Miles Aldridge Figurative Photography

Ashing a lipstick-smeared cigarette into an egg yolk is just the level of discomfort and sex appeal that photographer Miles Aldridge has mastered over his 30 years in the business.

As one of the few contemporary photographers to shoot nearly exclusively on film, Aldridge arranges and captures models in colorful, exaggerated scenes that can be characterized as quintessentially film noir infused with pop culture.

Aldridge was born in London in 1964. He received his first camera as a gift from his father, the illustrator and art director Alan Aldridge. He later studied graphic design at Central Saint Martins, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 1987. He directed music videos for several years before committing to photography full-time in the 1990s.

Aldridge’s photos have a distinctly cinematic quality achieved through a process similar to arranging a shot for a film. Beginning with a sketch, Aldridge envisions a scene while planning the lighting and color choices that will go into it. His style is influenced by the works of portrait photographer Richard Avedon and directors such as Derek Jarman and David Lynch.

Aldridge's fashion photography has been published in many magazines and news outlets, ranging from Vogue and Vogue Italia to the New Yorker and the New York Times. He has been featured in numerous exhibitions since his first solo show in 2009 at Hamiltons Gallery in London, including solo shows at Steven Kasher Gallery in New York and Reflex Amsterdam. Aldridge has also participated in group shows at Frank Fluegel Gallery in Nuremberg, Huxley-Parlour Gallery in London and Rukaj Gallery in Toronto. 

On 1stDibs, find a collection of authentic Miles Aldridge photography and prints.