James grew up in Peckham before relocating to Bermondsey, where the mix of industrial heritage and contemporary architecture became the foundation of his practice. Trained as an architect before turning to photography full-time, James brings a structural understanding to his images that sets them apart. He works primarily in digital medium format, often shooting at dawn when buildings stand in their purest light. His series 'Concrete Poems' documenting Brutalist estates across South London was shortlisted for the Deutsche Börse Photography Foundation Prize in 2023. James's work sits in private collections across Europe and has been commissioned by several architecture firms.