Born in Redwood City, California, James spent his early years living throughout the United States. Discovering a love of photography at the age of 12, he began documenting his family life with a Canon AE-1. James matriculated university at 16, working for both the campus newspaper and yearbook. By 19, he was shooting for the Nashville Tennessean on a regular basis. James also covered assignments for UPI, the Associated Press, and other dailies such as the Los Angeles Times and USA Today, receiving awards and recognition for his work. In addition to his photography work, James is a licensed attorney, taking select cases in trade secret, intellectual property, and employment matters. James is currently engaged in international projects in Spain and France as well as commissions in New York and Philadelphia. He is a Contributor to London-based LoopImages, a Contributor to Barcelona-based age fotostock, an Image Brief Artist, and an iStock Contributor.