1) In the spring of 1965 photographer Bill Ray had the privilege to ride alongside the Hells Angels as they traveled from San Bernardino to Bakersfield, California. He chose to shoot the photographs in black and white and mostly with the subjects in motion.
2) In the first photograph a Hells Angel is being frisked by a police officer who is looking for marijuana. According to Bill Ray, the cop didn't find the marijuana because it was hidden in the seat of the bike the Hells Angel was riding on. I think he chose to take the photograph at an angle because not only is the biker smoking while being frisked, he is clearly smiling and I believe this image speaks to the outlaw rebel spirit the gang embodies. The second photograph, to me, shows the gang in a position of power. I think that the photograph comes off that way to me because Bill Ray shot the photograph with the bikers riding towards him. The third photograph depicts the biker in a care free manor as he rides relaxed with no hands. I think this images depicts the romance of the open road perfectly.
3) I really enjoyed viewing this series of photographs because it is from an era in American History that isn't really talked about or depicted anywhere. Bill Ray was given a rare opportunity to ride along and document one of Americas most notorious bike gangs in its beginning stages. The photos provoke a sense of envy from the typical viewer and I believe that is what Bill Ray was trying to convey.
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