Gettin' down to the wire around here. As of now the trailer is loaded with 2 bikes (Mickey Rourke's bike from Harley-Davidson and the Marlboro Man and Michael's SuckerPunch Panhead), studio lighting, background, stands and some other small stuff. Still a lot to do though, get cameras ready for Michael to pack on his Road King, pick up some movie posters from Vinny at Rocky Mountain H-D, grocery shopping and some other small stuff. Glad I started the pack last week, it's a hectic year with our exhibit and studio moving to the Buffalo Chip, Michael on the phone 24/7, new light and my computer in the studio is taking a dump. Good times!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
2009 LACONIA, PART 3 OF 3
Post by Michael Lichter
Chica checking out the competition as Paul Cox puts the finishing touches on his Build-Off bike at the Broken Spoke.
Good times at the Broken Spoke.
"Mary, what's in there?" At the Broken Spoke
No wonder Jeff Clark is telling the crowd he can't here them at the Broken Spoke. Do you know how loud that Budweiser Burn-Out bike is?
Something about this hits me like "Classic Chica?" The gooseneck, the slicked back hair, the overall style...
Jen at Whisky Girls is awesome. She runs a great booth raising money for good causes as she sells some cool stuff. (like the shirt!)
Jody Perewitz carrying on the family tradition with her great smile, great bikes, and "The Look" from Perewitz!
Paul took me out for a quick tour of the lake on his sleep-aboard boat. Watch out when these weekend lake warriors start telling their party stories!
Shayla and Jeff getting familiar to the surprise of the neighbors!
Friday, July 24, 2009
WEBSITE UPDATE: NEW IMAGE GALLERY LAYOUT
Post by Steve Temple
First off, TGIF!!!
Second, we've been receiving some not-so-positive feedback about the Image Gallery section of www.lichterphoto.com, apparently people were not too keen on the horizontal scrolling. This was what you might call my little baby of the site and I was pretty proud of it, however, one box of tissues later and it's time to move on, and I did. What I want now is your input on the new layout, in particular the Events and Builders pages. The thumbnails are now laid out in a grid rather than one long row, which necessitated the horizontal scrolling. So please make comments below this post and don't be shy, we need raw input from our visitors, and this means you!
Thanks in advance.
OFFICIAL BLOG ADDRESS
Post by Steve Temple
The Michael Lichter Photography Blog now has an official address that's easier to remember and tastes great, www.lichterblog.com.
While you're surfing, check out our other websites:
Michael Lichter Photography www.lichterphoto.com
Michael Lichter Commercial Photography www.lichtercommercial.com
Michael Lichter Limited Edition Prints www.lichtereditions.com
Michael Lichter Stock Photography www.lichterstock.com
Thursday, July 23, 2009
2007 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ANNUAL REPORT COVER
Post by Steve Temple
Ever get a call that makes your hair stand on end? Not the bad kind, but the good kind. In February, 2008 we were on location at the Easyriders Bike Show in Columbus, OH when we got one of those calls. On the other end of the phone was VSA Partners, an advertising agency hired by Harley-Davidson to produce their 2007 Annual Report. They'd found an image of a bikers tattooed back shot at Harley's 100th Anniversary Celebration on our website and wanted to use it on the cover. That was all well and good, but they also needed a model release since Harley won't use any photo without one, and we didn't have one. The search began!
We used every media outlet possible, which isn't much as we were stuck in the Veteran's Memorial Center with no internet access. We called back to the studio asking Rochelle to post the image on the homepage of our website with a plea to anyone who could identify him. Posts were made on MySpace, calls were made to Harley dealers, and on and on. The search spanned one week and a couple hundred-thousand web views. On the Monday that the Annual Report was going to press the subject of the photo was finally found... overseas! As the printers had their finger on the button to start their presses, our tattooed biker gladly signed the model release. Here's the cover.
2009 LACONIA, PART 2 OF 3
Post by Michael Lichter
A laugh at the Lobster Pound
Riding down the Weir's
Reflecting back at the Tattoo Parlor.
Charlie St. Clair, the rally director and my old friend (Sturgis City Park 1979,) sets off some great Fireworks from the beach every year on Wednesday night.
It was near midnight, and the Weirs gets very quiet by then, especially if its been raining or gets cold.
See what I mean about "in your face!" This was just a demonstration on correct New England expression.
Bill Gallo with a Sam
Checking out Chica's build-off bike at the Broken Spoke.
Greeting friends at the end of the POW / MIA vigil in Meredith's Hesky Park that follows the "Freedom Ride" from Laconia every year on the Thursday of Bike Week.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
WE GET PAID TO DO THIS STUFF, PART 1
Post by Steve Temple
Back in November of 1999 the world changed for Michael Lichter Photography, we went digital. Unknowing to us, this conversion from analog to digital would be more pivotal than we could have ever imagined. Up until this time, Michael's motorcycle photography was more or less in the closet, that is to say our commercial clients such as Mountainsmith, Frontier Natural Products, Recording Magazine, and others had no idea why Michael went missing for one week every August. We emerged from the closet with a kick, a kick of the filing cabinets to be exact. With decades of film in the filing cabinets Michael exclaimed, "We gotta do something with all this." The decision was made to begin scanning signature images rather than let them lay dormant. Using our recently purchased digital tools, these images were refined bringing them back to their original glory, and then printed. These prints composed our first exhibit at the Apex Gallery during Sturgis in 2000. The show was small, no bikes, and the reception was attended by a few dozen people. However, we had no idea what it would lead to.
Through these exhibits, Michael's name and quality of work within the biker genre drew the attention of Easyriders Roadware, and before we knew it we were off to Daytona Beach for a week-long shoot of their entire clothing line. We were officially out of the closet. It's been a whirlwind ever since having added Big Dog, Delux (Harley-Davidson vendor), Michelin, Baker Drivetrain, Indian Motorcycles and Wiley X to our client list. We are extremely thankful for the opportunities we've been given to fulfill the photographic needs of these great companies and great people who work for them. Below are some samples of the photography we've done for these companies.
Big Dog Motorcycles
Easyriders Roadware
Michelin
Big Dog Clothing
Baker Drivetrain
Iron Horse Saloon Clothing
Indian Motorcycles
Wiley X Sunglasses
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
S&S BOOK COMING SOON, STURGIS PREP
Post by Steve Temple
This may seem a bit ridiculous after yesterday's post, but we have yet another book coming out very soon. Penned by Howard Kelly with photography by Michael, S&S Cycle Presents Today's Top Custom Bike Builders includes all 50 bikes commissioned by S&S to commemorate their 50th anniversary. One year ago in La Crosse, WI., Michael and I weathered storms, floods (the other end of the tent was in 6 inches of water), and a tight timeline to photograph all 50 bikes using high-power photographic strobes in a large tent. These bikes have since appeared in magazines all over the world, but this book includes all of them as well as a foreward by Jay Leno who was gracious enough in lending his time to the project. Builders include; Chica, Arlen, Cory and Zach Ness, Paul Cox, Jerry Covington, Kendall Johnson, Roger Bourget, Rick Fairless, Fred Kodlin, Chopper Dave, Trevelen, Dave Cook, Krugger, Marcus Walz and more.
We're slowly making progress on our preparation for Sturgis. The new light has been taken down and packed. A plan is in place for the trailer set to haul 2 bikes, artwork for Rebel Rousers, and all our equipment. Among the things left to do; pickup some artwork and a bike from south Denver, pack and load all our photo equipment, and probably a lot more that I can't think of right now. Stay tuned...
Monday, July 20, 2009
IDEA BOOK COMING IN OCT.
Post by Steve Temple
Motorbooks is publishing another book featuring Michael's photography! Due to be released in October, Custom Motorcycles: Choppers • Bobbers • Baggers is a 160-page book full of ideas to make your sled stand out. Click here to read more.
2009 LACONIA, PART 1 OF 3
Post by Michael Lichter
Laconia is one of my favorite events. It has a built in old school feel, partially because it is (according to rally officials) "the oldest bike rally in the world," and also because of the attitude. I think its a New England thing that, even though I left 36-years ago for the west, is still a part of me. It can get a bit "in your face" if you come from a more gentile part of the country, but if you allow yourself to accept it, you'll see pretty quick it is very honest.
He just got the old Shovelhead running with a little help from his friends.
This is the old Drive-In sign by the Weirs.
The guys in this tattoo parlor at the top of the road were much more quiet than in past years. Usually you here the buzz going all day long but the economy must be taking a toll. If you are in town and looking for work, be sure to pay them a visit.
View from the tower early in the week. There was a lot of rain, so it didn't look like this as much this year.
Dave Perewitz riding with Rene Brown on a very cool 45" 1937 Flathead Bobber that Dave built. Dave is loving this old school revival! He doesn't have to dig deep to know what to build.
Coming around a curve between Alton Bay and the Weirs.
The Hillclimb in Gunstock doesn't have quite the excitement when it was the steeper narrower hill that very few crested, but the snowmobiles get pretty wild!
What can you do when you're stuck in a traffic jam?
This guy took to a different kind of smoke!
Friday, July 17, 2009
WAUSEON BOUND & STURGIS PREP
Post by Steve Temple
I haven't heard much from Michael this week, things must be going well on the ride to Wauseon on those Knuckles. Matt Olsen has been updating his blog with photos from the ride and I don't blame Michael for being out of touch.
Back here at the studio things are steadily moving towards Sturgis. Our background paper was delivered, got the 8-page equipment pack list out to make this year's modifications, and cleaned out the trailer. Speaking of the trailer, I couldn't fit three bikes so Ken Conte of Rise Above Consulting came to my rescue. He'll be hauling my Sporty up to Sturgis, thanks Ken!
Since it's coming up fast, just wanted to throw out a reminder that anything can happen in Sturgis!
Calf being castrated, in color!
This ain't Sushi!
Extremely fresh Rocky Mountain Oysters anyone? And yes, that's the Statue of Liberty doing a karate kick.
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