Laz’s Crew – “Don’t Be a Pussy Bitch.”

While I was finishing up my last photo project with Hogs & Heifers in Las Vegas, I was introduced to Alex.

She was in town all the way from Jersey visiting Vegas and the West for the first time.  Alex is a friend of Michelle’s from Back East and had a gift for the Hogs owner.  After exchanging some hugs and conversation, it was time for Mich to be officially inducted as a member of “Laz’s Crew”.  Laz?  Laz who?  And who is his crew?

If you’re offended by the words pussy and bitch, stop reading, you can’t be part of his crew.  Laz was a patron from the NY pub and an avid bike rider.  In 2014 he also became a friend of the Vegas saloon when he visited during Bike Week.  Unfortunately Laz recently passed in October.  Alex saw a few photos we had of Laz from Bike Week and told me she was able to share these with him before he passed on.  This instantly made me sad, I got the chills, goose bumps up and down my forearms.  At the same time, I was also thrilled.  It’s amazing that he had a chance see some of the pics we took of him during BikeFest.  As a photo guy, you rarely get to hear about where your images end up and who could be sharing memories over them.

Being introduced to Alex and exchanging stories was awesome and reminded me why I love photography so much…  if my photos at Hogs and Heifers could talk?  And one of the best things about this Hogs conversation is I knew we had more photos of Laz to share that weren’t posted online, this meant Alex could see new pictures of him she didn’t know existed.

Upon returning to my Portland home base, I was excited to find a handful of images in our growing Hogs collection to share.  Raise your next shot to Laz, may his story live on!  I’m sure the New York Hogs is up there somewhere… or down there… maybe down there would be more exciting and fitting for a place like H&H? 

– Cameron Smith

Images and words by Cameron Smith | Proud member of Laz’s crew