Dean Chalkley

Dean Chalkley (born 2 April 1968) is a British photographer and filmmaker based in London, known for his distinctive portraits and visual storytelling that merge music, fashion, and youth subcultures. Born in Essex and raised in Southend-on-Sea, he trained as a tailor before studying photography at Blackpool and The Fylde College. He began his career assisting photographers Malcolm Venville and Seamus Ryan before establishing himself as a contributor to magazines such as Dazed & Confused, Mixmag, and the NME, where he developed a longstanding relationship over two decades.

Chalkley has photographed a wide range of musicians, actors, and cultural icons—including Noel Gallagher, Amy Winehouse, Daft Punk, Jay-Z, and Scarlett Johansson—for publications such as The Observer, Vanity Fair, The Sunday Times Magazine, and Rolling Stone. In 2006, he won Portrait Photographer of the Year at the Picture Editors’ Awards, and in 2011, he received the NME/Nikon Outstanding Contribution to Music Photography Award.

His work also spans gallery exhibitions and filmmaking. In 2006, he presented Now Stand Tall: Icons of the New Sonic Generation, a photographic exhibition celebrating the contemporary British music scene. In 2014, he co-curated Return of the Rudeboy at Somerset House, an exhibition documenting the style and spirit of the Rudeboy subculture. His films, including Strip (2000) and Young Souls (2011), further explore youth identity and subcultural movements, particularly Northern Soul.

With a career that blends editorial, commercial, and fine art photography, Chalkley has produced campaigns for brands such as Levi’s, Ray-Ban, Adidas, and Sony, while continuing to explore the evolving intersections of style, sound, and self-expression in contemporary culture.