I Used Color Filters In My 30 Black-And-White Portraits To Explore Identity And Emotion

William Josephs Radford (born 1998) is a British-Spanish fine art photographer whose provocative, visually striking work challenges the boundaries of traditional photography. Raised in rural Andalucía, Spain, by British expatriate parents, Radford's multicultural upbringing has shaped his artistic vision, giving him a unique perspective on identity and belonging. His early passion for drawing led him to explore visual art, but it was photography that became his primary medium. He pursued fine art photography at the University of Gloucestershire, where he embraced an unconventional approach to art-making. Radford’s photography is deeply transgressive, often tackling controversial and thought-provoking themes with an emotional, immersive approach. His work blends intuitive creativity with technical experimentation, including his signature use of light-painting, a slow and meticulous technique where the interaction between light and subject creates a dynamic, almost sculptural effect. For Radford, the process is just as important as the final image. A self-proclaimed purist, he strongly objects to the use of Photoshop or any form of post-production manipulation. His work is known for its symbolic richness, using semiotic elements to explore the complex intersections of beauty, discomfort, and taboo. Through his work, Radford challenges viewers to question societal norms, encouraging deeper reflection on the emotional and cultural layers embedded in his images.