Noticed some Orbeas seemingly without any tyre valves and now I can't not notice and appreciate the little details that go into making a bike-on-white photo look just right. Thought I'd share some ramblings, for the particular folks on here - example links at the end.
Cranks level, drive side forward. Unless you want to show off an unusual chainstay design, in which case diagonal.
Gear selection at least 5th, to put the derailleur between the centre and rear of the cassette. Putting it in top gear tucks it back and up, leaving the top and bottom parts of the chain parallel.
Dropper up, a bit of body showing (not slammed) but not too much, seat level with the handlebars.
Side-on perspective to the fork, otherwise you see half of the far-side stanchion (or all of it with a gap in between) and the handlebars look weird.
The real minefield is tyre and rim decals, and valves - the alignment thereof and rotational position for taking the photo. It needs to look balanced and the right way up.
Valve and rim decals are interlinked (due to the rim hole position), so the valve is often photoshopped out for flexibility, and possibly to allow consistency between different bike model variants which come with different rim/tyre combinations. Otherwise the valve usually goes at the top, and never at the front.
Some rims have a "right way up" while others also look right "on their side", text is upright when at the bottom. Tyres usually do have a "right way up" which puts the manufacturer name at the top and upright (and is normally centered on the valve), leaving the model name/detail opposite and at the bottom and possibly upside down. The rim/tyre can be aligned so that the manufacturer decals of both are together (and the same opposite for models), although there's a possibility of ending up with right way up and upside down text right next to each other. Alternatively you can put them at 90deg offset to each other (rim decals at rear and front).
For your consideration and critique:
https://www.orangebikes.co.uk/bikes/five-evo-s/2021
https://www.bird.bike/aether-9c/
https://www.specializedconceptstore.co.uk/product/18619/2021-stumpjumper-comp/
https://www.orangebikes.co.uk/bikes/five-evo-xtr/2021
https://www.orbea.com/gb-en/bicycles/mountain/occam/cat/occam-h10
https://www.commencal-store.co.uk/meta-am-29-ohlins-ed-c2x31379267
https://www.commencal-store.co.uk/meta-tr-29-signature-matte-graphite-2021-c2x31636800
https://www.commencal-store.co.uk/meta-am-29-essential-c2x31379259
Cube used to photograph there bikes upside down, you could tell by the gravity defying sag on the chain when the picture was inverted for the catalogue
I've seen some that aren't even whole bikes, they're an assortment of parts photoshopped together. Often these are so well done it's hard to tell. Devinci did some fairly obvious ones, rear mechs half their usual size, Fox forks with Rock Shox decals, wheels that are just CAD renderings.
Well I've looked at all of those links and the most surprising thing for me is how ugly all of the bikes are, with the exception of Coommencal.
Don't forget to cut your lawn and clear away the sausages too.
Go take a look at how people photograph food it will blow your mind.
Don’t forget to cut your lawn and clear away the sausages too
Please can we have a bike manufacturer take next year's pictures hanging from a tree or log pile.