Andre D. Wagner

Andre D. Wagner (b. 1986, Omaha, Nebraska) is a contemporary photographer and artist based in Brooklyn, New York. He chronicles the poetic and lyrical nuances of daily life, focusing on his neighborhood, community, and the city at large. Wagner’s work aligns with the rich tradition of street photography, exploring themes of race, class, and cultural identity, while also including self-portraiture and landscape studies that examine light, texture, and the restorative qualities of nature.

Originally pursuing a master’s degree in social work after moving to New York in 2011, Wagner soon dedicated himself fully to photography. He develops his own black-and-white negatives and produces silver gelatin prints in his personal darkroom, reflecting a deep commitment to craft. His work has been commissioned and published in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Esquire, Vogue, W Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and Time. Notable projects include the key art and campaign photography for the film Queen & Slim and editorial shoots in 2024 featuring Beyoncé and Ms. Tina for Essence Magazine, as well as Jerrod Carmichael and John Boyega for Esquire. He also collaborated with fashion editor Milton Dixon III on the Fall/Winter portfolio for ESSX New York. Wagner’s photographs have appeared in numerous solo and group exhibitions across New York, Los Angeles, and North Carolina. His first monograph, Here for the Ride, was published in 2017, and he is currently editing a decade-long body of work titled New City, Old Blues. A 2022 Gordon Parks Foundation Fellow, his work is included in the Foundation’s permanent collection, as well as public collections such as The Studio Museum of Harlem and Buena Vista University. With over a decade documenting New York City, Wagner’s work continues the legacy of street photography while capturing the evolving social and cultural landscape of the city. He lives and works in New York.