How to take great photos on motorcycle rides, safely
The short answer
To take good photos on a motorcycle ride safely, never handle a phone or camera while riding, and only stop where you can pull fully off the road with clear sightlines in both directions. For better shots, use soft morning or evening light, shoot the bike from a low three-quarter angle, and let the road lead the eye into the picture.
Everyone wants the shot of the bike on the pass with the mountains behind. Most bad ride photos are bad for the same few reasons, and most dangerous ones happen because someone stopped in the wrong place. Both are easy to fix.
The safety rules
These come first, every time.
- Never while riding. No phone in your hand, no reaching for a camera, no adjusting a mount. If a helmet camera is running, start it before you set off and leave it alone until you stop.
- Pull over fully. Get the bike completely off the road, onto a lay-by, a car park or a wide verge. Half on the tarmac isn't off the road.
- Never on a bend. Don't stop on the inside of a hairpin, after a blind crest or anywhere drivers come round without seeing you. Ride on until there's a straight with a proper place to stop.
- Watch where you stand. Stay behind barriers and well back from the edge of the road. Don't walk into the lane to frame a shot.
- Signal early so riders behind you know you're stopping, especially in a group.
On a group ride, agree photo stops at the briefing. A group that stops together at a viewpoint is safer, and faster, than riders peeling off one by one.
Where to stop
The best photo spots are often the places riders already stop: viewpoints, the top of a pass, a café terrace with a view.
In MotoBFF, riders recommend cafés and food stops on the map, marked "Still good" or "Not anymore" by riders who have stopped there recently. A café terrace with a view is often the best photo stop of the day, with safe parking included.
Light
Light matters more than your camera.
| Time | What you get |
|---|---|
| First hour after sunrise | Soft, warm light, long shadows, empty roads |
| Midday | Harsh light and dark shadows. Look for shade or shoot details |
| Last hour before sunset | Warm, golden light, the best time for bike portraits |
| Overcast | Even light, good for colours and faces |
Shoot with the sun behind you or to the side, not in front of the lens.
Composition
- Three-quarter angle. Stand off the front corner of the bike so you see the front wheel and the side. It looks better than straight side-on.
- Get low. Crouch to the height of the tank. Bikes look stronger from below.
- Turn the front wheel slightly towards the camera when parked.
- Use the road. A road curving away into the distance leads the eye through the photo.
- Leave space. A small bike in a big landscape often tells the story better than a close-up.
- Clean the lens. Phones live in pockets. A quick wipe fixes most hazy photos.
Shots of friends riding
Action shots are the ones everyone wants, and they take planning.
- Pick a safe place: a straight or gentle bend with good sightlines and room for you to stand well back from the road.
- Agree it first. Your friends ride past at their normal pace, in their own lane, as they would anyway. No stunts and no slowing in the road.
- Use burst mode and pan the camera with the bike as it passes.
- Keep it short. Two or three passes is plenty, then everyone rides on.
Never stand on the outside of a corner, where a bike would go if it ran wide.
Sharing
Ask friends before posting photos where they can be recognised, and think about whether a photo shows where someone lives or parks. Then send the best ones to everyone who rode with you.
Questions riders ask
Is it safe to take photos while riding a motorcycle?
No. Never handle a phone or camera while riding. If you use a helmet camera, start it before you set off and only touch it when you've stopped fully off the road.
Where should I stop to take photos on a motorcycle ride?
Stop only where you can get the bike completely off the road, such as a lay-by, car park or viewpoint, with clear sightlines in both directions. Never stop on a bend or the inside of a hairpin.
What is the best angle to photograph a motorcycle?
A low three-quarter angle from the front corner, with the front wheel turned slightly towards the camera. Shoot in soft morning or evening light with the sun behind or beside you.
How do I take photos of friends riding past?
Pick a straight or gentle bend with good sightlines, stand well back behind a barrier, and agree that your friends ride past at their normal pace in their own lane. Use burst mode and pan with the bike.