Meet James Rae
Montreal-based photographer creating observational work across street, documentary, landscape and fine-art photography.
30+ Years of Storytelling
James' professional acting career spans more than three decades, with experience across film and television in both French and English. His background in performance continues to influence the way he observes people, emotion and narrative through photography.
Photography
James' passion for photography began with a camera and a fascination with the streets. From Leica and black-and-white photography to digital and colour work, his practice explores authentic moments, places and human experience.
Education
James holds a BA in Communication Arts with a minor in Theatre from Concordia University, followed by a Master's degree in Photography.
Based in Montreal
Based in Montreal, James is an avid traveller whose photography explores street life, documentary subjects, landscapes and the unexpected moments found along the way.
Storytelling is at the heart of James work.
His background in acting informs the way he observes people, places and moments, bringing a sensitivity to
narrative, emotion and atmosphere into his photography
The Philosophy Behind the Work
I want a photograph to become more than the sum of its parts, more than its subject and representation, to evoke emotional or evocative weight. I am most interested by straight photography–images without undue manipulation in B&W or colour. I find the most revealing photographs are those that invite the viewer to participate in the artist’s act of seeing.
This dialogue opens by questioning our supposedly objective worldview. A photograph poses a question, engaging in a layered experience, for a photo’s imaginative edge depends on many subtle factors of light and time, including the choice of what to see and what to leave out. In the best of instances, this balance tips into both mirroring and subverting reality. The best images capture the truly distinct moment.
When reality shows itself, I appreciate its generosity.