RJ Clarke is a documentary photographer and career firefighter-paramedic based in the Washington, DC region.
His work focuses on Black life, labor, public service, community, identity, and under-documented American traditions. His primary ongoing project, The Color of Fire, is a national documentary project on Black firefighters, their families, their companies, and the communities they serve.
Photographed from inside the fire service, The Color of Fire examines station life, emergency response, training, mentorship, leadership, family, history, and the quieter periods between calls.
Clarke’s broader photographic work includes The Last Dance, street photography, travel documentary work, and ongoing projects exploring Black cultural traditions and communities.
His work is being developed toward books, exhibitions, public programs, film, and permanent archival preservation.