Taking pictures with your phone while riding a bike

Taking pictures with your phone while riding a bike may seem like an absurdity. Because it’s easier to do with a proper camera.

The Rear View Wheel Series has always been captured with a DSLR camera. The ergonomics of holding a camera is simply easier to take pictures with one hand on the steering wheel.

Why use a phone to take pictures while on a bike?

One of the advantages of mobile photography is that you always have a phone with you. I like to think that I always ride with a camera in hand, but the truth is I don’t. I’m not thinking of taking photos on a four minute errand. However, opportunities to capture something of interest don’t just revolve around my schedule. In Amsterdam, they happen anytime and anywhere.

Correct issues in post-production

Browsing through my phone, I discovered several photos that had slipped my memory. All of these photos were taken with an iPhone 5s and iPhone 6. While these phones were small, making it easier to handle, the specs of the camera obviously don’t compare to that of my DSLR camera. 

If you come across a photo on your phone that doesn’t quite meet your expectations of what you consider to be a good photo, don’t fret just yet. Consider processing them to black and white in post-production. This can help correct issues of overexposure and blurriness while bringing more focus on the subject. Blurring the background, sharpening your subject, and playing around with contrasts can produce some pretty good results.

Tips for taking pictures with your phone while biking

Taking a photo while riding your bike is tricky, especially when trying to grip a mobile phone. It’s just not the ideal thing to do if your handling it with one hand. Here are a few tips.

• Consider getting a good phone cover that offers your phone protection
• Don’t try riding with no hands in order to use your phone
• Have your phone in easily accessible pocket or ride with a phone mount
• Know how to use your phone and access your camera without having to search thru Apps
• Be mindful of the traffic around you and anticipate what’s approaching

Capturing that fleeting moment

I don’t like to put too much emphasis on a camera being better than another. Phones take great pictures and mobile photography is just another tool to capture a unique moment that only happens once. So consider taking pictures with your phone while riding a bike. You might be happy that you did.