Mitch Ridder

“Function + design = art. Though the functions of these vehicles may have slipped with the passage of time and technology, their designs still remain art decades later.”

Mitch Ridder’s experience has trained his eye to see subtlety. Twenty-four years as a painter, illustrator, and graphic designer, thirty-eight years as an ocean lifeguard, and twelve years as a photojournalist. All have given him the intuitive ability to notice and record nuances.

A painter’s sense of light and a designer’s composition aesthetic are the foundations for Ridder’s work. His viewfinder frames subject and mood to tell stories with a cinematic flair.

Ridder’s preparation is key. Pre-shoot planning – location mapping, plotting sun angles, and weather forecasts eliminate chance. Mix in a bit of magic and a little luck. Being in the right place assures the best dramatic light at the right time. Ridder puts us by his side at the moment he takes his shots.