Washington DC Photographer Doug Barber

MICA Photo Alumni Blog

2011-11-07T05:56:00.000-08:00

mica photo
Check out the new book by MICA Alumni Doug Barber “Living the Life.”
Posted in Alum, Local Art News by micaphoto on November 5, 2011

Combustion Carnival

2011-08-07T15:54:00.000-07:00

Combustion Carnival
Saturday, September 3 · 4:00pm till ???
Charmed Life ArtGallery TattooStudio
www.charmedlifegallery.com/
4505 Harford Road
Baltimore, Maryland

I will be showing my work, and signing "living the life" books along with the artwork of Charmed Life, and the Lowside Syndicate photography crew Debbie Fitch & Magic Ken . There will also be bikes and custom work by Mobtown Cycle.

Charmed Life is a new tattoo shop and gallery located in Baltimore. Come check out the work on display at this righteous gallery and enjoy the party. King Gilbert will be on the 1's and 2's for your listening pleasure. Parking exclusively for bikes, rods and customs with over flow parking at Safeway next door so we can fit everyone. Come support our local artists and check out some work in the coolest new gallery in Baltimore.

Herrington Harbour Marina Resorts

2011-07-06T09:48:00.001-07:00

I've been fortunate to have some long term clients over the years. Herrington Harbour Marina Resorts An Eco-Lifestyle Marina Resort. is one of my longest and best clients. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for allowing me to be part of their award winning effort to make this planet a better place. You can see more on my website at http://www.dougbarber.com/

Living The Life. Portraits Of The Human Struggle For Freedom And Expression.

2011-03-06T04:30:00.000-08:00

Living The Life. Portraits Of The Human Struggle For Freedom And Expression.
Published by Cyril Huze March 3rd, 2011 in Books and Editorial.

Artist and master of custom motorcycles, Cyril Huze reviews my book “living the life”. I am honored and humbled by his kind words. You may read what this accomplished icon in the motorcycle industry has to say on Cyril Huze Blog.

2011-02-26T09:40:00.000-08:00

Dear friends,
Here is a little piece I wrote to get Nikon to help sponsor my continued photographic coverage of the biker world. If you like what I’ve put down please add a comment to the NIKON Facebook Discussion Board “Forty years of Nikon SLR photography and now COOLPIX P7000”

I have been packing Nikon SLRs since 1965. It all started with a Nikkormat that I purchased in Okinawa Japan when I was 17 years of age. It was about the same time I bought my first motorcycle. I’ve been riding and photographing ever since. I returned to the States and attended the Maryland Institute College of Art on a full scholarship.

As most graduates of art school I found myself desperately seeking employment. It was while working in a camera store I was approached by an officer of a 1% motorcycle club. The club was looking for someone they could trust to photograph the national mandatory run and funeral for their sergeant of arms. That club then and even today does not like having photos taken, but they wanted to honor the wishes of the family. After a final briefing by the president of the club, I was allowed to record this major event, but all the film stayed with the club. This life altering experience got me hooked on bikers.

In time I became a freelance photographer, making a living doing photography for annual reports, magazines, brochures, advertising, etc. I made good money, won awards all with my trusty Nikons. For my personal work, I spent over 30 years sharing the road with old school, and hard core bikers. It was not only good for my artistic soul, but helped me to relax between paid assignments. I learned people skills that made working even with bankers more successful.

As time went on my biker friends would ask what I was doing with all the photos I was taking of them. I had no plans for publishing any of this work. I did give a lot of it away. Some of my images made it into the pages of the top biker magazines via my friends. Eventually I created a biker community website www.VtwinBiker.com. Soon thereafter my biker work was discovered by magazines, advertising agencies, museum curators, gallery owners, and the like. Imagine my surprise that other folks were interested in my personal, private biker images that I was doing for fun. Now I have a Japanese magazine with a year’s worth of my photos on their covers, and I was hanging in galleries, and museums. Then I was rediscovered by one of America’s oldest motorcycle magazine “Iron Horse” who did a feature on my work. It wasn’t long after that I was approached by publishers to do a book of my biker photography. My book “living the life” has gotten some great reviews and write-ups. We have shipped worldwide, and the Japanese are my biggest fans. All of this from a Nikkormat that I bought in Okinawa Japan forty some years ago.

I’m now packing a Nikon D200 with an AF S 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6 G ED lens for over 70,000 miles on my home built hard tail chopper. This is one rugged camera that has been to hell and back. In combination with the 18-200mm lens it has been the perfect partner. That is until now. Nikon has introduced what might be the perfect biker photojournalist camera, and that is the COOLPIX P7000 . Its small size would make it easier to pack than my D200. Its low profile would be less conspicuous and intimidating. Its 28-200mm focal lens is damn near perfect for capturing a wide range of biker life scenarios. And the icing on the cake is the extended ISO and low noise night mode.

So, what do you think Nikon, do you want to go on the road with this seasoned biker photographer? Would you like to partner up with me and capture dynamic images of the bikers’ world? Would you like to have your name up there in lights, and in front of my ever-growing following, who appreciates hard hitting images? Bikers spend money, need quality products, and are always asking me how I do what I do. I’m thinking this could be mutually beneficial. Thank you for making great photo equipment, and being part of my life.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Doug AKA Q-Ball
Doug Barber Photographer
North Beach, MD 20714

Cell 410-610-6595
doug@dougbarber.com
www.dougbarber.com
www.VtwinBiker.com

© Doug Barber Photographer 2011

PS, I’ve been purchasing nothing but Nikon equipment from Service Photo in Baltimore for over 30 years. Just ask the owner Burke Seim.

Links to my work

http://www.dougbarber.com/

http://www.vtwinbiker.com/

http://dougbarber.com/living_the_life/living_the_life.html

http://dougbarber.com/CycleHeadz/cycleheadz.html

http://www2.citypaper.com/arts/story.asp?id=20371

http://www.americasarts.com/DougBarber.htm

http://www.chopcult.com/QBALL/albums/1370/13340

http://www.choppertownnation.com/group/livingthelife

http://www.russbrown.com/motorcycle-lawyer-blog/960/biker-photographer-q-ball.html

http://www.foxcreekleather.com/121-miscellaneous-other/925-living-the-life-by-q-ball

http://www.alphabiker.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=218:press-release-roadhousepress-announces-release-of-living-the-life-feb-2010&catid=15:general-news&Itemid=34

http://www.hometownannapolis.com/news/lif/2010/06/13-04/Local-photographers-work-featured-in-book-on-biker-life.html

http://www.biblioscribe.com/press/publish/book_press_release/Old_School_Biker_Photography_Biker_Poetry_30_years_in_the_making.shtml

http://www.urbanitebaltimore.com/baltimore/wild-ride/Content?oid=1287279

http://www.gettysburg.edu/about/offices/provost/gallery/past-exhibitions/summer-2005.dot
http://www.russbrown.com/motorcycle-lawyer-blog/1600/q-ball-for-christmas.html

Please do not forget to go to NIKON Facebook Discussion Board “Forty years of Nikon SLR photography and now COOLPIX P7000”, and leave a comment.

Thanks again,
Doug AKA Q-Ball
Doug Barber Photographer
North Beach, MD 20714

Cell 410-610-6595
doug@dougbarber.com
http://www.dougbarber.com/
http://www.vtwinbiker.com/

Cycle Headz Magazine of Japan Vol. 03 October 2010

2010-11-05T08:52:00.000-07:00

Cycle Headz Magazine of Japan Vol. 03 October 2010
Features my biker photography and does an article about my book Living the Life

An English translation coming soon.

For more on my Japanese connection, check out a year of Hot Bike Japan covers, and calendar.

Living The Life biker photography poetry book reviews & articles.

2010-07-30T05:52:00.000-07:00

When Issue 131 of Iron Horse Magazine hit the streets July 2010 it featured a flattering book review by Editorial Director Todd Ingram. Todd has become a good friend and is one of the many who encouraged me to publish my biker photography in a book titled “living the life”. He also did a feature article on my work in Issue 11, November 2007, after seeing my photos as covers for a years worth of Hot Bike Japan in 2006.

At this time I’d like to Todd, and all my friends who without their support I would not, or could not have published my work. Including the crew at Lowside Syndicate. Stay tuned there is more in the works. Hot Bike has a review in their new products, and it will be in the Fall issue of Street Chopper. The Horse Backstreet Choppers Magazine promised a review in an up coming issue. I will post them all as they come in.

Other writeups of interest.

Living The Life Making friends on the road.

Chop Cult Book Review

Cover Story of the City Paper

Local photographer's work featured in book on biker life

Biker Poetry Comes of Age: The Landscape

Book Review: Living the Life by Q-Ball

2010-07-01T12:16:00.000-07:00

Book Review: Living the Life by Q-Ball

Motorcycle Diary: Doug Barber captured old-school biker life through his camera's lens | Baltimore City Paper

2010-06-30T04:03:00.000-07:00

Motorcycle Diary: Doug Barber captured old-school biker life through his camera's lens Baltimore City Paper

Local photographer's work featured in book on biker life • Lifestyle (www.HometownAnnapolis.com - The Capital)

2010-06-15T08:16:00.000-07:00

Local photographer's work featured in book on biker life • Lifestyle (www.HometownAnnapolis.com - The Capital)

Fan Mail From Japan

2010-05-26T05:16:00.000-07:00

Mr.Q-Ball

i want to let you know that i had put your book on japanese motorcycle magazine called "street bikers" and "Hardcore chopper".
here's link of my blog, check them out.

cycletrash67.blogspot.com/2010/05/hardcore-chopper-44.html
cycletrash67.blogspot.com/2010/05/ink.html

enjoy!
hiro

It’s a book! “Living The Life” Lives!

2010-03-04T14:43:00.000-08:00

It’s a book! “Living The Life” Lives!
2 pounds, 2 ounces. Made in the USA, just like dad.

That’s right world, after 30 years of riding and photographing, it’s on the street. It ain’t been easy, and if any of you want to know how to do it I’ll be happy to give you advice “be careful of what you ask for”. The process has taken some serious time away from family, friends, and riding. It has also given me the opportunity to make some good friends, and weed out some of the fair weather ones.

Before I go too far, I’d like to acknowledge those who have made this possible. You got it, family comes first, especially mine for putting up with me and all the hardship of living with a biker photographer. Next, my brothers and sisters from back in the day who have encouraged me to go forth and publish. They even offered to front me coin as a grubstake. I love my brothers and sisters, so I didn’t take the money.

Next, Sorez the Scribe for his inspiring words which echo the pulse of the biker’s world. No “roses are red” here, just red blooded personal insight that only years and miles make right. Sorez in a few choice words makes clear what some folks would write volumes about, and still miss the point. I had friends who gave me grief about putting poetry in this book till they read Sorez’s words. I’d have to tell them to think of it as lyrics to a biker song. Now they tell me I’m right. FA, I knew that.

Of course all this effort would have been for not, if there wasn’t a publisher who believed in me. And if some of you have ventured into the dark forest of publishing you will know it is filled with reject letters, snakes, and wolves. You are lucky to come out with your life, and chances are you’ll lose every penny you had. This is where I got lucky again! Turns out, I took a photo of some biker on a home built suicide chopper at Smokeout 10 who later became a friend and ally. Richard Gohlinghorst AKA MR BOH who was in the printing business, took a liking to my work, and was looking to expand the family press onto unmapped roads. Rich and a very talented designer Eric Wheatley, yours truly, became an unlikely alliance, AKA Lowside Syndicate. After months of brain storming, and fine tuning “Living the Life” came to life. I must admit it looks real fine! If there is anyone out there reading this, and is looking for a printer/publisher who will print your life’s work in the USA, check them out www.lowsidesyn.com .

Other fine contributors to “Living the Life” were MarySusan Williams-Migneault of RoadHousePress, and Rusty Baker curator at the Susquehanna Art Museum who both wrote intros that gave my work new perspective. Shit, I was just riding and photographing. K. Peddlar Bridges was kind enough to add historical insight with his “Biker Poetry 101... The New Mobile Literary Scene!”

We can’t forget the media. Todd Ingram of Iron Horse Magazine wrote one hell of an itro in the book and is doing a review in an upcoming issue of the magazine. Jeff G. Holt of Street Chopper Magazine, and Fabricator Kevin have also promised reviews. This is more than I could have dreamed.

Finally I’d like to thank all those brave souls who shoveled their way through snow and ice to come see us at the Timonium Bike Show. Kuda in particular, who road his bike 150 miles in sub freezing weather. And all my friends who have shown support at my book signings. Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!

If you like old school biker photos, and old school biker poetry, please take a closer look at my book “Living The Life” on my website www.dougbarber.com

If you think it’s worthy, please help spread the word. THANKS!

Long May You Ride,
Doug Barber AKA Q-Ball
www.dougbarber.com

2009-12-26T09:56:00.000-08:00

For years I’ve been encouraged to compile a book of these
images. I hesitated pursuing a book because I did not
want to explain, or analyze my photos. The thrust of this
book is a collection of my biker photography accompanied by
compatible Sorez’s biker poems. Living the Life is a personal
view of a biker’s existence. Allowing the reader to draw their own
conclusions from the material presented. It is not my intention
to stereotype the folks in my photographs. This is because all
bikers are not alike, but share the same contempt for being
categorized.

The photography in this book is editorial in nature. Everyone
in this book was photographed with their knowledge, and
permission. It spans over 30 years of traveling with hard core
bikers. I would like to thank everyone who is featured in this
book for their part in preserving our history.

Long May You Ride,
Doug Barber AKA Q-Ball

living the life

photographs by Doug Barber, aka Q-Ball

poems by Eddie (Sorez) Pliska, aka Sorez the Scribe

designed by Eric Wheatley

Published and Printed in the United States of America.

Published by Lowside Syndicate.

www.lowsidesyn.com

Printed by Ridge Printing.

8900 Yellow Brick Rd. Baltimore, MD 21237

www.ridgeprinting.com

All rights reserved under international copyright conventions.

No part of the contents of this book may be reproduced

or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or

mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any

information storage or retrieval system, without the

written consent of the publisher and author.

First Edition January 2010

This edition is limited to 3,000 copies.

ISBN 978-0-615-34271-9

Copyright 2009 Doug Barber

Here is what the critics are saying.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Classic images of bikers from the 70’s and earlier are a

hit among today’s discriminating enthusiasts. And it’s

not just a case of looking back through rose colored

glasses to motorcycling’s past. Rather it is the natural consequence

when popular culture celebrates cartoonish exaggerations,

and shuns the genuine.

Doug Barber’s photos remind us of a time when the bikes,

and the people that rode them were the real deal. Thankfully,

Doug was there living it; not just as an observer from

the outside. This collection of images combined with the

words of Sorez the Scribe provides a unique glimpse into

our culture’s past. For those that lived, partied and rode

during that time it’s a memory book of sorts. For the new

generation it represents the path less chosen, inspiration,

and a history book of our two-wheeled forefathers.

Living the life, it’s good for your soul.”

Todd Ingram

Editorial Director

Iron Horse Magazine

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Marriage of Biker Poetry

and Photographic Genius:

Q-Ball’s master lens and Sorez the Scribe’s road sharpened

pen ignites the page with the lure of the

steel pony, the rolling thunder, the chink, chink,

chink of the gravel, and a brotherhood that rides forever

towards the horizon. While there are many photo

books that spread bikers and their motorcycles flat

out across a coffee table, and certainly Biker Poetry

is beginning to stand on its own in the poetry community,

Living the Life is the ‘IMAX of Biker Nation.’

Sorez’s poetic cadence draws you into Q-Ball’s lens

where you are not just looking at some pictures, you

are on the bike, riding with the pack, or just taking a

solo run into the wind. From Basket Case to Road to

Redemption Q-Ball and Sorez bring the Code of Ethics

into ‘True 3D Soul’ with photo-word-graphics.

Living the Life is more than a photo-documentary,

or a poetry book, and it is deeper than a historical

perspective, Living the Life is history in the making

- a history that can open the pipes and blast down

highways at the speed of light.

MarySusan Williams-Migneault

RoadHousePress

The IMAX of Biker Nation

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stay tuned for updates, and book signing locations. Also visit Lowside Syndicate for more information. www.lowsidesyn.com

Wishing Everyone All The Best This Holiday Season

2009-12-05T10:42:00.000-08:00

As we settle into this Holiday season, let us not forget those less fortunate than ourselves. When we walk by a Salvation Army Santa, or a Motorcycle Club collecting for the disadvantaged, please take a moment to give. Always remember "There by the grace of God go I".

Thanks for your time and consideration.

Horse & Rider. Equine Photography

2009-11-01T12:19:00.000-08:00

Dear Horse Lovers,

Some of you know that my wife, daughter, and I ride horses. Well my wife and daughter ride, and I refuse to fall off. They have style and grace, I have a super glue seat. I also spend a lot of time around horses photographing them, and their fearless riders. Recently I added my equine photography to my portfolio
http://dougbarber.com/People_Photographer/Equine/equine.html . Please stop by and enjoy. If you ever need Horse and Rider photography, feel free to contact me for reasonable rates, and an easy going photo session.

Thanks,
Doug
Doug Barber Photographer
North Beach, MD 20714

Cell 410-610-6595
doug@dougbarber.com
http://www.dougbarber.com/

For every vision there is one perfect image.

2009-07-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my portfolio. I enjoy photographing people of all ages. Young, and old, bankers to bikers, we are all special.

I am a seasoned professional photographer serving Washington, DC, Baltimore, Annapolis, Maryland, Mid Atlantic, USA, and the World with commercial, corporate, college, university, nonprofit, institutional, portrait, location, editorial, studio, and advertising photography.

My work, and clients are diverse. Humane photography for humankind.

For every vision there is one perfect image. Looking forward to working with you.

http://www.dougbarber.com/