DEREK RIDGERS

“PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: AN OBLIQUE APPROACH”

Derek Ridgers, born 1952 in Chiswick, West London, studied graphic design at the Ealing School of Art in London from 1967–1971. He worked in the advertising industry and was an art director for ten years before he solely dedicated himself to photography. At this time, he worked for the legendary British music magazines NME and The Face. He became well known for his photographs of the music, film, and club/street culture – he photographed stars such as James Brown, Clint Eastwood and Johnny Depp, but also gangsters, artists, and athletes. Through several book publications in the recent years he has also become known for his photographs of the subcultures of British society: Skinheads, the Fetish scene, Clubs, Punks, and New Romantics. Through editorial work Ridgers continues to be commissioned to photograph musicians, film stars and fashion. He primarily works for NME, but also other national newspapers and publications. Photographs from Ridgers of 1980s London Youth and images of James Brown, Nina Hagen and Iggy Pop were part of “ROCK.FUNK.PUNK.”, an exhibition at Fotografie Forum Frankfurt which traced important music scene photographers since the 1950s.

Derek Ridgers (Website)