Riders On The 10

Riders On The 10 is a series of portraits of motorcyclists that I’ve passed (as a passenger) on the 10 Freeway between Los Angeles and Palm Springs. It’s a challenge that broke up the monotony of countless trips between these two cities. Always vigilant to the sound or far away sight of an approaching biker, I’d tell the person driving (aka my husband) to slow down or speed up to find the biker square in my frame, with one chance to get the photo at 70 mph.  California has more motorcyclists than any other state, and they have a unique vibe––in style, attitude, and posture. This is my version of literal street photography, connecting (or not) for a few seconds with these iconic motorcyclists. At these speeds, I don’t see the details until I edit the photos, some surprising, as when I realized that the man of the friendly, happy couple I passed is a double amputee, or that an elderly couple perfectly match their clothes to their bike and keep a teddy bear on the back, or that a man appears to have all of his possessions attached to himself and his bike. Since wrapping up this somewhat dangerous series, I don’t see as many bikers on the 10. I’m now in pursuit of an answer to this puzzle.