How to photograph Motorcycles | 1998 Harley Sportster Scrambler | Off-road adventure bike

9 Jan

Written By B T

Discover the behind-the-scenes of a professional motorbike photoshoot with Purpose Built Moto. Explore the creative process of finding the perfect location, capturing the unique style of the Sportster turned off-road weapon and how to create stunning images. Learn from the expert tips on giving enough negative space around the bike, keeping the background consistent, focusing on the details and avoiding distracting elements in the background.

My top tips for taking photos of motorcycles:

Giving enough negative space around the bike, eg giving more background to the image helps if you need to crop, extend the background or clean up signs or background elements that draw attention.
Keep the background the same and move the bike. I have found over time that this keeps the attention on the bike and doesn’t distract the viewer’s eyes.
Remember to get the details
Check for things in the background. There is nothing worse than getting into the editing bay to realise you have to try and edit out a mark on the wall or a box you didn’t see.

See the final result in the gallery below shot with a Sony A7iii and the Sony 50mm f1.8 in our detailed blog post.