The Art of the Ride Report - Planning, Tips, Opinions, Discussion

I've messed with it a little bit and I've found that 5 MPH looks almost the same as 100 MPH. I don't generally do pictures on the move because I'll crash.

Nice Thread.

I for one, agree with JayElDee, words are tools, and I hate to see someone using the wrong tool.

I just found this thread as a result of the link on Dave6253's latest RR. I've been wondering if there was a thread like this. I just read the whole thing. Lots of great info

I have a few thoughts from the standpoint of a RR reader. I do read a lot of Ride reports.
First, I have enjoyed many different and diverse RR's. I like the epic trips by Metaljockey, Colebatch, Rtwdoug, etc and I also like shorter and far from Epic trips. IMO, the biggest thing that good ride reports have in common is that the author put some effort into them.

As much as I like reading about epic trips to exotic locations, I also enjoy reading about trips that I could possibly do some day. One of the hardest thing to capture in a ride report is showing the pure joy, and/or thrill of riding. When someone can do that He/she has my attention. Idave is a good example of this.

My favorite RR so far is Kaneman's epic trip back on 2007. There were many thing I found interesting about his trip but the one thing that really stood out was the interaction between Josh and many of the inmates who were reading his RR. His trip would have been completely different if no one got involved with him and his journey.

I think that interaction between the author and the readers can add a lot to a report. Yes, some reports have so many responses that it overwhelms the report but most reports probably could use more interaction.

For example Dave6253 acknowledges those who respond in his report. Just as the author's appreciate feedback, so do the readers who take the time to write a meaningful reply. I think that dialogue between author and reader makes it more personal and makes it more likely that the reader will come back for more.

I do have one pet peeve: Posting multiple pics with no break in between. It pretty much ruins the report IMO.

Enough rambling for now. Great thread

Dave, this is a great thread! I'm going to order the gear keeper ASAP, definitely a camera saver.

On a side note it's funny that we do have pretty similar equipment: Futura, KTM 9x0 and Lumix ZS...

WRT composing your RR in the ADV editor and then losing much work - my advice would be to get a gmail account and do your RR installment using Google Docs. It'll auto-save for you so you won't lose much work if the internet connection goes away, and when you're done all you need to do is cut 'n' paste it into the Adv editor.

Kaia,

Wow! A most excellent post. All are very thoughtful points.


Jean Luc,

I remember reading some of your awesome RRs, such as Chasing Summer, back when I was still dreaming of someday owning a big KTM. I didn't know you had a Futura also. That's very cool. I've noticed many Futura owners also own an ADV bike. (It's not like anyone is currently making a better sport-tourer.IMHO )

Excellent, thoughtful - and thought provoking - post.

Regarding using a video camera upside down - I found, quite by accident - that Windows Movie Maker will flip videos. That information came in handy when I was trying to shoot contests over the heads of other spectators at one event, and wanted to be able to use the viewing screen which folded the wrong way (for upright use). By holding the camera upside down it was possible to view the scenes as I took them - although I did finish the day with a stiff neck.

I'll second the kudos to Kaia. Very helpful information - thanks! As for the gear keeper devices:

I just ordered one from a third party seller through Amazon. Shipping was a bit high but hey, my camera's worth it.

I use Adobe Premier Elements and it will rotate videos 90 or 180 degrees.

Wow.. great thread. So many thoughts & ideas.. a place for aspiring artists to hang out, like paris in the 20's..

A lot of great points. I don't have a lot to add, & realize there are different strokes for different folks.

I don't care for food shots, & don't put them in my reports.. to each his/her own.

I started making ride reports a few years ago at my daughter's suggestion.. make a travelogue for the grand kids, so i am sensitive to profanity & salutes.. they're ok for the GQ crowd, but for a wider audience, there are better ways to communicate. I get a lot of feedback from people who show the rides to wives, kids, etc, & are grateful for the omission.. but again, to each his own, & depends on your target.

I think the main thing is to be true to yourself... don't try to be who you aren't. Be real. I spot it when someone is trying to be too 'artsy', or metaphysical. You are not Hemingway. Be fine with yourself. If you're a prick, write like one, it will be more of a true reflection, instead of a pose.

It's a picture story. Interesting tidbits are great, but too much leaves me glazing over. Long winded descriptions are fine for War & Peace, but i prefer the KISS method for reports... Keep It Simple, Stupid.

Photography. That is the other factor in ride reports.. I agree with so many who have made some great points. I think with the newer point & shoot cameras, it is much easier to take good pictures.. maybe not in all lighting conditions, or the more artistic shots, but full sun or cloudy landscapes are pretty easy.

I don't flame anyone for bad spelling or grammar, but the reports reads easier with less distraction & more credibility if those are attempted. But you can have your own style, too. If you're writing like huck finn & it works, that's great! I sometimes have disjointed sentences.. awkward pauses.. no caps where there should be some... too many periods.. but it's easy for me, & it works for me, so there.

+1 with the smilies.. keep them to a minimum.

I just use notepad to write reports. I can cut & paste html pic links right into the reports, as well as you tube links.

I've been putting too many videos in my reports, lately. They are easier to do when riding, but i think they are not as good in reports.. they don't flow with the report as well as pics. A few to show more interesting detail are ok, but i think they also are better if they don't dominate the report.

But just like there are different musical tastes, movie tastes, book tastes, & chili cookoff tastes, ride reports will have different appeal for different people. Some of the GQ set love lots of profanity, guy talk, macho action shots, etc. Others like it when there are lots of pretty flowers.

Do the ride. Write the report. Have fun with both. Others will pick up on that & enjoy them.

I suppose there are different reasons we write reports. Some do it for fun.. to share the joy. Others might see it as a competition.. to write better reports than anyone else. Most are probably a blend of both.

I appreciate those who have taken time to put together a good report.. well balanced with good pics, stunning prose, & humorous anecdotes. It takes a lot of time to edit the photos, upload them, write descriptive narratives, & make it interesting. Even if it's not my style, i can appreciate what went into it, & see how it fit together. Sometimes it is a bomb, but other times.. when the stars align.. when the right photo with perfect lighting gets put with the perfect narrative... something stirs. Art happens.
scotty

< That's me keeping smilies to a minimum.

Well said, Scott.

On humor:
I really appreciate more dry, dead-pan humor that doesn't, at first, jump out as an attempt to be funny. Or a joke rooted in some obscure factoid is always excellent.

On another note:
What is the thread concensus on self-pics?

Self-pics with a little creative thought behind them are, I think, quite cool. Darth Peach is probably the best example. Why? Because they seem less about her and more about how amusing life can be with so little effort.



BUT, pics of I-want-to-show-my-mug-with- (insert any pic of a sign or pic of Bryce Canyon here) behind-me seem pretty lame.
The Look,-I-really-was-here thing seems egotistical at best.

For example:

TwoShots, Ultimately a Ride Report is an auto-biography of a short snippet of your life. Including a few self portaits to introduce yourself to the viewer is no more egotistical than doing the report in the first place. Of course, If every shot is like your second example it would get uninteresting real quick. Some authors completely conceal their personality by never showing themselves in pics. This works for some, but for the most part I want to see the author. Capturing the RIDE and events of the journey is what it's about. I usually ride solo, but I like trying to document myself riding from time to time using the Les Stroud Survivorman method.



Including yourself may be needed to demostrate the scale of the landscape.


I don't think there's anything wrong with self portraits at all, but too many posed self-pics is boring and probably results from a lack of creativity rather than ego. Many write RRs to share with family and friends. The "look I was here photos" were likely intended for them.

And that is where we differ/part ways.

Egocentrist styled reports are really the least interesting ones. I mean if a rider wants to dress their experience with personal opinion, introspective ramblings, etc., - get a blog.

A (good) RR is not at all an autobiography, IMHO. Rather, it's an opportunity share what an area has to offer in the form of sights, sounds, history, culture, etc - choose your flavors.

Wasting time messing with photos in some complex and expensive computer software was something I thought I would never do. However; I recently learned the secret to better photos... The hard and expensive way. What I learned is that post-production is not all that hard and that I really didn't need that new expensive camera to improve my shots.


My Learning Process

I have been drooling over the gorgeous photos on advrider for years. I noticed that most of the serious photographers (and many not so good photographers) use expensive DSLRs. I thought I had a clue how to point a camera, and I was getting okay photos from my point-n-shoot. As I learned more about photography I discovered that many of the photographs that caught my attention had been modified and altered extensively in Photoshop. Photoshop seemed overly complicated, intimidating, and expensive.

Instead of considering post-production techniques to improve my pics I decided I needed a new camera. I finally got my first DSLR last year.

After a few weeks of learning the new camera I scheduled my first moto trip. I rode four days around Southern Utah intentionally hitting some of the most photogenic spots in the USA. I relied heavily on the new DSLR and neglected the little point-n-shoot. I returned home excited to see the results on the computer. I was extremely disappointed in the results.

I figured I just needed to learn more about the settings on the camera and more about photography in general. Surely I could get satisfactory pictures straight from the camera, right? I re-read the camera manual, and spent time seeking answers in online photography forums, and books.

I learned many photographers had started using Adobe Lightroom instead of Photoshop. I downloaded a free trial version of Adobe Lightroom 3 beta and was blown away with how easy it was to use and learn. When the final version of Lightroom 3 was released I couldn't wait to purchase it. While $300 was more money than I can really afford for software, in reality I could have purchased about 8 copies with all of the money I spent on camera gear recently.

So, for everyone that has asked, and to anyone who will ask in the future, "Maybe I need a new camera?" DON'T waste money on a new camera until you've tried Lightroom, or at least some form of post-production software.

The Results

Below are some before and after screenshots taken from within Lightroom 3. These are screenshots of previews only and are not very hi-res but you should be able to see a huge difference.






Most of us ride during the day, so I'm sure we all have plenty of these washed out shots.




I have switched to shooting in the file format RAW with the DSLR and make all of the adjustments in Lightroom versus having the camera's JPEG processor try to do it automatically. This gives me more control of the outcome.














The Graduated Nuetral Density Tool can really halp bring out the details in the sky.














Cropping a photo to cut out unwanted areas, to zoom, and to follow the rule of thirds is a powerful tool that until recently I was to lazy to do. Most basic photo editors (probably already on your computer) allow you to crop.




Cropping and rotating for a better composition.








You would probably have a hard time telling the difference between the pics from a decent point-n-shoot and a DSLR as long as there is enough light.

With a little work I've learned how to use the DSLR pretty effectively, but the PnS camera is much easier to get good pics automatically. I am ultimately happy with the purchase of the DSLR, though I wouldn't mind using only the PnS for a moto-trip. I currently carry both on the bike. I use the DSLR mainly for off-the-bike photos and low-light stuff.

This was not intended to be a tutorial on how to use Lightroom. I am far from qualified. If you do end up using Lightroom I would recommend getting a book to better understand it. I really like the Lightroom 3 Book written by Martin Evening.

Don't take my work for it. Go find out what the professional photographers have to say about Adobe Lightroom 3 in forums like our sister site dgrin.com.



As you can see, I like COLOR! However; I do like how easy black and white conversions are in Lightroom.

Of course.

I have a feeling that you hold great interest in photo editing at this time.

I try to do a ride report update daily and am usually too tired to worry about photo editing so you get what I have untouched. sorry if that is insufficient for the forum.