Roger Perry (photographer)
Roger Perry was a British photographer, best known for his work at Time Out, as well as The Sunday Times and The Observer colour magazines. His 1976 book of London graffiti photography The Writing on The Wall was one of the first extensive surveys of the city's burgeoning 'scene'.
Life and work
Perry studied at Harrow School of Art after deciding to become a professional photographer. Around this time he became friends with Tony Elliott who was studying at Keele University, editing a student magazine that Perry contributed to. When Elliott went on to found Time Out, he employed Perry as house photographer. Working alongside designer Pearce Marchbank, Perry created hundreds of iconic covers for the London listings magazine.One cover that Perry photographed, working with Marchbank, came third in the Professional Publishers Association Cover of the Century award. It depicted Winston Churchill's trademark V sign, with Marchbank's studio cleaner acting as 'hand-double' for the shoot.
In the 1980s Perry began working as a photojournalist, particularly for the colour supplements of the Sunday newspapers such as The Sunday Times, where he regularly worked on the "Life in the Day" feature.
Due to severe rheumatoid arthritis, Perry retired to Suffolk where he began trading and restoring classic Lancia cars. He used a Lancia Stratos as an everyday runaround car.
He died in Cambridge in 1991, with large obituaries published in many of the publications he used to contribute to, with Ian Jack writing an extensive one for The Independent.