Focal Flame photographer Clint Thayer is gifted in capturing movement. His photos ofcyclocross athletes in action were featured in the January 11th Isthmus insert for the 2013 Cyclo-Cross National Championships, which were held in the Madison area the following weekend. But the fact remains that every moving bike becomes a still life with the click of the shutter. To leave a lasting impression, each photograph needs to be a work of art. Peter Oyen, owner of Rocket Bicycle Studio, recently tapped into Thayer’s knowledge and experience with bikes for his product photography needs.
Since its founding in October 2010, Rocket Bicycle Studio (RBS) has held a core value of “Fit First” - meaning that no matter what level of cycling an individual pursues, from triathlon, cyclocross or even commuting, a proper pre-bike fit is very crucial. Towards this endeavor, Rocket Bicycle Studio has partnered with SBR Coaching, which holds exclusive license to the GURU Dynamic Fit Unit in south-central Wisconsin.
Darla Hofmann, a recent Guru bicycle purchaser through Rocket Studio said, “I had heard a lot of great things and how happy peer athletes were that had the Dynamic Fit with Rocket Studio Bicycles. I have a lot of confidence in Jessica Laufenburg (SBR Coaching) and Peter Oyen, (Rocket Bicycle Studios) so I scheduled my appointment.”
Hofmann's order of the custom Guru started with finding the proper frame size and adding the parts and components she’ll need for her upcoming challenge, IronMan Wisconsin 2013. Personalizing the purchase experience involved choosing paint schemes and colors, colored bar tape, and wheels. Oyen said, “This makes Darla Hofmann's bike all that more unique, different, and creative. The bike is an extension of her, and each customer’s, personality.”
Small business photography plays a critical role in illustrating this process. Capturing the unique personality of each customer as expressed through the creation of their new bike is where Focal Flame Photography comes in. Every custom bike takes roughly six weeks production time. Toward the end, RBS schedules a photo shoot with Focal Flame owner and professional photographer, Clint Thayer.
Thayer shared that his goal is to highlight the bike’s story and singular nature. The gears. The paint job. That specially chosen handlebar tape. And because Thayer can concentrate on both the scale of both the bike as a whole and the detail of every component, commercial product photography shoots for Rocket Bicycle Studio allow the ability to focus on both small product photography (gears, brakes, drivetrain) and large product photography (the bike in its entirety). This is in addition to mindful treatment of product photography lighting.
Thayer’s eye for composition and abstract art makes Focal Flame the logical choice for Oyen’s product photography needs. Oyen stated, “The bikes are works of art. Not 'just a bike,' but more than that.” Thayer’s experience with Miksang photography gives him insight into how an image can represent something bigger and create a strong positive emotion or feeling.
Each new owner is presented with three professional 8x10 photographs of their bike on the day of pick up. One might call these “birth photos” for the new proud parent commemorating the bike’s homecoming. Like photos of a boat hanging in the executive’s office reminding him or her of good times to come, RBS customers are delighted with the photos of their bike and what they represent. Darla shared, “The photos from Focal Flame were such a great surprise!! I can't wait to get a couple of them matted and framed....they are a piece of art that I will be proud to display. They were definitely the icing on the cake!”
Focal Flame Photography is proud to assist Rocket Bicycle Studio in honoring the creation of each custom bike. And we commend RBS’s ingenuity in using product photography to enhance their customers' experiences.
Are you a small business owner? Interested in innovative ways that photography can provide value to your customers? Contact Focal Flame Photography today!