Ep. 105: Derek Ridgers (British Music Photographer) Focus on his book "Derek Ridgers: 78-87 London Youth" now available in the U.S I have been a huge fan of Derek Ridger's work for years as we've posted it on our Vintage Annals Archive Instagram page. Derek is a very kind, thoughtful, and generous man and was a pleasure to talk to. We had a great chat and got into his process of shooting documentary work and more formal work for NME, Time Out, The Guardian, GQ, Melody Maker and more. We talk about how he got into photography, his way of working, and shooting with some amazing acts such as The Beastie Boys, Nick Cave, Grace Jones, and Tom Waits to name a few. Bio When working on documentary photography, the best approach possible it to create a balance between objectivity and your own personal style. That feature is what makes the best artists of this genre stand out, as is the case of Derek Ridgers, a photographer that comes to us from the United Kingdom. He built his reputation by taking photos of various celebrities from the music world and documenting the development of the English rock 'n' roll scene from its very beginnings in the 70s. His bold approach and lack of fear allowed him to observe these worlds from the inside and depict them with his trusted camera. After he made a name for himself, Ridgers continued to expand his portfolio with portraits of numerous famous people - all done in a unique black and white style this artist stayed true to for the entirety of his career. (From Widewalls Magazine) The London Youth Portraits Hardcover Between 1978 and 1987, renowned British photographer Derek Ridgers captured London youth culture in all its glory. With skinheads, punks and new romantics, in clubs and on the street, his images have come to define a seminal decade of British subculture. Broadly based on the now out of print book '78/87 London Youth', this showcases a completely fresh selection of images from the depths of Ridgers’ exceptional archive – including many previously unseen – beautifully printed and bound in an oversized volume. Each picture is a tribute to the trials and triumphs of youth, and a precious document of style and culture in 1980s England, from the height of punk to the birth of acid house. Several have been exhibited internationally in cities as far-ranging as Moscow, Adelaide and Beverly Hills, in the National Portrait Gallery, Tate Britain and Somerset House. Ridgers has also collaborated with a number of major fashion houses, including Saint Laurent and Gucci, and his images continue to inspire photographers, artists and fashion designers around the world. https://www.amazon.com/London-Youth-Portraits-Derek-Ridgers/ Links Website https://www.derekridgers.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/derekridgers Prints https://www.derekridgerseditions.com Instagram https://www.instagram.com/derekridgerseditions Vintage Annals Archive Info. http://www.vintageannalsarchive.com https://www.instagram.com/vintageannalsarchive/

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