Russell got his start as a photographer at Contrast newspaper in the late 1960s. After taking a break for several years, he worked freelance for the Toronto Sun, the Oakville Beaver, the Scarborough Mirror, and the Etobicoke Guardian. From 1981 until 1991 he was a photographer for the Toronto Star, and in 1992 he won the Canadian Press Photographer of the Year Award. His subjects included fashion, beauty pageants, portraits, sports, and political events.

Image: James Russell, Miss Black Ontario winner, Miss Rexdale, Rhonda Broadbent, 1981, gelatin silver print.

For further reading, see:

Crooks, Julie, and Karen Carter. Ears, Eyes, Voice: Black Canadian Photojournalists, 1970s-1990s. Toronto: BAND Gallery and Cultural Centre, 2019, 50-59.