The gallery lights gently illuminate Rahim Fortune‘s black-and-white prints on display at Howard Greenberg Gallery on Manhattan’s East 57th Street, where his debut solo exhibition “Reflections” is showing from March 22 through May 24, 2025. It’s a long way from the small Texas towns and Oklahoma plains that shaped him, but Fortune carries those places with him in every frame.
Born in Austin in 1994 and raised between the Texas Hill Country and the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma, Fortune speaks with a gentle drawl and an artist’s introspection. Fortune’s rise has been swift: in just a decade behind the camera, he’s gone from photographing friends at skate parks to becoming one of contemporary photography’s most compelling new voices.
His first monograph, I Can’t Stand to See You Cry, was shortlisted for the Paris Photo–Aperture Photobook of the Year and won the 2022 Louis Roederer Discovery Award at Arles. His latest, Hardtack, earned a nomination for the prestigious Deutsche Börse Prize. Now, on the cusp of his New York solo debut, Fortune remains thoughtful and unpretentious — a modern image-maker with an old soul, determined to honor the people and places that raised him.
Early Influences and Creative Path
“My interest in photography started in my youth,” Fortune says. “Using the camera just to document my friends and myself — music, skateboarding, and the subcultures we were interested in.” Many of his early subjects are still close collaborators today, such as his longtime friend Dé Randle. Meeting Eli Reed, a Magnum photographer and professor in Austin, was pivotal. “He showed me it could be more than documentation — that it could be a career and a passion.” Fortune didn’t take a conventional art-school path; instead, he learned through practical experience upon moving to New York City, balancing photography with sociology studies at a community college in Manhattan. “A lot of it was learning in reverse,” he reflects.
Fortune acknowledges the challenges of his unconventional path but sees it as an advantage. “In New York, I began assisting photographers, handling lighting, loading film, and traveling with them. That hands-on experience was invaluable.” His background in sociology also provided a distinct perspective, allowing him to approach photography with deeper cultural sensitivity and awareness. “Understanding people, their stories, and their contexts shaped my approach significantly,” he explains.
Process, Community and Cinematic Quality
“You never really know what the final project is going to be,” Fortune explains of his long-term projects. “As you live, especially when you do a project spanning over five years, you become almost a different person. The ideas of what the project even is are just to keep you going.” His respect for his subjects is evident. “I don’t personally get involved in the styling because I don’t think that’s my choice to make. The people I photograph have their own style — they know better than I would.” Still, subtle adjustments matter. “Sometimes losing layers helps. Especially if you’re out on the street or just approaching someone. I’m tuned into people’s style, and that’s part of what I’m looking for.”
Fortune’s images often carry a cinematic quality, evident in striking photographs like the smoking cowboy or the homecoming queen. “It’s a mix — there’s luck, there’s magic, and a bit of prior planning,” he says about his approach. “Sometimes the way someone looks at you or a small direction you give can make the difference. But other times, it’s genuine movement.” Editing is crucial. Fortune collaborates closely with Sarah Chaplin Espenon, an editor at Loose Joints, to shape his images into cohesive narratives. “I need that extra set of eyes because I know the photos so personally,” he notes.
Fortune further emphasizes the importance of revisiting and reflecting on his work. “You take the pictures, but sometimes their meaning evolves over time. You realize connections and themes you didn’t initially see,” he explains thoughtfully. This reflective aspect is crucial to Fortune’s process, allowing him to build deeper narratives and connections within his work.
“I like to think of myself as a participant in the photographs, not just an observer.”
Portraying the South and Bridging Genres
Fortune gently resists positioning his work as challenging misconceptions. “I don’t think that’s my role — to challenge misconceptions. For me to say that would center a stereotype. The only thing I can do is show you how I know it, and hopefully, that gives you a vision.” Instead, he emphasizes a fundamental lesson he’s learned as a photographer: “Stay open, stay curious, and stay humble. If you can’t go out into the field with your camera and maintain humility, it’s really hard.”
In addition to documentary work, Fortune has successfully entered the world of fashion photography, shooting campaigns for brands such as Bottega Veneta and Ami Paris. His approach is refreshingly consistent:
“When I portray a celebrity, I want to portray them like an everyday person. When I portray an everyday person, I want to make them look like a star.”
“I photograph them in the same way and hope the photos stand up on the same level,” he adds. Fortune also emphasizes the challenges and excitement of commercial assignments: “Campaign shoots can be demanding because you’re capturing multiple seasons at once, juggling the creative vision and the brand’s needs.”
Tradition, Continuity and Future Directions
The “Reflections” exhibition includes works by renowned photographers like Gordon Parks, James Van Der Zee and Roy DeCarava, highlighting Fortune’s respect for photographic traditions. “There are subtle connections between the traditions,” he says. “It shows history, traditions and how we remain connected to them.” Fortune particularly admires Parks and DeCarava for their impactful yet understated portrayals of Southern American life.
Looking forward, Fortune plans to continue photographing across various parts of the country — exploring the Northeast, the Midwest, and deepening his work in the South. He’s drawn to experimenting with different styles, engaging with diverse groups and further expanding his photographic practice. “It’s essential for my work to always be about humans in our environment,” he explains, highlighting his commitment to examining these relationships from multiple perspectives, including exploring his own family history.
