Do-It-Yourself Culture
I want to travel the world and photograph people who have formed a DIY culture. From music, to bikes, to household cleaning, to food, people have bucked conventional consumer society for a one built upon doing things yourself.
I want to take my camera, and travel, live, and work alongside people who consider themselves a part of the DIY culture. DIY is all about the concept of "Why buy a product you can produce yourself?" There are DIY bands that forego the music industry, and rely on their fans to drive sales. Some even give their music away for free. There are bike collectives that are all about the joy of riding, building your own bikes, and getting together with others who love to ride. Some of them love bikes so much they build Frankensteinish tallbikes, where they put a bike on a bike so they can ride while they ride.
There are self-published zines, talking about everything from politics, to household chemistry to clean a clogged drain. DIY people come from all walks of life. Some are street punks, some are young college students, some are old hippies. It is a group that comes together despite not being homogenized. Sure, there are some DIY films and documentaries and zines that tackle this subject, but never on the scale that I want to look at it.
I want to travel the world, from the United States to Mexico to Japan, to the Netherlands, Germany, England and Africa, exploring the different ways that people rely on themselves and their self-built communities to make their lives better.
The DIY culture is a dirty, crazy, beautiful mix of people, full of life and energy and emotion, and I want to capture all sides of it.
Rank: 2 |
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61 Comments
dudeeeee how do i vote for this? :(
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Click on Pic It! to vote.
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Its a great idea, very interesting and original
Hope you win this!
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My name is Tom Sturridge and I approve whatever this is.
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a woo woo
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I feel like a lot of these other propositions lack originality. Yes, you could go take the same pictures a million other tourists have taken, or you could do something like this.
Good luck.
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Good Luck
Its too bad your last page got deleted
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This would be great material for my next book!
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"Some of them love bikes so much they build Frankensteinish tallbikes, where they put a bike on a bike so they can ride while they ride" - you should win for this statement alone
i love this idea, can't wait to see it come to life
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Thank you everyone for all the support and getting me back on my feet!
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is it time?
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now is the time for a poolparty
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i just it was the best thing ever!!
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You better win, dude, this is clearly the best proposal.
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seriously, this is so much more creative than some of the other entries, best of luck.
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why isn't this even on the rankings
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I'm really not sure why I'm not showing up, maybe they only update it every so often? I dunno.
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oic
gl mr. dana
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We approve.
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This is a fantastic idea!
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You go, Dane! This is a great idea!
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This is an absolutely wonderful idea. I wish I could go with you!!
Punx up
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Very cool! My "dream assignment" doesn't sound any where nearly as exciting as this one. If you win take a writer with you also. :D You got my vote!
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great idea man, very creative.
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You got my vote, fantastic idea!
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Do you have a link to any of your work we can check out? good luck!
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babiemunkie, there should be a link up in my profile, but here it is again:
http://dirtylittlecity.com/gallery/index.php?album=dana
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monamakela, your idea does sound neat though, and I gave it a pic! Keep the dream alive!
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to dirtylittlecity: thank you for your vote! i really appreciate it - though i have a long way to go to get to top 20!a girl can dream :)
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This is a great idea.. but it's certainly NOT original! I have been to MANY bike-jousting matches in Brooklyn and have friends who have made documentaries about this culture that is becoming more and more mainstream..
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good one Dana, I hope that it works out for you.
Good Luck. Sounds AWESOME!
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SarahMarshall I'm not talking about just bikes nor Brooklyn. I'm well aware there are documentaries about segments of this population. I mention it IN my description. Docs I've seen focus on only a small group. I'm talking about DIY culture around the world. Looking at differences and similarities.
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Ya, that is really going to help our economy!!!!!
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Baseball, lol wut?
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I have to hand it to you guys, DIY is great. you definitely have my vote, as well as the support of thousands of pirates from around the web. And i guess...bike jousters? good luck.
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With the global economy the way it is right now, DIY's are struggling. Your essay is going to be of a very somber tone. It will show the hard times people are going through. The question is, does anyone really want to see an essay about the depression they are currently in?
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jhuting, I feel that with the economy the way it is now, more DIY is exactly what people need. I think, sure, some of the essay with be somber, but if anyone is going to find light in a depression, its going to be DIY folk.
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Have you ever felt worthless and down trodden. That is the way many senior citizens feel in the country. I think that ideas such as the Unleashing the Geezer idea is a great way to help.
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this is nice to learn...........i vote you
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sounds cool but are you a biker who loves music, that just wants to hang out around the world? or are you a photographer!...who do you know in mexico that will show you these un"conventional" secrets or easier how do you gain access to these ultra hip societies with which you speak?
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mrickey, there is a thing called the internet. People use it to make connections with people outside of their local network.
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Good to see you back, You vanished the other day!
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Mrickey, you are completely misinterpreting this concept. It's not about "the plight" of Earth's society. It's about creativity, beauty that people create themselves. DIYers are very often related to getting back to the Earth at least a little bit, aware of the planet they're living on.
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fun idea. i also want to capture a culture by bringing awareness and unity for non-profits worldwide: http://www.nameyourdreamassignment.com/the-ideas/jenmay/unity-through-community/
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Suzebeers, Well said.
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what an interesting concept, I applaud your originality, especially as a DIY girl myself :)
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Read the entire description before commenting, please, and if you don't like it you are free to move along.
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Great idea!! Please check out my idea, too (I want to take panoramic pics of European cathedrals, and donate some proceeds to the churches). Good luck!
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I like your idea!
Will you vote for me? Let's do this and see how it turns out. Let's help each other!
Good luck!
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variety in culture makes us unique, i do like your idea...
voted for you...please vote for mine too.
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Ready to win? Get in there. 
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I'm back again! Let's give this another shot!
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