RJ Clarke is a documentary photographer who works in both film and digital formats. His long-term projects explore identity, culture, public service, and the communities that shape American life. For more than sixteen years he has also served as a firefighter and paramedic.
He has photographed the Black Lives Matter movement as it unfolded and Native American powwow traditions in The Last Dance, a limited edition charity zine supporting Native veterans.
His current project, The Color of Fire, documents Black firefighters and other firefighters of color across the United States. Funding the work himself, he has travelled to 26 states and made more than 35,000 photographs: fires and emergency calls, but also meals, families, mentorship, leadership, and the quiet time between calls. He hopes the project will become a historical archive of the American fire service that is still useful decades from now. (Instagram)
