Josh Weinberg
This story originally ran in early January but was a hit with readers, so we wanted to resurface for anyone who missed it the first time around.
I’ve been photographing bicycles, races, events, and trips for a long time. Sometimes for fun, but mostly for work (which is also often fun), and a recurring question that comes up from colleagues, friends, and readers of my work is how I approach things.
A recent example came while Rob English and I were documenting the Made show this year. I felt flattered that the framebuilding master himself had asked if I had any photography tips to share. During each of the three days working together, I’d offer a suggestion or two, we’d go our separate ways, pulling aside as many bikes as possible to photograph, and then reconvene to pool our images together into collective articles.
By simply keeping in mind a few things I had shared with him, Rob’s photography seemed to progress from Friday to Sunday. He was one of many over the years who recommended that I put some of the advice I shared in writing, which is part of what led me to pen this article.
I’ve absorbed a lot from other professionals and enthusiasts over the years, and am always happy to share what I’ve learned, as well as some of the personal best practices I’ve developed shooting both bicycles and the sport itself. There are no secrets to the process, and I believe it’s all relatable, uncomplicated, and doable. Still, there’s a lot of noise to wade through around gear and methodology.
This is a long read, and there are lots of example images from my archive. Thanks to the handy navigational tools below, I hope it can be used as a resource and specific sections returned to as needed.
Finding a deeper connection through the lens
Photography is often thought of as a personal pursuit, but a recent experience reminded me it has just as much – maybe more – value for community as it does for creativity.
Photography fundamentals
This is not a general guide to photography or how to use a camera, per se. It doesn’t cover color theory or editing digital images. There’s too much variation across types and models of equipment for me to offer anything substantial in that realm here. However, I could expand on certain topics in follow-up articles.
Plus, there are so many brand- and model-specific tutorials available on YouTube and across the internet that my attempt would be futile. But some fundamentals need to be covered before I get into specifics of the craft.
Left: The exposure triangle (B&H Photo); Right: a challenging after-dark exposure.
Photography fundamentals can be summarized in a basic explanation of the exposure triangle centered on controlling light, motion, and perspective through various camera and lens operations. In short, the concept encompasses three aspects: aperture, shutter speed, and light sensitivity (expressed as ISO) – all working together to produce a balanced image.
Aperture is the size of a lens opening that determines how much light reaches the camera’s sensor. It also defines the depth of field, which is how much of an image is in focus. A wide aperture is denoted by a smaller number (f/2.8, for example) and lets more light in while creating a shallow depth of field that helps isolate a subject against the background. A narrow aperture (around f/16) lets in less light and also puts more of the frame in focus.
On manually controlled cameras, there is an aperture ring that rotates around the lens body to control the size of the opening within. Many modern digital cameras do this with a small dial somewhere on the camera body, or can be configured to perform the function automatically.
Shutter speed is the length of time a camera’s shutter remains open to capture light on the sensor. It also affects how motion appears in an image. A faster speed, like 1/1000th of a second, is more likely to freeze action, while a slower speed of around 1/30th of a second will probably result in motion blur. Shutter speed is typically controlled manually via a dial on the camera body, and, like aperture, modern digital cameras can control it automatically, often adjusting shutter speed and aperture in relation to each other for proper exposure.
In terms of the relationship between shutter speed and freezing motion, a helpful rule of thumb is to keep the shutter speed faster than the lens’s focal length. For example, when using a 50 mm lens, an ideal shutter speed is 1/50th of a second or faster. Anything less is prone to inducing blur due to camera shake.
ISO refers to a camera sensor’s sensitivity to light. In analog camera terms, this is how sensitive a certain film stock is to light, and has a similar connotation for the sensors found in digital cameras. A lower ISO, like 100 or 200 – a common baseline for most cameras – is less sensitive to light. It also produces a “clean” image.
Higher ISOs, like 2500, are more sensitive to light but also introduce “noise” or artifacts that, depending on the camera, can reduce image quality. Flash can be deployed to augment and assist in creating additional light, but that discussion is beyond the scope of this simple primer.
Combined, these three aspects of camera functionality will expose (brighten or darken) an image. For the exposure to be “correct,” the three must be balanced. When the shutter speed is increased (letting in less light to freeze motion), for example, compensation needs to be made on the other sides of the triangle by either widening the aperture or increasing the ISO to maintain brightness. Such adjustments might either narrow the image’s depth of field or make it noisier.
Mastering the interplay among the exposure triangle is key to making good images, or at least being able to control the system to make the images you want to make. Knowing how to use these key functions can also empower photographers to move beyond automatic modes and make creative choices, such as intentionally blurring motion or isolating subjects.
Camera selection
This question came up most recently for me in the comments on my year-end Favorite Things list. I mentioned a Leica Q3 43 fixed-lens camera purchased at the beginning of the year, and that I had greatly enjoyed using it to document travel and recreational bike rides, and as a second camera for professional work, shooting races this past season.
In that write-up, I also indicated that it’s probably the last camera I’d advise someone to purchase (mostly because of its high retail price and relatively limited versatility with a single focal length), which then prompted some readers to ask what I would recommend. And we could spin off an entirely different website dedicated to answering that question alone, because, well, it all depends, and there are so many options.
A few of my favorite things 2025: Josh Weinberg
Ringing in the year’s end with a list of favorites that were with me along the way.
Let me know in the comments if you’d like to see camera reviews here at Escape, but for now, I’ll keep it simple and offer my take on typology (full-frame, crop sensor (APS-C), and compact/point-and-shoot) and popular brands rather than digging too deep into any particular model.
The image on the left compares sensor sizes, and the one on the right shows how the same lens will produce a wider angle of view on a full frame camera compared to an APS-C camera. (Image: Petapixel)
Full-frame cameras get their name from having a sensor that’s the same size as a standard 35 mm film frame (24 mm x 36 mm). Typically preferred by professionals and serious enthusiasts, these cameras offer a wider field of view, better low-light performance, and more dynamic range because their sensors capture more information, and shallower depth of field than other camera types with smaller sensors, like APS-C. Downsides to full-frame camera bodies, however, are that they are generally larger, heavier, and more expensive. So, while purchasing full-frame cameras and accessories requires a considerable financial investment, they are also not as easy to carry or use as smaller alternatives.
Like bikes, there are endless niches and types of cameras available on today’s market. And, also like bikes, brands are locked into a continuous cycle of model updates, keeping shoppers and forum-crawlers on their toes. But, chances are that if you do your research and spend time with a few front-runners through renting or borrowing, you’ll find a good fit.
Lael Wilcox along the Arizona National Scenic Trail (AZT), Grand Canyon, AZ. Full-frame cameras offer greater depth of field than those with smaller sensors. Left image is with a telephoto lens, and right is a relatively wide angle.
I’ve had full-frames from each of the “big three” camera manufacturers (Canon, Nikon, and Sony) over the years. After being on team Sony since the A7 III was released in 2018, and later upgrading to the A1 in 2021, I’ve switched to Canon with the R5.
While there are things I miss about the Sony system, including the brand’s policy of allowing third-party manufacturers to make lenses for its proprietary E-mount, the R5 has been a solid workhorse. Canon also has an exceptional extended warranty plan that has saved my ass on multiple occasions. I’ve had three substantial repairs made to my camera body and lenses due to damage I caused rather than inherent defects, which would have cost in the thousands. Still, they’ve all been done free of charge because I spent a few hundred bucks extra at the time of initial purchase.
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