Tariq Zaidi is a photographer based in the UK. He left a senior management career in 2014 to document people and their cultures. His work explores social issues, inequality and marginalised communities. He is self-taught and has an M.Sc. from University College London.
His first book, Sapeurs: Ladies and Gentlemen of the Congo, was published by Kehrer Verlag in September 2020. Pictures of the Year International named it a finalist for Photography Book of the Year 2020.
His second book, Sin Salida (No Way Out), was published by GOST Books in October 2021. It documents how the MS-13 and Barrio 18 gangs affect El Salvador.
His third book is North Korea: The People’s Paradise, published by Kehrer Verlag in 2023. Zaidi made the photographs on several trips between 2018 and 2020. Two government guides accompanied him at all times. The book has 176 pages. He chose about 100 photographs from more than 20,000. In September 2024, it won first prize in the Book Documentary category at the International Photography Awards.
Zaidi is represented by Zuma Press, Caters News Agency and Getty Images. His photographs have appeared in The Guardian, The New York Times, BBC and National Geographic.
