Richard Cawood is a UK-born portrait photographer, educator, and creative based in Dubai. His work blends decades of experience in design, media, and education with a minimalist photographic style that seeks honesty, emotion, and presence in every frame.

Richard’s portrait series The Faces of the Unknown is composed entirely of AI-generated imagery, created to explore the eerie space of the uncanny valley and challenge our perception of what feels real. His more recent project, The Faces of Mexico, combines both real and AI-generated portraits, emerging as a direct response to rising anti-immigrant sentiment. Together, these two series examine the evolving relationship between photography, truth, and perception in an age where reality can be convincingly simulated. Richard’s style—often described as emotive minimalism—is grounded in simplicity, precision, and a desire to reveal the quiet dignity in every face, whether real or imagined.

Richard studied photography as an undergraduate and earned a master’s degree in electronic media—both from the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning (DAAP). He has worked across the US, Europe, and the Middle East, with past collaborations including global brands like Nike, Virgin America, and Hulu. His photography has been featured by ZEISS and published internationally.

He currently teaches at Zayed University’s College of Arts and Creative Enterprises (CACE) in Dubai and continues to explore how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping the way we see, feel, and create.

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