG page dedicated to Pics Of Bikes Leaning On Stuff

[@JamesBrock80]

After all that, the final image had wheels out of line, bottle cages included and seat post slammed. Still an entertaining video though 😊

[@schninzent8914]

Yeah I think he somehow mixed it up and didn't notice it 😅

[@bermchasin]

@@schninzent8914 you can see in on the camera screen the bike was set up properly for the real shot, but it never made it in.

[@maxsweet]

Woo hoo! That's my Giant Yukon 2 in Hope, Alaska in the montage! Thanks, Seth!

[@JohnSchley]

thats a sweet whip dude! and cool photo

[@StebrasNotHorses]

Those pesky cages photobombed your final draft. Thanks Seth, I really enjoy your outside/inside industry pov.

[@sabbyo]

The wheel logos were in different positions too

[@ghjgjihjgjyrdrgydsgr137]

Seth says 'guidelines' many times, but a better word might be 'conventions'. Very fun video! Actually might help some people take a super nice photo when they want to sell their bike as used.

[@jesperhamalainen7423]

I have been watching since berm creek and even earlier, and never does it get boring

[@johnjacobs4625]

My road bike pics are all wrong....kickstand,wrong side,turned bars,tires not aligned,....but hey,they're mine 😎

[@BloodR3dWhit3AndBlu3]

You’ve run out of things to talk about

[@blockin9556]

yep

[@Chiefxyz]

he ran out a year ago lol

[@boobiewatchr]

You can only talk about bikes for so long. The informational Seth era is more interesting. Keep an ear open, you might learn something.

[@Crediu]

but the videos are so good

[@chefarmstrong]

But we all watched the whole thing. Still great content

[@azizuladnan2389]

In addition, I would go further back but use a longer focal length. It reduced the perspective distortion. So the handlebars don’t look like they flare upwards, and the wheels appear perfectly circular

[@thomastattersall5497]

Love these but when will Riding videos come out, or a second channel for raw footage, these are fine for the masses and I like them, can’t wait for them to come out, but I miss those old berm peak videos of riding or doing something interesting on the trail… just a thought

[@maxmotors9497]

I go non drive side just to piss people off

[@Balls-t8y]

Seth please make MTB ride videos more often. I love to see you ride the trails and build new things.

[@jasperfeldschuh3644]

he made a video a little while ago about why he doesn't really do those anymore. It basically boils down to weather constraints and the pressure to perform well for a video causing him to get hurt a lot in those videos. Also I don't think that style gets enough views anymore which is also probably a big reason why he doesn't do them anymore. I also really miss his trail building videos but he said that they don't get enough views to justify the cost/effort

[@ridingwithreggie]

4th gear from the largest gear is a new one for me, I haven't heard that one before, but I'm still learning. I have to agree that telling the story is the most important part.

[@zonoskar]

I always thought the jockey wheels need to be vertical aligned. Supposedly that is in the 4th gear.

[@ridingwithreggie]

@@zonoskar I guess it's like Seth said, it depends on what kind of bike you're currently on. 4th gear on my 2020 Trek Marlin 5 vs my 2022 Santa Cruz Hightower C 4th gear aren't close at all. I'm going to see if I can get some shots for better bike Thumbnails. A few years ago I didn't know about the drive side out thing. LOL!!!

[@rampapandiontinling]

Would also help to center the seat post head on the seat rails.

[@Merlmabase]

Omg the gumshoe music during the photoshoot... The editing on this channel is so underrated

[@64Spokes]

I follow all of these rules to a tee when taking photos except for the raised seatpost part I keep that shit slammed always no xc rides here

[@aold5652]

Seth, you should consider making a video where you purchase a modern rigid mt bike and bikepack for a few days and make a longer video, i believe this would potentially attract a different audience which may lead to increased views, and if you brought alex along, it would provide him with a video too! Similar to the road biking trip with him to the florida keys, but on an mtb!

[@ethanvaill]

😂 Bottles and cages are in the photo. I hear the GCN folks talking about "Shadow Stands" a lot when reviewing reader bike photos.

[@johnnydoe66]

Glad you're back and didn't just vanish like several other bicycle related channels that I was subscribed to.

[@CooperBMX]

Can you review BMX acessories (Odyssey lights, And gimicky items)

[@oliver960]

I found this immensely entertaining. I knew a few of the basics but had never thought about most. I laughed out loud three times which is the mark of a good video!

[@Xmc1-0]

"we don't use kickstands" Killed me for some reason

[@zimmejoc]

Didn’t nail it. Look at the still shot. Maxxis logos are at 7 o’clock on the rear and 1 o’clock on the front tire. 😮😂

[@01f4irider]

I noticed that too. Then I saw the bottle cages. Still a good photo in my opinion.

[@zimmejoc]

@@01f4irider oh yeah. Better than what I could have done. Could have set the camera into burst mode and one of the pics would have turned out well on the 1-2-3 method.

[@j.l.5966]

Classic Seth humor 😂

[@naattxxnaattxx7055]

He could just talk about the things they do when photographing, but he actually went all the way to de-adjust his set-up. That is dedication!

[@MarcelRahme]

I needed this video for selling my old bike. Thank you!!!

[@repapeti98]

Since I have a job and can actually spend a little money on upgrading my bike, I've been watching an unhealthy amount of your videos. Highly informative, but I have to stop myself from putting several hundreds of dollars worth of parts on my UMF Hardy 4 which is not a great bike to begin with.

[@rzhunTer]

10:12 My bike is featured in Seth's video! My life is complete

[@smg4320]

🤣🤣🤣

[@TheboysfromQLD]

Nice

[@LeoSutic]

It's immortal now.🎉

[@jethroboorer2860]

That's pretty awesome

[@guitarfreakfalko]

9:34 that was the wrong picture. XD

[@cnsvisuals]

As someone who works in the industry you absolutely nailed it Seth! Lots to consider when going on a bike shoot lol

[@HenriqueVefagoSC]

Same, my job was to take photos for Specialized in Brazil, it was such a great job taking the bikes to cool places and also having the experience to ride many models

[@pedro-neves]

Another great video, thanks! And the colors are incredible! Any chance of sharing what filming equipment you're using?

[@EricMorrison]

Seth you absolute nerd, you have changed my life with your videos, I appreciate every video you have done back to messing around in Florida. Thank you for your creativity and killer storytelling. I hope you take a sec to read this comment and appreciate how far you have come. You have come so far and create nearly perfect content (as you know, duh.) LOL (lots of love) keep it up bro.

[@TheExtremaz]

9:34 I think thats as close that we can get, proceeds to show the first picture he took at 2:46 classic Seth XD

[@BENfromSUNDIAL]

I line up the valve with the max pressure label for what always seems like a good reason.

[@BackyardArcher]

Great video as always, Seth! You continue to be my favorite KZbinr by far! I could listen to you talk about absolutely anything. I love all those montage pics, like the one with the bike just tossed on the ground! All of these "rules" for taking bike photos are another example of the elitist side of bking. I belive people should ride what and how they like and put their own experiences into their photos. The elitist attitude is a substantial barrier to the growrh and sustainability of the sport/industry.

[@SexyMistaMustard]

The best way to get a better photo of your bike, which was not mentioned, is to not use the normal or wide focal length of your phone or camera, most of these shots are taken with a 70-200 lens to compress the background and make the bike look more as the human eye sees it, so try the telephoto lens on your phone.

[@Chuck_T88]

Is this in the settings?

[@bermchasin]

Hey seth! just wanted to say I rode the bentonville Berm Creek Sunday! it was absolutely incredible. So glad you inspired that! also did the Bush Push!

[@gabrielgomescunha]

One thing I learned I don't give 2 flufs about and will never think about again

[@MySTREETvideos]

Cool video. Curious if anyone noticed that the bike on the 09:18 video preparation for the shot is not in the same setup as the actual photo that you have taken seconds away (09.23). Maxis logo on back wheel not on top , pedal not aligned & dropper slammed ;-) This is unacceptable by the Bike Industry ! ;-))))

[@PepeDalinShow]

I used to take a lot of photos of my bike and curate it in such way that it will look cool on Instagram. Now I don't even care to take photos anymore at all. I just enjoy my time on the bike while I'm outside. Lol

[@brendanlorente1968]

Seth just wanted a video purely to show off that bike………I approve also as always learned things I didn’t k ow I needed to know thanks again Seth

[@lidarman2]

People align the logo to the stem on a wheel but I think it is better to align the part indicating tire pressure to the stem.

[@Marvelofebikes]

Are you in Laural Park at Jump Off Rock? Been there many times! Nice video!

[@jakesherron2390]

You are bike media. You are more bike media than bike media

[@johnsmitht11]

I understand it's different if you are jumping or racing, but for everyday riding it's sure nice to have a kickstand. It would be nice if the industry would innovate something like a universal kickstand mount under the bottom bracket or chainstay.

[@dblevins343]

I have to say, I use to miss kickstands but I've gotten so use to not having one that I can easily find places to prop my bike up. Even when I ride through the city it's pretty easy. All in all, I think it's the kind of thing you just get use to not having. Now I really have 0 desire to ever have one again. It's just extra weight and one more thing that could go wrong to cause a crash.

[@Durwood71]

Depends on the bike. Many cross country bikes have holes for attaching a kickstand. Trail bikes typically don't. What would be a cool innovation is a quick release kickstand that you could easily attach and remove as needed, but I imagine that would a niche market.

[@johnsmitht11]

@@Durwood71 it seems to me it would be common but I guess not. I have a good fitness bike and a steel frame MTB both over 10 years old and I use the kickstands on both all the time, including out riding and just taking a break on a long ride. Also helps a lot with doing basic mechanical work on them without needing a bike repair stand which I don't really need. I'd lose my mind adjusting v-brakes without a kickstand to hold the bike up.

[@KevinT3141]

It bugs me when the GMBN gang gives somebody flack in the bike vault for not showing their bike on the drive side. Thanks for cheering for the real pictures of our bikes!

[@lenolenoleno]

Knew all this info from some roadie roots back in the day (hardcore roadies are taught these traditions early on! Ha.). However with the saddle height on the dropper - I'll generally have it fully extended when selling a bike so people can see how much drop there is (don't want people thinking I've specced a 125mm dropper on an XL enduro bike for example).

[@Hardcaslte]

Yo Jump Off Rock. I love riding up there from my house in Hendersonville.

[@maxbucky24]

GCN show this perfectly in their bike vault segment of their tech show