tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post4940615826944700972..comments2024-03-29T04:01:31.445-04:00Comments on Lovely Bicycle!: Cycling and Self-PortraitureVelouriahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comBlogger106125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-27165510658295303762012-03-30T19:01:24.524-04:002012-03-30T19:01:24.524-04:00" If you take pictures of yourself on or with..." If you take pictures of yourself on or with your bike, why do you do it?"<br /><br />Because it's fun, just like riding bicycles. :)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03262425857471988498noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-49245670718147813462012-03-30T19:00:11.103-04:002012-03-30T19:00:11.103-04:00I started taking pictures of things specifically t...I started taking pictures of things specifically to share them because frankly, I like reading blogs where there are some pictures included- even if they are sometimes fuzzy or off-kilter ones. I love BikeFancy, and Let's Go Ride a Bike, plus You Don't Know Jack, not only for their stories and such, but also simply the pictures. It makes me happy to see them like it makes me happy to see things for myself when I'm out riding. And if that tiny ladybug hitching a ride amid the bright colors of new streamers that I made myself makes me happy, perhaps someone else will enjoy it too. So I took a picture.<br /><br />riding a bike does make a person, or at least me, happier in general, and makes me want to share that happiness with others. That's why I take pictures, anyway.Red-Eyed Tree Froggyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08254685243910741046noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-46281110444409822202012-03-30T11:19:24.597-04:002012-03-30T11:19:24.597-04:00Are panda shots primarily an American phenomenon? ...Are panda shots primarily an American phenomenon? And if so, I wonder if their popularity has something to do with the fact that biking - and especially transportation cycling - is (unfortunately) still something of a transgressive act. And hence more worthy, in some sense, of documentation or memorialization.Andynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-36263156485690932832012-03-30T11:13:19.146-04:002012-03-30T11:13:19.146-04:00possibly a misunderstanding here? The Flickr '...possibly a misunderstanding here? The Flickr 'site' is a group. People who have taken photos that qualify as a "panda shot" (as a particular style, fairly well defined in the Group's notes) can have photos that they have taken (of themselves, since that is by definition what a panda shot is), which are in their own photostreams, added to the group. So when you visit the group page, you see the contributions of many people. The original name came about because the first person to popularise this style of photo had the word 'panda' in her Flickr user name, but by no means are all of the photos in the group photos of her! In fact, I believe there are only a handful of her (amongst over 8000 photos). :) Indeed, what makes the group so fascinating is the wide variety of people, bikes, lighting, colours, cityscapes (or whatever else might show just round the edges). The format is fairly strict but the executions come in endless varieties.Rebecca Oldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05979821146538393459noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-80490585579334429612012-03-30T03:36:51.793-04:002012-03-30T03:36:51.793-04:00This morning I wake up curious if this is not beco...This morning I wake up curious if this is not becoming a male/female issue. Is not the majority of those who say "narcissism" males? The majority who say "art" females? Is this linked to the already documented idea that women are more social with personal and intimate ideas while men are more communicative with logic and function? Could it also be that many women find it socially distasteful to accuse another of narcissism, yet some males find it possible to speak this way and not find it aggressive. <br /><br />If it is, then it makes me wonder why men find it narcissistic and yet they enjoy photos of women just as much if not more than women enjoy photos of women. There's probably a big scientific study here if anyone really wants to crunch the numbers and do some profile surveys. I suspect some people are not being entirely honest either and it would be an interesting study to figure out why.<br /><br />Not accusing any specific person of anything in particular, but curious what the dynamics and cultural conditioning is here.Ronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16096213034605839343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-35213237665410507062012-03-30T00:50:58.970-04:002012-03-30T00:50:58.970-04:00I think, as with all things, people do thing for d...I think, as with all things, people do thing for different reasons. Maybe some are narcissists, maybe some are artists, or maybe for some it is a means of documentation; like for a blog - which is what I am currently doing. My usual reason for self-portraiture with my bike though, is plain and simple necessity. lol Since I usually vacation alone, (and most people take pictures of themselves on vacation -even non-narcissists!) somebody has to get the shots! Most of my vacations are bike riding vacations, so you do the math! I like to jokingly tell people that my bike is the "significant other." Doesn't it make sense that we pose together?? :)Cervelo Girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10704327842961881997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-34881428401157133662012-03-29T18:08:46.997-04:002012-03-29T18:08:46.997-04:00Wow, this was a much more heated discussion than I...Wow, this was a much more heated discussion than I would have imagined. <br /><br />I personally think every human being has a fair amount of self-absorption running around inside them, and because of different temperaments, personalities, talents - that gets expressed in different ways by each person. <br /><br />Sure, I like taking photographs, and I feel like an occasional photograph of myself might add something to the world, either by documenting something I'm doing, or simply documenting myself. That is a bit narcissistic, but it might also be true.<br /><br />I do think Jim brings up an interesting point about public exposure - and I do think there is a (perhaps rather fuzzy) threshold of what is prudent or responsible to put out in public; but the other side of that argument is that you as an individual also have the ability and the right to choose what you consume. In the end, people can post all the lurid details of their personal lives online, you don't have to read it.<br /><br />I think partly, as humans, we are fundamentally relational, and we have very deep-seated desires to know and be known by other humans. It could be that certain changes in our culture have caused that search for relationship to move more and more into the virtual realm rather than the space of our own neighborhoods (thus leading to an explosion of personal information online), but along with each person's innate self-absorption, there is also a very legitimate need to know and be known by other people. Of course, the details vary per person, but as a general rule, I think it holds true.Dave Feuchthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06103790541088515008noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-26611623855319566182012-03-29T15:11:51.047-04:002012-03-29T15:11:51.047-04:00Anais Nin. As an alternative to visual self-portra...Anais Nin. As an alternative to visual self-portraiture.Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-82267441170523732312012-03-29T15:05:36.439-04:002012-03-29T15:05:36.439-04:00Frieda Kahlo!Frieda Kahlo!Ronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16096213034605839343noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-7385017361676347532012-03-28T19:12:12.881-04:002012-03-28T19:12:12.881-04:00I think self-portraiture is super narcissistic.I think self-portraiture is super narcissistic.BikeCommuter3000https://www.blogger.com/profile/04942979887983834092noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-68016657930307312032012-03-28T18:21:55.909-04:002012-03-28T18:21:55.909-04:00At first it a good way for me to connect with my p...At first it a good way for me to connect with my parents, who live out of state. The visual diary enables them to share my delight in cycling outdoors by seeing where I ride. Then it expanded to sharing with fellow cyclists. A few months ago I moved it to Facebook but I may continue my regular bike Web pages when I retire soon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-51597368927120368682012-03-28T17:57:17.342-04:002012-03-28T17:57:17.342-04:00V, I always suspected that (smile).
MDI, maybe, s...V, I always suspected that (smile).<br /><br />MDI, maybe, sometimes, not always. I defer to the words of a well-known bicycle blogger:<br /><br />"Speaking in terms of statistical tendencies, females tend to be more visual." <br /><br />Hence a greater willingness to tell stories with self-portraiture?msrwhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16405671873250914126noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-79102127467342288092012-03-28T14:36:10.564-04:002012-03-28T14:36:10.564-04:00Yes Evan, that was hilarious. Crowd-source the li...Yes Evan, that was hilarious. Crowd-source the like-minded much?Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-56362477359031212862012-03-28T14:25:49.603-04:002012-03-28T14:25:49.603-04:00(pounce!)(pounce!)Ground Round Jimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09103163385322185034noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-88267893923329565522012-03-28T14:04:20.199-04:002012-03-28T14:04:20.199-04:00Most people I consider "artists" do not ...Most people I consider "artists" do not call themselves the same. They might say "I paint" or "I sing" or "I write", but they never say "I'm an artist". They also don't wake up and think today they'll go and create some "art". They think "today I want to paint", or "today I want to sing". What they create is really more of an expression of what they feel or see in their being, and doesn't become "art" until someone else looks at it or hears it and feels that it is. <br /><br />If ten singers all perform the same song, perhaps only one of them will sing it in a way that truly projects the emotion of the lyrics, allowing me to really "feel" it. The others may perform incredibly well in a technical capacity, but not get the true emotion of the song across. Does that mean that only one singer should be allowed to sing? Hardly ... it may just be the others haven't found the right song yet.<br /><br />Basically, art begins as an expression. Everyone needs an outlet for that. Even my dog makes me wonder if he's got some artistic tendencies. If you could see the way he searches and sniffs every rose bush in the park for just the perfect spot, and then with skilled precision, he lifts and contorts himself to deposit his pile on just the perfect part of the perfect branch. You can almost see the joy in his eyes when he's done. Is it art or just his own self-expression? Maybe he's just goofy. <br /><br />Panda photos are just self-expressions, the same as any other form of art begins. Sometimes the expression is composed in a way that people see as art, and sometimes it's just seen as a photo that doesn't say anything. But for anyone to even have the opportunity to form an opinion, the work has to be presented for others to see it or hear it. Things like blogs, facebook, flickr, and YouTube give us an immense world of material to see and hear. Most of it will be pretty mundane, but every once in a while there's something amazing. Often the creator didn't sse it as being anything special, just another self-expression, and was encouraged to share it with the world. Wouldn't it be sad if no one shared their expressions because it was socially considered to be unacceptable public exposure?<br /><br />It's very difficult for an artist to share their work, putting self-expression out there for people to see and critique. It may be simple to say that if they can't handle the heat, don't go in the kitchen, but it's funny how things look when the tables are turned. For example, when someone offers rude criticism here in the comments and is then called on it, they respond rather visciously, even thinking everything is about them ... even though they're the first to ridicule someone else. Why would someone who put their heart and soul into a work of art want to expose themself to that? It can be difficult to let go of what began as your own emotional experience, knowing people may want to tear it apart. No matter what you create, someone won't like it, and that can be a painful thing for a sensitive artist-type personality.<br /><br />Will anyone remember this blog in 20 years? I will. The question I have is if you think this blog and commentary is so insignificant, then why do you hover here all the time, waiting to pounce on anything you disagree with? We can easily think that what we say and do here on the Internet doesn't really matter in the long run, but things do have a way of coming back around when you least expect them to.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-76846898407129927442012-03-28T13:25:56.133-04:002012-03-28T13:25:56.133-04:00My favorite is the third one. The whole romance of...My favorite is the third one. The whole romance of cycling in the city on a sunny afternoon is captured in one single dreamy reflection...Chrisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-27652952893969291942012-03-28T13:10:06.630-04:002012-03-28T13:10:06.630-04:00as a fellow creative advocate, amen!as a fellow creative advocate, amen!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-60476610417014174062012-03-28T12:59:15.834-04:002012-03-28T12:59:15.834-04:00Isn't it just as simple as: I'm the only o...Isn't it just as simple as: I'm the only one around to take the picture/to be in the picture? We're all speeding along on bikes and unless you're riding with someone, who else would document the ride? And who else would I be able to document?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-1725943540470168632012-03-28T11:51:41.997-04:002012-03-28T11:51:41.997-04:00Okay, thirteen. But who's counting?
You'...Okay, thirteen. But who's counting? <br /><br /><br />You've nailed the definition pretty well, there, Rev. To the artist, the artwork is often an essential filter for reality. <br /><br />Or in my case, a denial of it. ;)Corey Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15381826721030941179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-40444324049133702952012-03-28T11:47:48.142-04:002012-03-28T11:47:48.142-04:00We exist to tantalise and provoke you!We exist to tantalise and provoke you!Velouriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00359329171411037482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-15433104068291372322012-03-28T11:38:37.816-04:002012-03-28T11:38:37.816-04:00Wait, what? If female, then exhibitionism, did I g...Wait, what? If female, then exhibitionism, did I get that right? :)MDInoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-14935326387425460282012-03-28T08:26:48.254-04:002012-03-28T08:26:48.254-04:00Oh my goodness I just made nearly the same comment...Oh my goodness I just made nearly the same comment below. I should have read all the commentary first. Sorry, Anon, 6:18!kiwigemnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-65717699833264112542012-03-28T08:23:52.569-04:002012-03-28T08:23:52.569-04:00If it were purely narcissism (and I acknowledge th...If it were purely narcissism (and I acknowledge that narcissism can be and sometimes is in play), would there not be a trend toward pandas of people walking or running, etc? I think we are forgetting an aspect that, considering that we are reading LOVELY bicycle, is hiding in plain sight. Bicycles are beautiful and designed to draw us in. It is just as popular, perhaps even more so, to photograph one's bike as the sole subject, particularly when one is fortunate enough to be in possession a a beautiful machine. But what makes them so compelling is not just that they are beautiful but that they can't fulfill what they were intended to be without us. If one enjoys the art of the bicycle enough to photograph it alone, surely it makes sense to, on occasion, photograph it when its full beauty is in force- riding! My 4th grade daughter is currently writing a paper on Maya Lin and her thesis is that Lin's work (well, the memorials at least) will forever be new because they have no commentary, only information. The viewer is intended to form an opinion about the information presented and thus become "part of the art." Thus, since the viewer is always new, the memorial always is. Surely the same applies to the art of the bicycle- it is beautiful alone, but the cyclist is an inherent part of the art.kiwigemnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-34481409731253629462012-03-28T08:02:33.989-04:002012-03-28T08:02:33.989-04:00I find these type of photos interesting to see wha...I find these type of photos interesting to see what type of bike someone has, rather than who the person is. Never knew they were called Panda shots though - so thanks to Spindizzy for asking that question. It's something I've never done though. Taken photos of other bikes but not my own with me on it. Each to their own - it provides the variety that makes life interesting.DaveUKnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6467858377106451384.post-42404181075444845972012-03-28T07:47:18.614-04:002012-03-28T07:47:18.614-04:00I'm kinda disappointed with some of the commen...I'm kinda disappointed with some of the comments about what is art and what isn't. Sure, lots of art is not "Fine Art" and much of it goes in the "folk art" or "outsider art" category. As an art teacher working with the disabled and the young, I find that their art is often surprisingly fantastic and impressive. Is the motive for making art really that complicated? What happened to the joy of making it? Does all art have to be museum quality if it has brought joy to the person making it? Indeed not, for many people have hobbies and interests they are not all that good at, but we encourage them anyway.<br /><br />The weekend softball league has some below average athletes in it, but should we call it narcissism when they go out on a public field and perform? They are doing it for everyone to see. How about those below average cyclists? They are doing it in the public eye on the street. Going to tell them their efforts and joy are not worthy? If you don't like an amateur artist's below average blog.. then just don't read it and click to something else. It's a free world where everyone should be encouraged to follow their interests, even if they do a sub-par job at it.Ronahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16096213034605839343noreply@blogger.com