Anatomy of a Photo: Casually Deliberate Masterclass

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but I’d need a thousand just to describe the carefully disheveled cap placement. I’d need another grand just to describe the positioning of the cranks or front skewer or downtube shifters. I’d be another mille mot in the hole to discuss the fit of the jersey or the white socks and black shoes.

All those words and still I wouldn’t have touched the way he’s holding his bike with his forearm. This is the Casually Deliberate masterclass. Full stop.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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  • I am suffering from an extended bout of veloennui. This pic helps me. The dark, the rain, the change of season has me down about my cycling. Cleaned bike 4 times. Replaced chainrings on #1 just because I didn't want her to feel neglected. Had to cancel the usual annual bike vacation for velominatus bugetatus reasons.

    But thanks to the pic, I am now feeling better. I think this weekend I will collect up all my COTHO jerseys, swag, books, cockrings, clippings pic etc and put them up on eBay, promising to donate all the proceeds to LAF. Then when I get the money, I'll just do what COTHO would do and lie and keep the money. Choads.

    Thanks for the pic. Much more effective than Cymbalta.

     

  • @eightzero I was worried about the notion that you were going to donate to LAF, but about 1/4 second before reading on I realized it was a Casually Deliberate head-fake.

    And that truly is an awesome picture of The Prophet. I work as a professional photographer and would have retired completely satisfied with my career had I taken that one.

  • Such an amazing spot in time.  Check out his drilled out chainring and brake levers.  He was a weight fanatic!

  • @Oli

    @Buck Rogers Joop Zoetemelk on the left (Eddy's right) and Gosta Pettersson.

    Knew I could count on you, Oli.  I know of Joop but Gosta is a new one to me.  Need to read up on him a bit now.

  • I never get tired of seeing this photo. Never. So much good shit going on. In addition to what's been said, I love the drilled out chainring and the leader tape. Best cycling photo EVER, and he's not even riding.

  • @Oli

    @Buck Rogers Joop Zoetemelk on the left (Eddy's right) and Gosta Pettersson.

    FUCK.  Nicely done.  I just spent a good 20 minutes trying to figure it out, when of course you already had the answer, as I knew he would sooner or later.  Off to the garage to turn a few wrenches.

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