Behind the Image is an ongoing MODELS.com series taking a more personal look at both established and emerging creative talent.
Rahim Fortune | Courtesy of Art + Commerce
Rahim Fortune, Photographer
Hometown: Tupelo, Oklahoma
Based: Brooklyn, NY / Austin, Texas
Representation: Art + Commerce
How would you describe your work? What’s your trademark?
Over the years, I have become known for my unique approach to documentary storytelling, often characterized by striking black-and-white portraits depicting the southern landscape and Black American culture.
How did you get into your chosen career?
I am a lifelong skateboarder and musician. Both of these art forms are highly visual. Many of my first photographs were of bandmates, shows, and skateboarding. After meeting Magnum photographer Eli Reed in 2016, I began to take strides toward creating a more serious photography practice.
What other jobs have you had?
I have worked in almost every part of photography as a lighting technician, lab attendant, and darkroom printer. In addition to making pictures, I also take on lecture and teaching positions.
What have you watched/heard/read lately that has inspired you?
Book: What Is Life?: Reclaiming the Black Blues Self by Kalamu ya Salaam
Book: South to America by Imani Perry
Film: Cane River by Horace B Jenkins
Film: A Question of Color by Kathe Sandler
What do you love about what you do?
One of my favorite parts about photography is meeting and connecting with people in real-life scenarios. The camera often allows me to make deep and meaningful connections with people and places that make all the hard work worthwhile.
What have been the biggest challenges you have faced professionally?
The biggest challenge I have faced professionally is the current recession and collapse of many long-standing print publications. At the moment, commissions and print cells are at the lowest point I have experienced in my nearly ten years of working in photography. My colleagues and I often discuss this and are working to explore new avenues and emerging platforms.
What’s one thing outside of your work that you would like people to know about you?
Outside of photography, I have many hobbies. I am a passionate researcher, skateboarder, and guitar player. Family is also huge to me; when I am not working, I love spending time with my siblings, nephews, and friends, who are my chosen family. The work that I create is an extension of these interests and passions.
Who do you think is one to watch?
A few of my favorite contemporary artists are currently working in photography:
Colby Deal
Shala Miller
Curran Hatleburg
Sasha Phyars-Burgess
Selected Work
Image courtesy of Art + Commerce
Truths About Oneself, 2023
This photograph was made as a part of an editorial for Re-Edition Magazine in North Houston and was styled by Chasidy Chevonne. This was the first fashion story I could produce in Texas using all Texas-based models and crew. Working in fashion often, I would shoot in New York or Los Angeles. Bringing a well-executed fashion shoot back to my home state was a dream come true.
Image courtesy of Art + Commerce
i-D Magazine 40th Anniversary Issue Fall 2020 Cover
Alastair McKimm approached me about working on a cover story for i-D Magazine’s 40th anniversary. We featured the powerhouse Elsesser family, who have made strides in multiple industries. This shoot was my first significant fashion cover.
Image courtesy of Art + Commerce
Citizen Magazine, 2021
This photograph was taken from an editorial featured in Citizen Magazine’s inaugural issue. I worked closely with the set designer, Two Hawks, to build a set that spoke to the story of the shoot, which was about friendship and self-expression. This shoot was a really fun collaboration. Every part of the crew came together, adding their individual flair.
Image courtesy of Art + Commerce
T: The New York Times Style Magazine, 2020
This portrait depicts a young model named Vaquel, who I shot in upstate New York. For this editorial, I wanted to build a narrative employing the approach from my personal art and clothing to tell a story about family and love.
“I often think of photographs as time stamps that mark the passing of time. This image is a brilliant example of that – in a fleeting moment that could never be replicated, it is then turned into an ephemera that lives on.”
Image courtesy of Art + Commerce
Sariah, 2020
This photo from my book Hardtack, published by Loose Joints this year, depicts a young woman named Sariah, translating to princess. She is the cousin of my close collaborator, Chasidy Chevonne, with whom I worked closely to create a set of images in 2020 featuring her family and with the help of her creative direction and styling. I have enjoyed sustained collaboration with other artists over the years; seeing our work grow in parallel is enriching. This photo was taken when the young woman entered high school. I often think of photographs as time stamps that mark the passing of time. This image is a brilliant example of that – in a fleeting moment that could never be replicated, it is then turned into an ephemera that lives on.
