Tod Seelie

Tod Seelie has photographed in fifteen countries on five different continents. For years he has documented New York bicycle culture including Black Label Bike Club and Critical Mass.

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You shoot landscapes, concerts, portraits... what is it that really gets you off?

They are all equally hot lovers, just with very different styles in bed.

You're originally from Ohio and now live in Brooklyn. What's Ohio like?

There's a lot more deer and depression.

Do deer and depression go hand in hand?

Deer and depression do not go hand in hand, it's rather the opposite. Deer are serene and peaceful animals, and watching them creep delicately about in the woods does impart a sense of calm on the observer. Of course they are also the ultimate victims, existing simply to struggle and die, either of disease, on the hood of an SUV, or down the barrel of a hunter's gun. They do not hunt, kill, create, destroy (except for flower beds), or change the environment around them... they simply die. So I guess that could be considered depressing. I don't think it is.

Was there a definitive moment back in the day when you thought, "Yes, I am a photographer"?

When I quit my day job. Although that was only a few months ago and I've been living on my savings since then, so it's possible that this may turn out to be more of a temporary hiatus than a final career move. I guess we'll see.

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You've been shooting the Black Label Bicycle Club for years and years now, whats that all about?

I was friends with some of the kids in BLBC before they were members, so it just sort of happened that I started coming to their events early on. But how could you be around people doing crazy spectacular things on beautiful custom bike creations and not want to take photos? I also think that a lot of the members are really great people and I am happy to support them.

You're an advocate/participant of bicycle culture, i.e. BLBC, Critical Mass, etc. How does that influence your photography?

I don't know if it necessarily influences my photography as much as it reveals my interests and passions. I photograph what I find compelling or important.

What makes BLBC important?

BLBC is important simply because of what they are. A group of like-minded but very different people that feel the way life and society is presented to us is not necessarily the only or best way. They exemplify important elements that I think signify a lot of the newattitudes many people are beginning to hold in regards to mainstream society. They avoid consumerism-as-identity, they reclaim wasted food, and they avoid participating in the economy of oil not only by riding bicycles, but by expanding on what people think bicycles can be. Their influence is not through speeches and manifestos, it is simply by doing what they want to do and not giving a fuck about what anyone else thinks. And for some reason people can't seem to get enough of them.

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If one doesnt drink (and you don't), does that increase ones level of productivity? If so, are there any other ways to increase one's productivity?

I think so, I'm still very unfamiliar with this "hangover" thing I hear about. I also recommend getting up early even when you don't have to, you'll get waaaay more done by having a longer day. Being productive after midnight always ends up half-assed at best.

Your blog, SuckaPants.com, has been online for over a year now. What's the best and worst part about writing an almost daily blog?

Throwing things into the void doesn't have much of a return. And some days I just really don't have anything worthwhile to say.

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You put a downloadable mp3 in each of your SuckaPants posts. Hows that fit into the whole copyright, music protection nonsense?

Well, it's nonsense, so... No not really, my views are that by offering one track I do not give away an artist's work, but promote it. If I was to post an entire album, that's totally different. Although some people are writing about how downloadable music and music blogs are going to be the death of the album, since so many consumers are now only purchasing part of an album, or sometimes just the one radio hit.

Who are some of photographers you're digging lately? What websites do you visit?

Mike Brodie (ridindirtyface.com, plrds.com), and tinyvices.com

What are you working on these days?

Figuring out how to get paid.

Websites

http://www.todseelie.com
http://www.suckapants.com
http://www.everydayilive.com
http://www.ofquiet.com

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