RJ Clarke

RJ Clarke is a lifelong documentary photographer working in both film and digital formats. His practice is rooted in long term documentary storytelling, exploring identity, culture, public service, and the communities that shape American life. Through sustained engagement and trust, he creates photographs that preserve overlooked histories while revealing the humanity within them.

Over the course of his career, RJ has documented a broad range of subjects, from photographing the Black Lives Matter movement as it unfolded to chronicling Native American powwow traditions in The Last Dance, a limited edition charity zine supporting Native veterans that has been collected internationally.

His current project, The Color of Fire, documents Black firefighters and other firefighters of color across 26 states. Blending portraiture with everyday life inside and outside the firehouse, the work creates a long term photographic record that broadens the visual history of the American fire service.

For more than sixteen years, RJ has also served as a firefighter and paramedic. The trust and perspective gained through that experience continue to shape his approach, allowing him to work from within the communities he photographs and create enduring bodies of work that preserve history through lived experience. (Website, Instagram)