Benjamin Deberdt is a French photographer and editor, a pivotal figure in the European skateboarding culture. For over twenty-five years, he has been documenting the scene with sensitivity and a timeless approach. He co-founded Sugar magazine in 1998, Kingpin in 2001 and created Pause in 2005, thereby shaping independent skateboarding journalism before launching Live Skateboard Media a few years later. His name is synonymous with credibility for many — any skater over 35 has admired his photographs and read the magazines he helped create.

Deberdt shoots exclusively on film, remaining loyal to the Nikon FM2 that he purchased during a trip to New York in 1995. He draws inspiration from a variety of sources, including Ari Marcopoulos, Thomas Campbell, Nan Goldin and Tobin Yelland. Throughout his career, he has photographed and collaborated with legendary figures in skateboarding, including Mark Gonzales, whom Deberdt often captured in moments of creative freedom, especially for the 2011 book Le Cercle.