URBAN NOMADS. IN THE BRONX. 1982. UP, CLOSE AND PERSONAL WITH THE CHING-

A-LING BIKER GANG. JUST SIXTEEN PAGES BUT EACH PAGE AND EVERY PICTURE IS OUT OF THIS WORLD CLASS.

IT OPENS YOUR EYES THIS BOOK BUT BLINK AND...

You could just buy it now for the nappy pin in that kid's hat, couldn't you? 
 

Steven Bamberg was a gang member himself in his youth. That may be why he is able to get so close to his subjects. 



This copy signed by the photographer, at least in so much as he has written his name, address and phone number on the first page. The printed text, which is excellent, by the way, describes the largely Puerto Rican Ching-A-Lings as "the us in a world of them." It also says that that bikers saw themselves more as a family than a gang. Bamberg may have shared that view: the photograph on the right as evidence. 
 

Now this. This is one of the greatest photographs we have seen in any of these (now great many) superbooks. That girl with her cigarette and her gun... that is some outfit. 
 

Another one for the family album. There aren't too many biker gang photobooks with images like this. It is special. Singularly special... because... we just have the one. Right now, the world has this one...

Yours on the button below.