James Rae Bio
Actor and photographer James Rae resides in Montreal.
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"I gravitate to the narrative and theatrical nature of photographs, seeking to raise the curtain and look beyond."
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I found my passion for photography the first time I picked up a camera and have pursued it since. First walking the streets with my Leica and printing in B&W, I moved on to digital and color work as well.
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Interconnectedness takes many forms, mirroring human emotions. Surprise, yearning and resignation are but a few imprints on our hearts. Life is complex, beautiful, tragic and generous. Life is drama, as I believe these images I share can attest.
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My professional acting career spans over 30 years, including roles for film and television in French and English. Look me up on IMDB to see more. My journeys in acting and photography began by taking a BA in Communication Arts with a minor in Theatre at Concordia, followed by a Master’s degree in Photography. I am an avid traveller with a thirst for adventure who calls Montreal home.
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 color. 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.
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When reality shows itself, I appreciate its generosity.