Emanuele Mengotti: Documenting Motorbikes and Rodeos with the Lomomatic 110

The last time we featured the great work of Emanuele Mengotti, we covered his images of the American West on Redscale film. Today he's back on the magazine, and we interview him about his experience bringing the new Lomomatic 110 camera to these same landscapes.

In the heart of the Nevada desert, where the ghostly echoes of the Old West still haunt the air, Virginia City comes alive with an unforgettable spectacle: the Virginia City Roundup Motorcycle Rodeo. This wild event fuses the raw energy of motorcycle culture with the untamed thrill of rodeo, creating a chaotic, exhilarating celebration of biker and cowboy life. Here, the rugged men and women who ride the highways on chrome beasts face off against the wild broncs and bulls of the rodeo arena, proving their mettle in a way that only the West can inspire.

A once-booming mining town now steeped in history, becomes the ultimate gathering spot for those looking to test their limits in the heart of America’s frontier. Bikers from nearby states roll into town, revving their engines as they pull up to Virginia City’s vintage saloons, their faces weathered by miles of road and a thirst for adventure. The streets pulse with the sound of roaring engines and the clinking of beer mugs in the old watering holes, where stories are swapped under the dim glow of hanging lamps. On the day of the roundup, the action at the VC Fairgrounds hits a fever pitch, as custom motorcycles shine in the show, and the crowd gets swept up in the adrenaline of bull riding, live music, and rodeo games. It’s a weekend where cowboys and bikers meet at the crossroads of history and the present, forging new legends in the dust of the Old West.

Now to fully enjoy those pictures you should play the cover of Born to Be Wild and Ghost Riders in the Sky performed by The Space Lady. – Emanuele Mengotti

Photo courtesy of Emanuele Mengotti

Hey Emanuele, welcome back to Lomography Magazine! Can you please re-introduce our audience to yourself and your work?

Thanks, it is always a pleasure to collaborate with Lomography. I am a filmmaker and photographer exploring the intersections of myth, reality, and identity within the American West. My work includes documentaries like West of Babylonia, which portrays life on the fringes of society in the California desert, and Red Sky at Night, a poetic meditation on Las Vegas during a biblical storm, where the struggles of three characters reflect the city’s surreal essence. Currently, I am also developing a photographic project titled Western Simulacrum: From the Hyper Frontier to the Creation of Contemporary West, which examines how myths shape cultural memory, tourism, and identity through the unique use of analogue devices.

Whether through film or photography, my approach remains rooted in uncovering the poetic and epic within reality, revealing the beauty, fragility, and enduring influence of human narratives.

Can you share how you got into analogue photography, and more specifically 110 photography?

I have to be honest— I'm not a very technical person. I often rely on instinct, following the moment and my inspiration. Overthinking can sometimes make me miss that magical moment that exists only in a fraction of a second, in a single click. That’s why shooting with 110 film and 110 cameras feels so natural to me— it keeps everything simple and immediate.

The compact size of 110 cameras is another huge plus; I can carry one with me anywhere, so whenever I feel the urge to capture something, it's always within reach. From a purely aesthetic perspective, I also love the grain of 110 film. It’s perfect for conveying the rugged, untamed world I’m so drawn to. It feels raw and authentic, matching the spirit of the stories I want to tell.

Photo courtesy of Emanuele Mengotti

Earlier this year you shared a series documenting the American West on Redscale film. How did B&W Orca 110 film support your vision this time around?

This time, I wanted to capture a timeless portrayal of the biker world— a culture steeped in layers of tradition, loyalty, and the legendary machines that have defined its history. It’s a world that transcends time, and black-and-white film felt like the perfect medium to do justice to its raw power and bold contrasts.

There’s also a more instinctive, less conscious reason behind my choice. Growing up, I had a poster of Easy Rider on my bedroom wall (it’s still there), and although the film was shot in color, in my mind, it always plays out in black and white. Something about the starkness and simplicity of B&W connects deeply with how I envision that world, almost like it belongs to a mythic, eternal dimension.

What do you love about the American West and why do you feel it is important to document?

The American West is more than a geographic location to me; it’s a state of mind. It represents the frontier— the dividing line between what has been conquered and what still waits to be discovered. It’s about adventure, the call of the unknown.

The West is a fascinating, rugged, and often unforgiving place where raw emotions still thrive, the kind we’ve lost in our everyday, overstructured lives. Out there, I feel truly alive, and I encounter people who are profoundly alive in their own unique ways. Documenting this world feels vital—it’s a way to preserve and share those emotions, those stories, and that spirit of discovery.

Photo courtesy of Emanuele Mengotti

What strikes you most about American Biker culture? Have you noticed any similarities between bikers and cowboys?

There’s a piece by David Mann titled "Ghost Rider" that depicts a biker riding down an imaginary road in the American West, flanked by towering rock formations, with the transparent figure of a cowboy galloping beside him, almost like a ghost. That image has always inspired me on a conceptual level. I wouldn’t go so far as to call bikers the direct descendants of cowboys, but they share a lot in common.

Bikers, much like cowboys and cowgirls, embody the ultimate expression of the American pursuit of freedom at any cost. However, the biker world is incredibly diverse and multifaceted, composed of many different realities united by a shared love for their motorcycles, a passion for freedom, and a desire to live outside many of society's imposed restrictions. They are carrying forward a spirit of independence and self-reliance that feels deeply rooted in the mythology of the West.

You incorporated the Lomomatic 110 into your workflow for this series. What can you tell us about that experience?

For this series, I essentially used two cameras: the Pentax 110, which I had previously used in past projects, but this time I had the opportunity to pair it with the Lomomatic 110 Metal. I absolutely loved it for its portability and ease of use. I was genuinely impressed by the Lomomatic. It’s an absolutely perfect camera that combines a minimalist design with exceptional performance.

The Minitar CX glass lens delivers incredibly sharp images, and the exposure system is fully automatic, making it a dream to use in different lighting conditions. The camera’s compact, metal body gives it a sophisticated yet timeless 110 look, and with features like zone focus, adjustable ISO settings, and a removable flash, it’s versatile for both daytime and night-time shots. It’s truly a passport to a world of creative adventures, whether you're capturing spontaneous moments or meticulously planning a shot. Interestingly, even bikers, who are great admirers of aesthetics, took notice of my Lomomatic and its style, which felt like a perfect match for their own culture and visual expression.

Photo courtesy of Emanuele Mengotti

Are there any memorable stories or takeaways from this bike rally in Virginia City?

I’m not sure, it’s really hard to pinpoint a single moment. The whole experience felt surreal, almost like living inside a parallel world stuck in the Old West. Walking across wooden sidewalks where you could hear the echo of boots and spurs, drinking in the saloons, watching the rodeo, the off-season snow mixed with rain, the Victorian houses perched on the mountainside, a rainbow viewed from a muddy parking lot where we slept, the spirit of camaraderie, old and new friends— there was so much to take in. And then the days that followed, riding alongside my fellow bikers through Nevada and California, staying in motels, and soaking in the landscapes. It was an experience that felt timeless, a true journey through both the American West and the biker culture.

I owe a huge thanks to the Santa Cruz crew, with whom it’s always a pleasure to share the road— such amazing people. A big shout-out to my friend Matt Talajkowski, who, with his Sugarbaby Cycles, is doing incredible things. And to everyone who allowed me to take their photos, share stories, and capture moments and fragments of life. It would be great to name each and every one of them, but they know who they are. This, above all, is what will stay with me—the privilege of sharing this adventure with them.

Photo courtesy of Emanuele Mengotti

Do you have a favorite photo from this series?

In some of these photos, there’s a young man named Tyler Cook, a biker from the Silver Barons MC Nomads. One photo captures Tyler holding his arm after being struck twice by a powerful bull. That bull broke his arm. Most of the time, I try to stay in touch with the people I photograph, but with Tyler, it was impossible due to his injury and the events that followed, which prevented me from speaking with him. Fortunately, Tyler later found his photo through my Instagram profile and reached out to me. He told me that every year he participates in the Rodeo, alongside his godfather, as part of a ritual to honor his late father, who was a pro bull rider. Tyler truly appreciated the photos, and I’m glad they’ll serve as a lasting memory, even of such a painful moment. To me, the most important thing is when a person recognizes that my work has stayed true and captured the reality as it is perceived by the subjects themselves.

Do you have any exciting projects coming up that you'd like to share with the community?

I’m working on multiple fronts right now. I continue my work as a film director, with my next project set in the American West, right on the frontier where civilization ends and the wild world begins. This project will also have an analogue element, as we plan to shoot using an old VHS camera, modified to accommodate special lenses (and who knows, maybe we’ll talk more about that soon). Additionally, I’ll be incorporating a series of Polaroid photos to tell the myth of the West, or rather, what has been built around it, transforming it into a myth in itself. That said, one of my biggest dreams is to keep documenting the biker world. I’d love to go deeper, to capture something truly genuine, epic, and poetic about that culture, bringing its raw beauty to the forefront.

Photo courtesy of Emanuele Mengotti

Anything else you'd like to share?

The world of bikers and analogue photography enthusiasts share an unexpected but profound kinship. Both are defined by their choice to embrace simplicity— bikers with their air-cooled engines and stripped-down machines, and analogue photographers with their manual cameras, free from the crutch of automation. Yet, within that simplicity lies a deep complexity, not in the tools themselves but in the culture and devotion they inspire.

Building a bike or composing a shot on film is an act of craftsmanship, each decision deliberate, each error irreversible. For bikers, every mile is a testament to their relationship with their machine; for analogue photographers, every frame is an exercise in patience and precision. Both pursuits reject the ease of modern life— digital convenience or smooth highways— in favor of something raw and immediate, where every action has weight and meaning.

Like bikers with their patches, analogue photographers carry their cameras as symbols of identity, belonging to a community that values authenticity over perfection. Both groups live on the edge, where mistakes are costly but make the journey richer. Whether riding a roaring chopper or advancing film through a camera, their devotion reflects a deeper truth: the joy isn't just in the destination or the image, but in the struggle to create something real in a world increasingly detached from its roots.

I think what excites me most about this journey is the continuous discovery of stories and experiences that unfold in the hidden corners of our culture— whether it’s the American West, biker communities, or the people I meet along the way. Analogue photography allows me to capture these moments with a sense of truth and authenticity that feels incredibly rare in today’s digital world. As an artist, I’m always striving to create work that resonates with people on a deeper level, capturing not just images, but emotions, memories, and a sense of time. So, I encourage anyone reading this to keep exploring, whether through film, photography, or life in general— because it's in the exploration of the unknown that we truly find ourselves.


Thanks Emanuele for joining us again! If you'd like to stay in touch with his work, you can find him on Instagram.

written by alexa_alexiades on 2025-01-17 #gear #culture #people #places #black-and-white #110 #b-w #usa #documentary #110-format #lomomatic-110

Mentioned Product

Lomomatic 110

Lomomatic 110

Your passport to adventure; hit the road with the sharpest, most creative pocket-sized camera on Earth. With a sophisticated metal body featuring a powerful glass lens & advanced creative features plus a detachable flash, your 110 journey starts now!

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