Everyone does it. We all take pictures of our motorcycles at some scenic location. We share them on Instagram or in motorcycle Facebook groups. Many of us do this with little or no actual knowledge of photography. Although I take plenty of my own photos for articles, I still think of myself as a writer who does my own photography stunts, not a true photographer. This video by photographer Mike Browne gives some great advice for shooting motorcycle photos that anyone can follow, even if you have no knowledge of ISO or F-stops. You don't even need a dedicated camera since modern smartphones have rather good built-in cameras.

Many of us simply park at a scenic spot, get off the bike, and take a picture. Put some thought into exactly how you frame it. Shoot from an angle where your shadow doesn't get in the picture. Avoid elements that may distract the viewer from the subject of your photo, which is, of course, your beautiful motorcycle. A scenic background is great, of course, but what you're trying to show is your motorcycle in the foreground of that scenery. Otherwise, you'd just take a picture of the scenery without your bike in it.

Consider the angle from which you're shooting the bike. We always see it from a high angle, because we are taller than the motorcycles we ride. Taking a picture from tank height or lower gives the bike a more powerful appearance, helping it take center stage in your photo. Also, consider the angle of the bike itself. Is it leaning over on the side stand, or upright on the center stand? It's a matter of personal preference. You can even adjust the angle the bike leans by putting something under the side stand to reduce the angle, but not eliminate it. Dual-sport riders have it easy since there are always random rocks lying around that you can use.

Most of all, experiment. Try things. We are no longer limited to a maximum of 24 or 36 shots on a roll of film. Even the pros get the amazing shots they do by shooting many, many photos, then choosing the best of the bunch. Even if you're a bad photographer, if you take 100 pictures, at least one of them should still turn out excellent. That's the one you share with the world, which is then impressed with your mad photography skills. If only they knew.

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