Mid-afternoon sunlight can create harsh contrasts. When working in such light, I will look for contrasts that convey ideas. Such is the case here – I noticed that the angle of the light throws this bicycle wheel into a silhouette as dark as the shadow it casts on the tiled sidewalk. The contrast between the sidewalk, the shadow, and the bike is striking. However the wheel is only partially silhouetted – a sliver of light illuminates the rim of the wheel, intensifying its brilliant red color. The sight of red coming from within the black silhouette comes as a shock, and breathes vitality into the image. What could have been a study in shape alone becomes an expression of the manufacturer’s art -- bringing beauty to a utilitarian subject such as a bicycle rim.