His understanding of the powerful influence that photography has on our social narrative is the driving force behind Russell James’ career. His love of photography—and his exceptional ability to communicate through it—is visible in his exhibitions, advertising campaigns, editorial, and portrait studies. James’ passion for photography has always been closely tied to relevance, including his first cover assignment in the US in 1996 that captured Tyra Banks, the first African-American model to appear solo on the cover of Sports Illustrated; in 2012, Kendall Jenner was on the cover of an international Vogue as we ushered in the era of "influencers";

Ashley Graham appeared in the provocative "Swimsuits for All" ad campaign in 2014, at a time when model sizes were still stereo-typed; his current "Angels" collaborative limited edition book and fine art project features Cindy Crawford, Gigi and Bella Hadid, and other industry icons art-directing their own shoots.

Over the past two decades, James has given us unique perspectives of the most prominent people of our time in fashion and entertainment. His photographs have appeared in leading fashion and celebrity publications around the world. His fine art works are exhibited in New York, Shanghai, Berlin, Melbourne, and other major cities with new exhibits in USA, China and Europe upcoming in 2019.

James’ commercial collaborations with global brands and publications often feature people such as Gigi Hadid, Gal Gadot, Kendall Jenner, Liu Wen, Barbra Streisand, Hailey Bieber, Rihanna, Adriana Lima, Taylor Swift, Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Candice Swanepoel, Taylor Hill, and many others.

There are six internationally published books on his works including his first monograph, Russell James, in 2008 and his most recent collector’s edition, Angels, published in 2019.

James creative influences can be traced back to his roots deep in remote Western Australia. Seeing the arts as a vital common denominator, he founded Nomad Two Worlds, a non-profit organization that provides art study grants to people from marginalized communities who otherwise might not have the opportunity.

As a voice and face of the industry in his own right James believes that photography is the most significant ‘international language’ that will have profound impact on marketing, social issues and communication in 2019 and beyond.

James is represented world-wide by ENDEAVOR.