Originally as an ongoing project exploring biker culture through intimate portraits, Sam Benger delves through the pages of the newly released acclaimed Bikershot: The Photo Book, a collection of bikers with their gear, their brands and their bikes.

“Rebels without a cause” is a saying that conjures up images when thinking of the roots and history of biking culture. Of late there’s been developing talk of the “tribes of leather”: Bikers one of them.

And in our leather community, bikers tend to get overlooked: that is, ‘leather events’ tend not to encourage bikers and their gear to come as they are. UNION in September started to try and change this with some success.

Bikershot is a result of work over several years. Portraits made in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden, UK and USA. The Photo Book features a rich, lengthy, sensual collection portraits of European, American and Australian riders with their bikes and gear.

“But, it is more than that”, says Brussels based Cedric Lefebvre , photographer and creator, ” It’s a personal description of the motorcycle sub-culture, delving into ideas of masculinity, and sexuality. The portraits play on the symbolism of bikes and brands, contrasting the image of the individual with the secret personality behind the leather jacket.”

The ‘biker tribe’ has its own language, which Bikershot captures: motorbiking is, if you like, (and said with respect), a manifestation of individualism in the extreme. Maybe because the motorbike is primarily designed for one rider, maybe because the ‘biking gear’, like leather in general, moulds skin tight to the biker. Always unique, always individual.

There’s certainly a strong tribal affiliation (like leathermen in general), where bikers, the brands and the style together with social behaviours of ride-outs and meet-ups are the grammar defining the language of biking, and often highly erotic. How many times have you witnessed a biker passing you on the motorway, for instance, appreciating the leather clad legs wrapped around the powerful engine? You know what I talk about.

Furthermore, Lefebvre mines this rich seam of intense homoeroticism, where each portrait, each image has been built on the previous one to translate the language to something that the reader can witness, learn, understand and above all, appreciate: Lefebvre says of the ‘language of bikers’ as one of “… heroes, seducers and even fetishism. But each rider has a unique syntax, and deciphering it through my photography is the ultimate aim of my portraits.”

Bikershot successfully captures this unspoken, but intense visual and behavioural language with rich, deep images, against backdrops and a range of locations enriching the visual experience. It is a veritable tome to riders throughout the world, sharing a common tribal identity. Something that will resonate immediately with leathermen at large. Bikershot makes a breakthrough and raises gay biking culture to it’s rightful place amongst the Tribes of Leather.

Remember “Rebels Without a Cause”? We can now say with confidence about Bikershot: “Bikers with a cause”.

Readers have a choice of editions. The standard hardback and a special limited edition of 100 Collector Editions. All details below.

These editions are already destined to be ‘Classics’, and timely as the big gift season of Christmas is just about to start. Highly recommended.

Lucky the man who receives Bikershot: he will have a ‘Merry Leather Christmas’.

Links:

Notes:

  • Bikershot standard edition is available via Amazon at £34.99. Hardback, 144 pages of black and white and colour images.
  • The limited 100 Collectors Edition is available through the BikerShot Shop at €99/£77.35 (exchange rate of £1 = €1.28 at the time of writing).
  • Book dimension: 30,5 x 21,7 x 2,1 cm. Hardcover in exclusive embossed black linen fabric slipcase matching the book cover.
  • It also includes an original print signed and numbered by the artist. The bonus print can be chosen from four different options, depending upon availability.
  • 144 images in colour and B&W, 160 pages on GardaPat 13 Kiara, printed in Belgium. Designed and published by Cedric Lefebvre. Print dimension: 28 x 19 cm (27 x 18 cm printed area) on Hahnemhüle Fine Art paper. One hundred copies numbered from I to X and then from 11 to 100. ISBN 978-2-9601475-0-6.
  • Orders of the Collectors Edition are advised as being ready for dispatch to buyers at the end of November 2014.
  • All images are copyright of Cedric Lefebvre, 2014. Images displayed within LeatherWest.com are used with permission. All rights reserved.

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