Derek Ridgers

Ridgers started out photographing bands, then turned his camera on the audience in 1976, when punk made the fans more interesting to look at than the musicians. From 1978 he was photographing skinheads and New Romantics too, in the street and in clubs such as the Blitz and Camden Palace. He worked alone and belonged to none of the scenes, which shows in portraits that are direct without being flattering. This is the place to see subculture style as its wearers put it together, with no designer in sight. The London Youth Portraits is the broadest collection; Skinheads 1979-1984 is the one to pick for that scene alone.