BEHIND THE CAMERA: Yorkshire photographer Steve Riding

In an occasional series of picture specials, we celebrate the work of Yorkshire photographers – this week we feature a portfolio from Steve Riding.

FOR THE first two years his job was washing the prints, putting them on a rotating blanket in a steel drum so they came out shiny and dry – and making the tea. But Steve Riding was destined for greater things.

The former chief photographer for the Yorkshire Evening Post, started as an office junior in 1969 when he was just 17. When one of the photographers left he seized his chance. The rest of the staff were all older, leaving Steve the best gigs – photographing everyone from the Stones to Madonna, Slade and Roxy Music.

“They didn’t want to do it, so I got a free run at it,” Steve, who is now a freelance, recalled. His great love is sport photography and he was a familiar face at Elland Road and Headingley. “I used to go to Europe with Leeds, I’d do cup finals, I’m from Leeds, I couldn’t believe that I was going to see Leeds United and Leeds Rhinos – and I’m in the dressing room at Wembley, Twickenham and Old Trafford for cup finals and grand finals.

“It was just perfect. I couldn’t have had a better job.”

He covered major incidents including the Kings Cross fire, the Birmingham bombings and the press conference in

Dewsbury the night they finally caught the Yorkshire Ripper. But the job which had the greatest emotional impact of all the thousands he covered was going to Auschwitz with survivor Arek Hersh. “He was telling us everything – that has stuck with me,” he said.

■ Follow Steve’s work on Twitter @ steveridingpics or @ YPinPictures