Bike Week was the first location portrait series Mister Lynch ever created. After completing an intense documentary project in Mexico and spending nearly a week in the darkroom, he wanted to step away from constantly carrying a camera. To slow his process, he chose a 120mm Twin Lens camera, a format that required a more deliberate and thoughtful approach. One morning, while his friends slept off the night before, he felt the urge to explore Bike Week and capture portraits. He asked the motel owner for a bedsheet and some duct tape, which he kindly provided. Lynch found an alleyway off the main drag, taped up the bedsheet as a backdrop, and ventured into the crowd to find subjects.

At 18, he was a small-town photographer stepping into an unfamiliar world of bikers—what could go wrong? But he quickly learned that perception often differs from reality. The people he photographed were open, welcoming, and willing to step away from the chaos for a portrait.

Much like Richard Avedon’s celebrated portraits of the American West, Lynch stripped away distraction, isolating his subjects against a stark backdrop to reveal something deeper—unfiltered, raw, and profoundly human. The simplicity of the setup heightened the connection between photographer and subject, allowing for a direct, intimate exchange that transcended stereotype.

That experience became the foundation for all his future portrait series, shaping how he connects with subjects and creates site-specific studios in unexpected places.

IN THE ARCHIVE: 10 portraits 

MEDIA: 120mm Black & White film

EDITIONED BY SIZE: 10x10 , 20x20, 40x40, 60x60, 80x80 (shown)