<<< o >>>a broken bike 16 comments + add yours
chromasia.com

I got an email earlier today from a photographer who had stumbled across my beachcombing gallery. He said that he was pleased to have found it because he now felt like less of a nut photographing stuff that got washed up on his own beach :-)

And my reason for mentioning that is because I was working on this shot when his email arrived. It's clearly not a beachcombing shot, but it is a photograph of something damaged, and possibly abandoned. What I like about objects like these is that each of them has a story – normally one of damage or neglect – a trajectory that leads up to the point at which the shutter is pressed.

captured
camera
lens
focal length
aperture
shutter speed
shooting mode
exposure bias
metering mode
ISO
flash
image quality
RAW converter
cropped?
4.03pm on 7/9/08
Canon 1Ds Mark II
EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
130mm
f/2.8
1/80
aperture priority
+1/3
evaluative
100
no
RAW
ACR
3x1
 
travel [Barcelona, Spain] + non standard + photo friday + urban
comment by Ardeshir at 08:38 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

today i add your blog's rss on my google reader, and i think it's one of beautiful shots of yours. my mind back to the Tom Waits's song, have you ever by any chance hear that? its name is "broken bicycle"
you can listen it here: http://www.last.fm/music/Tom+Waits/_/Broken+Bicycles
it is amazing combination to hear that song and look at this photo

good luck

comment by L at 09:11 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

I guess the owner the bike wasn't too happy about the damage caused :) I can see bikes like these in London everday and I would love to know who and especially why people do this to bikes.

Otherwise very nicely taken , I love the morning (?) sunlight bouncing on the pavement and wheels.

L

comment by PJ at 09:42 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

I really like this shot. The DOF provides just the right "feel" to the shot and the panoramic crop is perfect to display it.

comment by Arnd at 10:03 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

Great shot. I like the angle you've chosen, rather than shooting straight on, using a more interesting angle from further down.

comment by Garry at 10:31 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

Nice soft lighting and great DOF and I agree with PJ that the panoramic crop works really well with it

comment by Robbie Veldwijk at 10:32 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

Nice composition! And nice crop

comment by Chris at 11:01 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

I like this image as well. I think it is more common for photographers to photograph trash or damaged items than most people think. In the last issue of popular photography, a few photographers were hosted for photographing trash, waste, crushed cars, you name it. The title is Ugly Made Beautiful. http://www.popphoto.com/popularphotographyfeatures/5510/ugly-made-beautiful.html

comment by Rafael Perrone at 11:52 PM (GMT) on 18 September, 2008

Interesting picture.

comment by ed at 02:16 AM (GMT) on 19 September, 2008

well hello today Chromasia. I like to look at the photo before i read the other comments hten go back to the photo and try to form an opinion on it while not being swayed by the comments of others, to me i think it looks like a dream or an object in one of my dreams where lines and edges float into each other, then it reminds me as i suffer from migraine headaches of the loss of sight when i get a migraine.

On the DOF .. well first the point of focus why did you chooose the tire to be in focus on the other edge the lines really dont draw you into it if anything they take you away i find the centre point the peddel annoying that it is not the main point of focus , but do like how you use the bent wheel to flow into the image, another point i would have liked is to see the handelbars left in , by excluding them you yourself have taken part in the vandalising of the bike as you have choosing to to chop them off.

I do like the tones but dislike the lock which u cudnt help, how come you are only gettin 1/80 at 2.8 at 4pm in the afternoon with iso 100 seems really bad lighting was it really that over cast .....this one gets a limp thumbs up today

comment by David Chabashvili at 04:51 AM (GMT) on 19 September, 2008

Totally agree with you on the story attached to abandoned things. I like this shot. Little unusual colors for you, but excellent details at right places.

comment by navin harish at 08:46 AM (GMT) on 19 September, 2008

It is fun taking pictures of these things. Apart from having a story as you mentioned, they have a lot more character than a brand new thing. I don't photograph things washed ashore but I do take pictures of other broken things like this.

comment by Michael Paulison at 06:12 PM (GMT) on 19 September, 2008

The shape and the softened depth of field treatment here make this shot really interesting. Being able to make a shot like this into a beautiful image is a real talent. Love it!

comment by djn1 at 09:47 PM (GMT) on 19 September, 2008

Thanks all.

ed: the tires seemed like a good choice - what would you have focussed on? As for the handlebars: yes, I would have liked to have left them in too but the wall became a lot brighter just above the point where I made the crop, and unbalanced the image more so than cropping the handlebars. As for the exposure: narrow streets + afternoon sun + mostly in shade = 1/80 at f/2.8.

comment by Alexssss at 02:28 PM (GMT) on 20 September, 2008

I like the light on the front wheel!

comment by will pattison at 09:36 PM (GMT) on 25 September, 2008

dude...the rear wheel is bent. what else WOULD you focus on??

wp.

comment by Turnbill at 10:34 PM (GMT) on 27 September, 2008

I like how you used the depth of field to focus us on the bent tire. Looks like a wounded alligator.