![\"Chris](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/chrissteeleperkins-800x420.jpg\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Chris Steele-Perkins, the celebrated photographer who worked for Magnum Photos agency for over four decades, has died at the age of 78. <\/p>\n
The British-Burmese photographer passed away peacefully in his sleep on September 8 in Japan, his wife, photographer Miyako Yamada, confirmed in an Instagram post.<\/a> <\/p>\n \u201cHis life as a photographer has been exciting, rewarding, and enriching,\u201d Yamada writes. \u201cThank you very much.\u201d She added that we should all be grateful for the enrichment he brought to places and people that might otherwise have remained unseen.<\/p>\n Magnum Photos also confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing a photograph of Steele-Perkins at the agency\u2019s London offices in 1994.<\/p>\n Born in Yangon, Myanmar, in 1947 to a Burmese mother and English father, Steele-Perkins moved to the UK with his family at the age of two. He studied psychology at Newcastle University before turning to photography in the early 1970s.<\/p>\n By 1971, Steele-Perkins had settled in London as a full-time photographer, focusing on urban issues, including poverty. He soon contributed to The Sunday Times Magazine and in 1973 he traveled to Bangladesh to photograph work for relief organizations. <\/p>\n His breakthrough came with the publication of The Teds (1979)<\/a>, a documentary photo book capturing Britain\u2019s rebellious Teddy Boy subculture, in which youth revived Edwardian-style fashion with a rebellious twist. Steele-Perkins\u2019 gritty black-and-white portraits show Britain\u2019s working-class youth in their sharp suits, blending style with defiance. The Teds is now considered a landmark of both documentary and fashion photography.<\/p>\n That same year, Steele-Perkins joined Magnum Photos and, in 1983, became a full member. He was the first person of color to be awarded that status at Magnum Photos, a turning point for the agency which since its founding in 1947 had been largely white and European. Steele-Perkins later served as President of Magnum Photos from 1995 to 1998.<\/p>\n During his time at Magnum Photos, Steele-Perkins worked internationally, covering the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, famine in Africa, and conflict in Lebanon. He also photographed rural life in Japan, where he later settled with his wife Yamada.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is with deep sadness that we reflect on the passing of Chris Steele-Perkins,\u201d Gregory Halpern, Magnum Co-President, writes in a statement<\/a>. <\/p>\n Halpern continues: \u201cHis photographs could be both tender and unsparing, revealing both dignity and difficulty in equal measure, and they have shaped the way many of us think about what photography can do.<\/p>\n \u201cFor 46 years, Chris was a vital part of Magnum Photos. His powerful photography helped define what photojournalism could be. His dedication to storytelling and generous mentorship shaped countless colleagues and inspired photographers and audiences everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n Image credits:<\/strong> Header photo via Instagram\/@steeleperkins<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/blockquote>\n