Last updated: 27 October 2026
Richard Billingham is the photographer and filmmaker behind Ray’s a Laugh, the book of his own family. Here you will find our take on his work, his current show and where to buy.
Our take on Richard Billingham
Ray’s a Laugh (1996) shows his father Ray, his mother Liz and his brother Jason in the family’s council flat in the West Midlands. It was in Sensation at the Royal Academy in 1997.
He turned the same story into a feature film, Ray & Liz (2018). Asked by the BFI whether it was hard, he said: “People ask if it was emotionally tough, but it wasn’t at all!”
His later work moved to zoos and to landscapes in the Black Country, the South Downs and the Gower.
Richard Billingham: the essentials
- Born in Cradley Heath, West Midlands, in 1970.
- Studied painting at Sunderland University before turning to photography.
- Won the Citibank Photography Prize in 1997 and was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2001.
- Professor of Fine Art at the University of Gloucestershire.
Richard Billingham exhibitions
- Ray’s a Laugh, L’Appartement, Images Vevey, Switzerland, 5 September 2026 to 14 February 2027. Thirty years of the series.
- Panoramic landscapes, Towner, Eastbourne, 2015.
Where to buy Richard Billingham books
We found no original Billingham prints for sale from a UK gallery when we checked.
- Book: the 2024 MACK edition of Ray’s a Laugh, hardback, £60, or £78 with the companion Reader.
- Special edition: the signed Ray’s a Laugh Special Edition with a signed and numbered print, £300 from MACK.
Richard Billingham FAQs
What is Ray’s a Laugh?
Billingham’s 1996 photobook of his parents, Ray and Liz, and his brother Jason at home in the West Midlands.
Is Ray & Liz a true story?
Yes. His 2018 feature film draws on his own childhood with the same family.
Was Richard Billingham shortlisted for the Turner Prize?
Yes, in 2001. Martin Creed won that year.
Where can I buy Ray’s a Laugh?
MACK, the London publisher, sells the 2024 edition for £60.
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Main image: Richard Billingham, Ray’s a Laugh (MACK, 2024). Image courtesy MACK. Framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
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