I am Dirk Jan de Ridder, a Dutch military aviation photojournalist and founder of Ridder Aero Media. I document military aircraft, both from the ground and in the air. Years of working closely with armed forces and aircrews have taught me how to plan demanding assignments, communicate clearly and get the best possible results in challenging conditions. My photography reaches an international audience through leading aviation magazines, social media and my FLIGHT series of large-format coffee-table books.

10 hours // Fast jets
BAe Hawk, F-5 Tiger II, MiG-21 Fishbed, Saab 105.
60+ hours // Helicopters
AS532 Cougar, AW101 Merlin, Bell 412, Bo-105, CH-47 Chinook, Mi-17 Hip, NH90, S-70 Black Hawk, Sea King, UH-1 Iroquois, etcetera.
10+ hours // Trainers
BAe Hawk, KT-1 Woongbi, Saab 105, T-6 Texan II, T-25 Universal, T-27 Tucano (illustrated).
20+ hours // Other aircraft
Airbus A310, An-26 Curl, C-130 Hercules, C-130J Super Hercules, EADS C-295, KC-135 Stratotanker, etcetera.

As of August 2026, I have worked with 38 armed forces across four continents and logged more than 110 flight hours with in military aircraft. My experience ranges from supersonic fighter jets and ejection-seat-equipped training aircraft to helicopters and transport aircraft with open cargo doors, during both dedicated photo missions and operational training flights.

I know how to achieve the best possible photographic results in demanding and fast-moving situations. From developing the photo plan and briefing the pilots to communicating in flight, capturing the images and handling the post-processing, I manage every stage of the process. Through this experience, I have continually raised the standard of my photography and its presentation in the world’s leading aviation magazines.

FLIGHT II is a visual tribute to military aviation in all its forms by Dutch aviation photographer Dirk Jan de Ridder. As the second coffee table book in the series, it presents a selection of his favourite images from 25 years in the business, taken of aircraft from five continents – Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America – as well as the Middle East.