Straightening Out the Corners

Book excerpt: "Records the biker culture in over 77 duotones." --Publishers Weekly. "French art photographer Philippe Vermes gives the subject a most dignified presentation...A gravity & seriousness usually absent from photographs of bikers." --Photo District News. Philippe Vermes saw a part of America behind the leather, black T-shirts, & tatoos of the bikers. His interest led him to Sturgis, South Dakota, for the annual Black Hills Motor Classic to capture that culture in photographs. There, he made black & white portraits of bikers from all walks of life who shared one common passion: the love of motorcycles. One of the portraits that Vermes made was of the late Malcolm S. Forbes, noted biker, balloonist, & publisher. Mr. Forbes was so impressed with the work that he authored a one page preface for the book. The body of work also impressed noted photo art critic, A.D. Coleman. Upon reviewing a preliminary selection of the photographs, Mr. Coleman volunteered to write the essay to accompany these photographs. This book is the result of that experience.