The Racers

This frame plays on contrast — not in light, but in intent. A man on a bicycle, casual and calm, drifts past a car caught in traffic. His posture suggests ease, purpose even, while the driver beside him grips a phone, half-engaged elsewhere. The child seat behind the cyclist, though empty, tells a story of movement beyond the individual. Domesticity, transport, and pace: all converge in one mundane but resonant street encounter.

I shot this with a 35mm at f/8 to hold sharpness across the scene. The lens rewarded me with clarity on the cyclist’s face and detail in the background signage. Timing was key. I waited until the rider aligned perfectly with the car’s bonnet and the framing of the jewellery store façade above. The image is as much about gesture as it is about geometry — lines of the buildings echo the tension between motion and stillness.

Light was abundant but flat, softened by early winter sun. I resisted boosting contrast too much in post, preferring to let the natural tones of the coats, asphalt, and stone carry the scene. Even the pink of the child seat adds narrative without screaming for attention.

This isn’t a photo about speed — it’s about the illusion of it. Everyone is going somewhere, but not all are moving.