PHOTOGRAPHY | TREVOR HUGHES: THE BIKE MESSENGERS 1992-1998
Trevor Hughes is a street photographer living in Toronto, Canada. These photos are a look back – way back to the years 1992-1998 when he worked as a bike messenger. He had an unique opportunity to document an intimate portrait of the bike messenger community in Toronto. His approach was minimalist: small compact waist bag (allowed quick access to camera), a Rollei 35 SE, Ilford HP5 film, B+W rubber lens hood. For 9 years the Rollei was his constant companion on the road while he was working as a messenger. Throughout the seasons and in all weather conditions the Rollei performed flawlessly. Trevor declared: "it was impossible for me when photographing not only to want to record but also to glamorize, romanticize, mythologize this tribe/subculture with their camaraderie, swagger and outsider attitude. I sought stillness, the intimate moments I could capture between the hectic dashes through city streets and traffic". Here's the 'golden age' of bike messengers. Before cycling cafes, before fixed gear bikes became the trademark of hipsters, before the word hipster even existed. Being a cycle courier was just another way of making a living, and not some kind of misguided fashion statement.
