Photo issues are a rare opportunity to turn the lens on the photographers themselves and learn from their personal experience. Each photographer has a journey, and it’s that journey that informs the work that they are compelled to create. With my photojournalistic leanings, I needed to know how many 4×5 film sheets Dean “Chooch” Landry packs each day when he sets out with his antique camera, and why legendary Ascot photographer Dan Mahony doesn’t go to the racetrack anymore.
Then there are those that see photographs completely different than I do — they seek to create a scene from pure inspiration, or recreate a dream. They may have studied Gregory Crewdson and acted on that intense artistic initiative to create photographs full of wonder. And there are those who have written stories and are trying to create visuals to complement the world they created with words. This is the heart of photography as a craft, and while we can digest as much imagery as we want within the span of a 24-hour day on our phones, we must occasionally remind ourselves that it is the quality of the art form that sustains it beyond an endless scroll.
Despite the odds, my hope is that for a few moments, we can remove ourselves from the constant barrage of reality to celebrate the best of those who share this passion for photography and for motorcycles; to appreciate the past and look to the future; to escape into the eyes of our creative friends, and be inspired to chase the fading light for another great story to tell.
Welcome to Issue 042.
