Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 1, 2026

Ruby Ray (photographer)

Ruby Ray is a photographer, particularly known for her photography of the early punk movement. She is known for her photography of marginalized and fringe musical artists, with her photographs featured in Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, The Early Years.

Last revised
Jul 1, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
291 w
Citations
10
Source
Ruby Ray
Born1952 (age 73–74)
Known forPhotography

Ruby Ray (born 1952) is a photographer, particularly known for her photography of the early punk movement.12 She is known for her photography of marginalized and fringe musical artists,34 with her photographs featured in Dead Kennedys: Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables, The Early Years.5

Career

Ruby Ray grew up in upstate New York before moving to San Francisco.6 She began her photography career in 1977 with Search and Destroy, a local San Francisco zine. Her first photo session was with The Dils.1 By 1979, Search and Destroy has ceased publishing, but Ruby Ray continued photographing local punk bands and eventually began her own publication, RE/Search.1

As the punk scene dwindled, Ruby Ray moved to New York City in the 1980s.6

Exhibits

  • Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk 1977–1981. San Francisco Public Library. 12 September – 6 December 2009.7
References

References

  1. Jules Suzdaltsev (23 July 2013). "Photographing San Francisco Punk with Ruby Ray". VICE.
  2. "Upcoming Events – Tunnel Vision: The Punk Photography Exhibit – The Do List". KQED Arts.
  3. Yezmin Villarreal. "We Got Power Documents Arizona Punk Past and Present This Weekend". Phoenix New Times.
  4. "A portfolio of West Coast punks from the 70's by Ruby Ray". Sensitive Skin Magazine.
  5. Alex., Ogg (July 2014). Dead Kennedys : Fresh fruit for rotting vegetables, the early years. Oakland, CA. ISBN 9781604864892. OCLC 864091859.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  6. Phaneuf, Whitney (26 June 2013). "Ruby Ray: In Sharp Focus". East Bay Express. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  7. "Punk Passage San Francisco First Wave Punk 1977–1981". SFPL. Retrieved 26 March 2018.

Publications

Ray, Ruby and Savage, Jon. From the Edge of the World: California Punk, 1977–1981. San Francisco, Calif. : Superior Viaduct, 2013.

Ruby Ray: Kalifornia Kool Photographs 1976–1982 https://www.artbook.com/9789198451238.html