Shaping Culture One Portrait at a Time: Simon Frederick

This monograph brings together Frederick’s landmark portrait photography, showcasing the images, intent and conversations that have made his work a defining chronicle of Black achievement.

For the past two decades, photographer and filmmaker Simon Frederick has examined Black life through portraiture, creating a body of work that highlights extraordinary range in heritage, accomplishment, and outlook.

This first monograph brings together photographs from four pivotal series — Black is the New Black, They’ve Gotta Have Us, The Outsiders? and his Stephen Lawrence work — including exclusive, never-before-published images and interview excerpts that broaden the scope of these influential projects. 

Tracing the evolution of his method, this volume delivers a commanding visual statement and a compelling chorus of voices, affirming Frederick’s place as a vital force in portrait photography today.

• Combines his most famous, important and pivotal series with unseen images.
• Includes a foreword by Ekow Eshun and an introduction by Frederick himself.
• The monograph underscores Frederick’s disciplined sense of framing and composition.
• Features sitters such as Whoopi Goldberg, Naomi Campbell, and Laurence Fishburne.
• Interviews offer entertaining and candid looks at personal histories, pressures and ambitions.

Created during sessions with actors, artists, politicians, musicians and sportspeople from around the world, these portraits reveal the nuance and precision of Frederick’s visual language.