8 minute read

For the Love of Motorcycles: Photographing Riders Around Europe

David Goldman delivers a stunning batch of images for his ongoing series, The Motorcycle Portraits. Discover his desire for detail, how he creates close connection, and why he chose to create with FUJIFILM X-H2

When life throws out challenges, dedicated artists like David Goldman often find a trusted solution: creativity. During a turbulent 2020 of Covid-19 lockdowns, loss, and change, the photographer boldly took on a brand-new project. Traveling North America by motorcycle, he set out to document fellow riders who had dedicated themselves to life on two wheels. In doing so, The Motorcycle Portraits was born.

Three years later, through the summer of 2023, David crossed continents to complete a third leg in the journey. He ventured through much of Europe, meeting new racers, builders, collectors, and travelers – seizing opportunities and building on themes as they revealed themselves. Equipped with FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, he created some of his best work to date.

Older man standing with motorcycle in large garden shed workshop

Photo 2023 © David Goldman | FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/125 sec at F3.2, ISO 125

Traveling Europe by Motorcycle

“I landed in Dublin and went down to the south-east shore, then back up on the Wild Atlantic Way,” David begins, recounting his journey. “I came up to Belfast, then took the ferry to Scotland. I rode the NC500 around the coast of the highlands, all the way to the top, to John O’Groats. And then from there, I went south and rode into England.

“I slowly made my way down to the Eurotunnel, where I put the bike on a train and got to France. I crossed over the Pyrenees into Spain, rode along the north-west, then cut down briefly into Portugal. That was as far south as I wanted to go, so I went back east, eventually into the Swiss and Italian Alps, towards Lake Maggiore in Italy.

“When I came back down, I went to the coast to catch a ferry to Greece. Then through to northern Greece and into North Macedonia, Serbia, Belgrade, Hungary, and Poland. I came across from there to Germany, Austria, Switzerland – then back to France, where I flew home.”

Grinning elderly man in glasses and white jumpsuit standing next to motorcycle and lake

Photo 2023 © David Goldman | FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/1100 sec at F5, ISO 800

David Goldman’s Photographic Approach

But this was no leisurely road trip. Every location was planned around a carefully selected subject, with many impromptu additions along the way. Through the course of these months, David began to reveal the depths of these riders – contextualized, but not defined by, their shared interest.

“My whole career has been about trying to find stories, or subject matter, that is more than just one photo,” David explains. “Focusing the portraits around motorcycles was a personal interest, but it became much bigger. I would ask each subject questions, and they gave me far more esoteric and emotional answers than I expected.

“I wanted them to have an opportunity to tell their stories. When somebody looks at one of these portraits, I hope they feel a strong connection to the subject. That was my goal.”

This was a goal that required a refined visual approach. David strikes a fine balance between environmental context and highlighting his subjects. The portraits are, first and foremost, about the individuals – which required equipped tools, in addition to vision.

Young man holding handlebars of a custom motorcycle in dark workshop

Photo 2023 © David Goldman | FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/150 sec at F2.8, ISO 2000

“The connection I was seeking is about focus – literal focus. I wanted eyeballs to be tack-sharp. Almost all the portraits show the subject looking into the lens. I wanted them to make eye contact, and for the viewer to feel like the subject is looking at them. So, autofocus was key, and image stabilization wasn’t something I was cognizant of, but I’m glad it was there.

“I always want the most megapixels I can get. And the optical quality of the lens is just as important,” David continues. “I like images that are super clean. I’m not into grain or anything overly stylized. I like to be able to see the pores on someone’s face. I want the quality of an analogue 8×10, and that’s what I’m always trying to find in a digital camera.

“The combination of X-H2 and XF16-55mmF2.8 gave me incredible quality. That was a large part of my thinking behind choosing this camera. All the images look sharp, everything’s well exposed, and it’s all as it should be. I don’t want to have to think about too many things in the moment. I just want to know that the camera’s going to document what I want – and it did.”

Man with gray goatee beard sitting on low stone wall with front wheel of motocross motorcycle in foreground

Photo 2023 © David Goldman | FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/100 sec at F6.4, ISO 200

Travel Photography with FUJIFILM X-H2

David’s second requirement was physical space. Traveling by motorcycle has its benefits, but storage is not one of them. He was forced to fit months’ worth of essentials and all his photographic equipment into a few small pannier bags. That’s where FUJIFILM X Series came into its own.

“I have a limitation of where I can keep a camera on the motorcycle, while maintaining easy access. So, size was a big factor in my decision,” the photographer reveals. “Still, I wanted a camera of a certain quality. I chose the 40 megapixels of X-H2. It’s small enough that I can leave it in my tank bag, which means it’s close enough to pull out and use straight away.

“I’ve used a DSLR for my professional work for a long time, but it’s huge and not very subtle. I have no other complaints about it, but to walk around with, it puts a target on you. Not necessarily for theft, but it makes you seen. For a small body, I was surprised by the quality of X-H2. It was more than fine – it was amazing.

“As for XF16-55mmF2.8, it’s the most versatile focal length range for the type of work I do. For the subject-focused portraits it’s close, and for the context-focused portraits it’s wide. That’s perfect for the compositions I favor within this series.”

Behind The Motorcycle Portraits

Across dozens of spectacular portraits, David’s own favorites came down to a combination of relationship and fortune. He relishes access to incredible locations – and interactions with his subjects even more so.

“I love the portrait of Vincent Pratt, who started Wheels and Waves, in Toulouse. He was a wonderful guy, but I like the photos because the space is cool. They have that classic, dark motorcycle workshop, but with nice pops of light. It’s a well-used space with tools all over and a bike on a lift, but not in a cliché way,” David recounts, launching into a few favorite images.

“Pepo Rosall in Madrid was awesome. He’s a custom builder who makes these phenomenal bikes, and has it all set up in his apartment. The bike he was working on – how do you build something like that? That made for an amazing photo.

“I also made a cool photo of Lester Harris. He’s an older guy who used to build bikes for Grand Prix racers. He’s retired, but still works in a shed out the back of his house. I was looking at the photo the other day, thinking what a great frame.”

Smiling motorcycle engineer working in modern trailer workshop

Photo 2023 © David Goldman | FUJIFILM X-H2 and FUJINON XF16-55mmF2.8 R LM WR, 1/105 sec at F4.5, ISO 800

As conversation draws to a close, David reflects on his journey. Not only the miles covered on two wheels, but the connections made, images created, and lessons learned.

“I love bikes, but this portrait series is about the art more than anything,” he concludes. “I see the motorcycle as a tool. I’ve spoken to a few people who’ve traveled extensively, like Elspeth Beard, the first British woman to travel around the world on a motorcycle, and a lot of us feel the same. In her explanation, it gave her access to something greater.

“The camera is a tool in the same way. I actually find them very similar. To me, it’s a key to enter communities. When I go to document a place and have the camera in my hand, the community opens up and welcomes me. There aren’t many other things I’m aware of that can crack a door open like that.”

To learn more about David Goldman’s career and the meaning behind The Motorcycle Portraits, visit FUJIFILM Create Forever.

Shop FUJIFILM X-H2 today and read the full specifications here.


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