“The whole point of taking
pictures is so that
you don't have to explain
things with words.”
— Elliott Erwitt
My name’s Ziggy Riley
A British photographer based in Paris, France.
I was born and raised a short way outside of London in a small town where not a lot happens, but I was surrounded by plenty of countryside. I didn’t grow up with a camera in my hands as many other photographers do, but I did, and do, have a fondness for movies. In fact I studied film at university for three years and, once I finished, bought myself my first DSLR with the intention of making short films.
Rather than producing films, though, I found myself using my camera more and more for its primary function and I began taking my camera everywhere and photographing everything. Later, I discovered that wildlife photography was a real sweet spot for me. I’ve always felt at home around animals, and when I introduced photography to the mix I realised that I couldn’t imagine ever separating the two again. One makes me love and appreciate the other ever more so as time goes on.
Now, while I was born in England, these days I live close to Paris with my wife—who, luckily for me, tolerates my incessant picture taking—and our daughter. These days I get to enjoy taking photos of my family; a whole new genre to me. A genre that I’ve come to enjoy so much that it’s what I hope to be able to share with you, taking photos of intimate moments for you and your family to enjoy for years to come.
What I love most about photography is capturing moments—with no staging, no posing. I prefer to watch things happen than to direct them, only giving a gentle nudge from time to time. The photos I take are as honest as I can make them. And I hope that as you wend your way through my site it’s something you’ll feel, too, when you look at them.
If you enjoy my work and find yourself in need of a photographer for anything, I’d love to hear from you. Click below and you’ll be able to fill out a short form with a few questions about yourself. I hope to hear from you soon.
