Steve Pyke

Steve Pyke is a British photographer known for close, sharply observed black-and-white portraits. Born in Leicester, he was involved in bands, fanzines and a record label before turning to photography in 1979. During the early 1980s he worked for The Face and NME, later becoming a contributor and staff photographer at The New Yorker.

His sustained personal projects include Philosophers, Astronauts and Faces of Our Times. Conversation with the sitter is central to his approach: the portrait grows out of an encounter rather than simply a pose. His photographs are held in the National Portrait Gallery and other international collections.