©️ Dani Roversi
Rachel Louise Brown is a Yorkshire-born photographer & director based in London. Her work explores performance, escapism, identity and fantasy, capturing distinctive figures and iconic characters across culture, stage, screen and style.
Brown holds an MA in Photography from the Royal College of Art and a BA (Hons) from London College of Communication, UAL. She has exhibited and participated in artist residencies internationally, including at the School of Visual Arts, New York, and Simulations, commissioned for the Women in Photography Pavilion at Photo London in 2019. Her work is held in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery and the Parliamentary Art Collection. She is a BJP Portrait of Britain winner (2022, 2024) and was selected for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (2025).
While establishing her practice, Brown held in-house roles with Tim Walker and Steven Klein, and on the picture desk of British Vogue. Followed by Photo Director of PORT, Town & Country and Harper’s Bazaar. This experience has shaped her holistic and collaborative approach to commissions.
Alongside her practice, Brown established MA Commercial Photography at LCC, University of the Arts London where she is currently Course Leader (MA, PGCERT, FHEA).
Selected clients: Apple, Channel 4, Elle, Esquire, Giffords Circus, Harper’s Bazaar, National Portrait Gallery, Netflix, Radio Times, Something About Rocks, Stylist, The Sunday Times Magazine, Team GB, Telegraph Luxury, National Theatre and VCCP.
PRESS
Harper’s Bazaar - Women Behind The Lens
Perspective - Constructed Realities
Glorious - The Theatre of Sport
The Guardian www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2020/oct/13/twisting-your-melon-floridas-freakiest-attractions-in-pictures
The Agents Club https://theagents.club/rachel-louise-brown-wren-agency/
PH Museum https://phmuseum.com/news/dismantling-the-illusionary-artifacts-of-the-entertainment-society
Aesthetica Magazine / Into the Imaginary https://aestheticamagazine.com/into-the-imaginary/
Fast Forward Women in Photography https://fastforward.photography/gallery/
Sleek Magazine - https://www.sleek-mag.com/article/rachel-louise-brown/
Mutual Art - Artists to Watch from Photo London Fair - https://www.mutualart.com/Article/Artists-to-Watch-from-Photo-London-Fair/08D585EA8ED21F97
Harper’s Bazaar - https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/bazaar-art/a27447086/photo-london-pavilion-commission/
Another Magazine - https://www.anothermag.com/art-photography/11720/photo-london-2019-susan-meiselas-mary-mccartney-eamonn-doyle
Vogue - https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/vogue-editors-recommendations-may-2019
WPTV 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqtvyTVxjrg
WPBF 2017: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnX_IiCLiG4
South Florida PBS Art Loft: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07jkpHaKfSw
The Guardian -https://www.theguardian.com/politics/gallery/2018/dec/14/209- female-mps-by-209-female-photographers-in-pictures
BBC - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-46553515
GRAD(UAL) PODCAST - http://gradualpodcast.libsyn.com/s1-e3-rachel-brown-director-of-photography-at-harpers-bazaar
PHOTO MEET PRESENTS - https://photomeet.org/rachellbrowninterview
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. RA, London. 17 June - 17 August 2025
British Women Photography: Between Social Criticism and Identity. Ludwiggalerie Schloss Oberhausen. 26 May - 25 Sep 2024
London Art Fair 23, Salty Clowns. Crane Kalman Brighton. Islington Business Design Centre. 18 - 22 Jan
Facing Britain. British Documentary Photography since the 1960s, curated by Ralph Goertz
03 Sep – 09 Jan 2022, Kunsthalle Darmstadt, Germany 20 Feb - 01 May 2022, Mönchehaus Museum Goslar, Germany 16 June -18 Sept 2022, Museum for Photography, Krakow
Photo London. Salty Clowns, Crane Kalman Brighton. Somerset House, London, 10 - 14 May 2022
Women in Photography Photo London Pavilion Commission: Simulations. Somerset House, May 2019
209 Women(group show). Open Eye Gallery, Liverpool March 1st - April 14th 2019
209 Women (group show). Portcullis House, Westminster - Dec 14th 2018 - Feb 14th 2019
ING Discerning Eye (Invited Artist). The Mall Galleries, Pall Mall, London. Nov 2019
Simulations (solo show). Palm Beach Photographic Centre, Florida March 23rd - May 5th 2018
Collaboration with Jasleen Kaur Balti: Unmeasured Measurements (screening) Fabric of India, 27th Nov 2015. V&A Museum, London
The Last Breath (group show) December 2015. Clearlake Hotel, Kensington, London
The Ballad of Fire Mountain (solo show). 15th Nov - 16th Dec 2014. Opus Gallery, Stow on the Wold
Phantasy. Pinsent Masons Commission (solo show). Sept 2014, Pinsent Masons, London
Ballata per il Monte di Fuoco (solo show) Comune di Zafferana Etnea. 8th June - 30th June 2014.
Zafferana Etnea, Sicily
Selected Works. Ritmo Gallery (solo show). 21st May - 3rd June 2014. Catania, Sicily
The Curated Ego, National Portrait Gallery, London. Jan 2014
The Malevolent Eye. Opus Gallery (solo show). Nov 2nd - Dec 4th 2013.
Boutographies 13th Edition. Pavilion Populaire. Montpellier. March 2013.
London Art Fair. Islington Design Centre. London. Jan 2012.
Show RCA. Testbed 1, London. Jun - Jul 2011
Project Six Cent Onze, L'imprimerie 168. Paris - May 2011
Protected Characteristics. Curated by Jack Tan. RCA Courtyard Galleries, London. Nov 2010
Magenta Flash Forward Festival. Toronto. Sep 2010
Pour L'instant (group show). Moulin du Roc, Niort, France. Aug - Sep 2010
Album. Wolstenholme Creative Space, Liverpool Biennial. Sep 2010
MeatMarket: Art Against Injustice. V1 Gallery, Copenhagen. May - Jun 2010
New Releases 09. SVA Gallery, NYC. Nov - Dec 2009
Applied Arts Awards Showcase, Toronto. Nov 2009
Fujifilm Distinctions Awards, Bayeux Gallery, London. Jan 2009
AOP Best of the Awards, AOP Gallery, London. Oct 2008.
Noise Festival curated by Richard Billingham. Sept 2008 - Oct 2008.
Hello Magazine Young Photographer of the Year. Getty Gallery, London. Sept 2008
I Want To Be Just Like You - Blank Canvas, Carnaby Street Gallery, London. Jun 2008.
I Want To Be Just Like You, The Class of 2008 Exhibition, LCC, London. Jun 2008.
AOP Student Awards, The AOP Gallery, London. May 2008
SELECTED AWARDS
BSME Cover of the Year 2025 - Consumer Category for Stylist, What it Means to Be A Girl.
Winner, Portrait of Britain 2025, British Journal of Photography + Hoxton Mini Press.
Creative Review Awards, Honourable Mention, Photography - NYE OOH Campaign, National Theatre
The Agent’s Club Awards. Winner Harper’s Bazaar Olympics Portfolio. 2022
Creative Review Annual, Honourable Mention / Editorial - Harper’s Bazaar Olympics portfolio. 2021
Julia Margaret Cameron Awards, Honorable Mention, Fine Art Series. 2021
Winner, Portrait of Humanity, British Journal of Photography / Hoxton Mini Press. 2021
Hyeres, shortlisted artist. 2021
Photolucida, Critical Mass, Finalist.2020
Women in Photography Pavilion Commission. Photo London 2019
Flash Forward, UK Winner. The Magenta Foundation. 2017
The National Open Art Competition, selected artist. 2014
Flash Forward, UK Winner. The Magenta Foundation. 2010
Visions of 21st Century Feminism. Organised by the European Women's Lobby. Shortlist 2010
Pour L'Instant International Photography Prize, winner. 2010
New Contemporaries - Shortlist. 2010
Applied Arts Magazine Awards - Winner Photographic Series. 2009
Photographers Forum 29th Annual College Contest - Honourable Mention. 2009
PDN Emerging Photographer Awards 2009
Honourable Mention - Portraiture and Fashion Fujifilm Distinctions Awards. 2008
International Photography Awards - Honourable Mention - Deeper Perspective Category. 2008
International Photography Awards - Honourable Mention - Fine Art Category. 2008
Hello! Young Photographer Awards - Fashion category winner & Overall Runner up. 2008
Photo Fusion Graduate Award. 2008
Photo Global Scholarship, The New York School of Visual Arts. 2008
AOP Student Awards, Judges Choice Award. 2008
EDUCATION
Sep 2009 - Jun 2011: Royal College of Art, MA Photography (Distinction)
Sep 2005 - Jun 2008: LCC. University of The Arts, London- Ba Hons Photography
Sep 2003 - May 2005: Batley School of Art & Design - BTEC National Diploma - Photography
ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
Oct 2014 - March 2018 - Artist in Residence & Lecturer, Palm Beach Centre of Photography. Florida, USA
Aug 2013 - Aug 2014 - Artist in Residence, Pinsent Masons, London
May - Jun 2014 - Zafferana Etnea, International Artist in Residence. Sicily
Sep 2010 - Jan 2011 - Le Cite International des Arts. Artist in Residence, Paris
Aug 2010 - Sep 2010 - Pour L'instant, International Photography Residency. Niort, France
Aug 2008 - May 2009 - The School of Visual Arts, Photo Global. New York