Gritty biker photography book from Hebtro Co
Hebtro Co / AJ Wilkinson
Testimonials
Back in 2020 after finishing my MFA at university of Ulster, the planned end of year of exhibition was cancelled, due to the pandemic.
I was in discussion with a local clothing company about doing a collaboration to create a small run publication of the work “kingdom”. This is where Micah came into the picture, knowing Micah and his brilliant knowledge of graphic design. There was no question I would use anyone else, and the product he produced was beautiful and hit all the nails on the head to what I was looking for and gave the work another voice.
High end British made jeans and clothing brand Hebtro Co teamed up with Photographer and chopper rider AJ Wilkinson to produce a fine book of photography based around toxic masculinity. AJ photographed a bunch of biker mates. At the moment they dropped their guard in front of the camera, AJ pounced a snap, capturing a vulnerable moment most often hidden from view.
It was this that lead to the special French Fold we used to create a concealed page area of AJ’s photographic workings.
We used the finest G.F.SMITH and Fedrigoni papers and teaming up with Pressision - one of the UK's leading creative printmakers to create a beautifully tactile product.
This is a book of portraits. All the men featured here ride motorcycles, custom built creations, known around the world as choppers. The road to each of them building, fixing, owning and riding probably started as a boyhood fantasy. The thrill of the ride, especially for custom machines, is twinned with time spent in a shed or garage, hands getting dirty, making sure the machine runs and keeps on running. Choppers don’t work without careful regular maintenance. The project makes the man as much as the man makes the project.
