PEdro, Bjcojak and others - I hope you are listening.
Joining the SolCycles group at Yahoo the other day has been quite enlightening. This is the group devoted to the Solstice Cyclists, and there are thousands of messages posted by riders and photographers there. So, what have i learned since joining? Well, I've learned this: artistic expression is a big part of what the cyclists do and are concerned with - much more so than the WNBR riders who are more political. But the Fremont Parade is about art, and the expression of that has two elements or components. First, is the art itself or rather in the case of the naked cyclists the paint on the body plus whatever costume is attached. And the second is the documentation of that art i.e. the photographing of it. Now the cyclists it seems consider the second to be almost of equal value to the first which makes sense as all body art is temporary. In otherwords, without photographic documentation, what have you got the next day to show for your all your artistic efforts? So, the jist of all this and the message I would relay to anyone who photographs this event is this: Your work has value NOT only to the pervs out there, but to the riders themselves. But not only that, you are
part of the artistic process - the creation AND DOCUMENTATION of a work of art! This is how they see it. Now, I also read that, yes, there is a time and place for everything, and that riders are somewhat divided on just how "friendly" photographers should be allowed to be, but otherwise this is an interesting take on what we do that had not fully occured to me before. Also, there are those that do want to be photographed while in the process of being painted, but also those that dress quickly in Gasworks Park to avoid the "creeps with cameras". So.......but thats about the range of attitudes i expected and none of that surprises me.
Anyway, I was a bit nervous at first diving into these messages because i had been told that the issue of photography does come up. I mean, hearing riders talk about the photographers makes me a bit edgy. But after combing through many conversations going back and forth between riders, there is A LOT more talk of the likes of "have you seen this pic of me, or do you know where I can find a pic of me?" and A LOT less "man, I wish those creeps with the cameras would go away" type talk than I expected. All in all, good news, and a validation of our efforts (with some minor qualifications
) from the very people whom we photograph!
Klondike