Over the past two years in Boston, I’ve spent my time photographing the many cyclists of the City. From day one it was clear this city is meant for cycling, but I didn’t adopt it right away. I tried car, train, motorcycle and even an electric skateboard and after I made the switch to a single speed, I’ve never looked back. It’s by far the most efficient way around and a perfect cheat code around Boston’s dreadful traffic. Not to mention a fantastic way to familiarize oneself with the many landscapes around the city.
As I explore the many bike paths and zip in and out of traffic, I’ve made a habit of bringing my camera along with me. It’s the very reason why I fell in love with street photography and for me nothing’s better than cruising around one handed at 13mph, snapping photos through the viewfinder. Sure, it’s not the safest hobby, but its been a fantastic method of capturing city life and the culture within.
Below is my collection of bike related photographs as a tribute to the wonders of cycling Boston’s streets.
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Outside the museum of science stands this ghost bike. It serves as a memorial for fallen cyclists and is a friendly reminder to acknowledge the dangers of the road. It also happens to be the perfect spot to hop off the curb, directly into traffic, before the start of the bike lane.
In light of this irony, I’d like to share two bicycle safety tips – First, keep your tires properly inflated at all times. I’ve flipped over my handle bars breaking through a curve, because my front tire was low on air. Second, stay vigilant while biking past construction. I’ve riding into a rope blocking off the bike path and once again flipped over not knowing what hit me.
Wear a helmet and share the road!
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Cambridge Crossing, formally NorthPoint, is home to some of the newest development projects in Boston. The area is now filled with high-rises, a man made pond and plenty of fast casual restaurants selling $20 salads.
When I took this picture I was walking from work across the street and like most days, found it very difficult to photograph the surrounding area. Luckily this person came into view and gave me something to work with.
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One day I was walking through Belmont and came across Grove Street Playground. It held all the essentials for a classic summer park scene and in the middle of it all sat this bike, filling me with nostalgia. When I was younger this was my exact kit, right down to the black 29er, gatorade water bottle and activity filled string bag. At that moment I felt as though I has gone through a time machine, so naturally I had to snap a picture for safe keeping.
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If you’ve had the pleasure of driving through the roads of Boston, you’ll know urban planning was more or less an afterthought when managing traffic flow. Of course, back when it was founded in 1630, people in carriages didn’t have BMW drivers to deal with. Fast forward nearly 400 years later and the roads are paved and littered with blue bikes. At $2.95 per half hour, it’s an unbeatable way to get around, especially when helmets and cycling aptitude are optional.
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Another cycling favorite of mine are commuters with panniers. Bred for efficiency over style, commuters are an eclectic bunch. Usually on a blue bike or something purchased from REI, they make up the majority of cyclists in the city. This commuter here isn’t your usual suspect wearing Allen Edmonds and Lululemon, but they’ve sure got the high visibility dialed. Jokes aside, and I’ve got plenty, I’m grateful for those who take the sustainable route and choose to bike. If you’re one of them and can’t take the heat from wearing a backpack while riding, check out Ortleib. They make some well designed cycling bags in deliciously fruity colors.
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To me, this is what street photography is all about! Taken while biking on the Charles River Esplanade, this low speed drive-by captures that classic “candid stare” when putting a camera in a stranger’s face. There was nothing subtle about this picture and to that fact I find it to be great practice for cutting through the uncomfortable nature of street photography. Curious about what I’m alluding to? Check out Bruce Gilden and his mastery of the uncomfortable.
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When I typically see someone riding a Pinarello, they screams “avid cyclist with deep pockets”, but the door dash bag threw me off. From my experience, door dashers usually cruise around on e-bikes and mopeds, but this lad took it to the next level with the $10k racing kit. Maybe he’s a cyclist on a college team, looking for extra cash between classes? I would have asked him but I was too busy trying to keep pace while looking through my viewfinder.
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Ahh yes, more commuters! Standing on the sidewalk on my way to work, I was taking a picture of the biker in the background and as I pressed the shutter another cyclist zoomed in front of me and BAM! A picture worthy of the blog. Shout out to the crown vic for making an appearance. Whether we like them or not, they somehow manage to stay relevant.
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Behold, my beloved bicycle! I can honestly say this has been my favorite bike out of the many I’ve owned and ridden over the years. Originally a craigslist special, this Specialized Roll 1 has now become a custom build with only the frame left from its original form. It’s always been a dream of mine to have a fully custom bike and after building bespoke e-bikes for a company during the pandemic, I knew it was time to make something of my own. Before I dove in, I knew it would have to be light, fast and of the simplest form. That meant no gears, no hydraulics and for the love of god, no batteries! If you want to know more about it feel free to comment accordingly and I’ll be happy to nerd out with you!
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Please excuse the interruption of regularly scheduled programming for this public service announcement…
PLEASE WEAR A HELMET!
This is the third time on this post i’m mentioning it, so it better stick. You don’t want to be like this kid and have to text your mother half way through your ride. He’s obviously asking her to bring a helmet, proper shoes and a pair of wrenches to tighten his chain.
Not sure where to start to best protect your dome? Try POC or Triple 8. They aren’t the cheapest brands, but they sure are cheaper than a trip to the hospital.
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Quite often I like to ride off the beaten path. It’s great to further familiarize myself with the city and the photography is always unique. One day while riding along commonwealth avenue near the BU field house, I spotted this guy in a back alley way. I’m not really sure what’s happening here, but in style points alone this guy is unmatched.
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Here is an example of a rare occasion where both myself and the subject were caught in confusion. At first glance I saw this bike sitting alone on the bike rack and b-lined off the sidewalk to take a photo. In the four seconds* it took me to turn the camera on and focus in, the owner of this spicy number came out of the building into frame. Neither of us had time to react and here lies the result.
* Can confirm validity by testing camera shot time with phone timer.
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April 13th, 2023.
Location: Cambridge, MA
Transportation type: Bicycle with loose chain
Assignment: Assist in hosting event with a customer-service focus and possess the ability to successfully manage dinner meeting and event compliance.
Compensation: $310 minus self-employment tax.
Status: Accepted & Grateful
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When writing about this photo, the first words that come to mind is The power of three. Naturally I was curious to look up the significance of the phrase, so a quick google search informed me it is the title of Season 7, Episode 4 of Doctor Who. Funny enough, I was an avid Doctor Who fan while growing up in the states. Not a common occurrence this side of the pond, but over in England its been aired since 1963. How’s that for a random photo entry!
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This concludes our program for today. As a thank you for sticking through to the end, here is a gift for all you photography lovers 🎁. Click it and enjoy!