"Like floating on air..."

[Danneaux]

Hi All!

For many years, I've been looking for a visual meme by which I could show non-cycling friends how it feels -- the unmitigated joy! -- to ride and feel the bicycle disappear beneath you.

At last, someone has managed to convey that transcendent feeling of floating on air, thanks to photography and Photoshop.

Chinese-born artist Zhao Huasen photographed people riding their bikes...and then removed the bicycles, leaving the shadows in place to set a context.

Yes, photo manipulations are a penny a pound, but when they're well done as Art (and the subject is cycling!), there's some fun to be had.  A collection of 7 of Zhao's works are here: http://www.ignant.de/2012/07/17/floating/

Enjoy!

Best,

Dan.

[triaesthete]

Transcendental bicycle ninjas!

It does convey the feeling of a "good" day on the bike very well.

Thanks Dan

Ian

[jags]

wonder if any one of them is on a sherpa.

[triaesthete]

That'll be the emperor's new Sherpa then?

[rualexander]

Here's me on my invisible Sherpa in Ireland in June!
Cool idea, so I had a go this evening, not as high quality image manipulation as the originals though, but not a bad result.

[Danneaux]

Oh, very, very nice, Rual! It works especially well with the clouds, I think.

I see you opted for the level beyond "Stealth matte black" by omitting the "matte black". Pity I overlooked that on the option sheet...

 

What fun!

All the best,

Dan.

[Danneaux]

I uploaded this same post Zhao Huasen's "invisible bike" photos to my Facebook account, and received this reply from a friend in Eastern China (he's stationed there with his family while he overseas operations at a paper mill):

"Dan, at least some of these are from Hangzhou where we live. I recognized the taxi..... Small world. Cool photos."

Man! Chills! It *is* a small world!

Best,

Dan. (...who's gonna be looking over his shoulder for awhile after hearing that!)