Derek Ridgers

FESTIVAL SPEAKER

Derek Ridgers (b. London, 1950) is one of London’s most influential club and street photographers.

Ridgers originally trained as a graphic designer and worked in advertising for over a decade before taking up photography. Following the change in career, Ridgers began working for the British style magazine The Face and the music weekly NME (New Music Express).

A founder of the straight-up style of photography, his observational approach enabled him to capture skinheads, punks, New Romantics and Goths, as well as every hybrid style and subculture that has developed in between.

Derek’s work, characterised by its raw authenticity and keen observational skills, has been exhibited internationally since the seventies and featured in numerous publications.

His extensive archive spans decades and his contributions to visual anthropology and social documentary photography have cemented his legacy as a key chronicler of British youth culture.

Recent books include; THE LONDON YOUTH PORTRAITS (ACC Art Books 2024) and CANNES (Idea Books 2025).

www.derekridgers.com