Rory Lewis
{{short description|British photographer (born 1982)}}
{{autobiography|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2019}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Rory Lewis
| image = Rory Lewis Photographer Self Portrait.jpg
| image_size = 225px
| alt = Rory Lewis looking directly at the camera
| caption = Lewis, age 32, self portrait
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1982|10|05}}
| birth_place = Chester, England
| field = Photography
| website = {{URL|www.rorylewis.studio}}
| awards = Winner of The Portrait of Britain 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2020
}}
Rory Lewis (born 5 October 1982 in Chester, England{{Cite web |last=Collinson |first=Dawn |date=2014-07-18 |title=Photographer Rory Lewis talks about his latest exhibition with more than a few familiar faces |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/photographer-rory-lewis-latest-exhibition-7449860 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}}) is a British photographer known for his celebrity portrait photography.{{Cite web |last=Collinson |first=Dawn |date=2013-05-02 |title=How Liverpool portrait specialist Rory Lewis' medical career developed into photography |url=https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/how-liverpool-portrait-specialist-rory-3339544 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Liverpool Echo |language=en}} Lewis's inspirations include the works of the artists Hans Holbein the younger,{{Cite news |date=2014-11-27 |title=Holbein's Inspiration: His Place in Portraiture - Portrait Photographer Rory Lewis Liverpool & London & Los Angeles (CA) |url=http://rorylewisphotography.com/holbeins-inspiration/ |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20190328142425/http://rorylewisphotography.com/holbeins-inspiration/ |archive-date=2019-03-28 |access-date=2025-01-30 |work=Portrait Photographer Rory Lewis Liverpool & London & Los Angeles (CA) |language=en-US}} Caravaggio, Titian and Thomas Lawrence and the German Expressionist movement of the 1920s.
Education
Works
In 2012, Lewis held his first exhibition, Keeping Abreast, at the Bluecoat Gallery in Liverpool. Held in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support, the collection featured unseen portraits.
File:David Warner (Actor) Rory Lewis Photographer.jpg portrait by Lewis, Nov. 2013]]
In 2013, his portrait of actor David Warner was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery, London.{{Cite web |title=David Warner - National Portrait Gallery |url=https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw248086/David-Warner?LinkID=mp64101&role=sit&rNo=2 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=www.npg.org.uk |language=en}} The portrait was Warner's first sitting since Cecil Beaton photographed him in the mid-1960s.{{Cite web |last=Walters |first=Sarah |date=2014-10-09 |title=Photographer Rory Lewis captures Northern stars of stage, screen and football pitch for new exhibition |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/photographer-rory-lewis-captures-northern-7895590 |access-date=2025-01-30 |website=Manchester Evening News |language=en}}
In 2014, Lewis photographed and held his first major portrait photography exhibition. Entitled 'Northerners', the project was an entirely new collection of portraits from a cross section of northern English actors, celebrities, sports personalities, and politicians. Held in aid of UNICEF, the exhibition featured portraits of Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Ian McShane, Emma Rigby, Beth Tweddle, Craig Charles, General Sir Nick Houghton and Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson.{{Cite news |date=2014-10-21 |title=Northerners: Rory Lewis photographs Gandalf and a general |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29657598 |access-date=2025-01-30 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}
In May 2014, Lewis photographed Uruguayan footballer Luis Suarez in a campaign for Pepsi.Rory Lewis Luis Suarez for Pepsi https://www.rorylewis.studio/blog/luis-suarez-for-pepsi/
In 2016 Lewis photographed all the remaining Victoria Cross & George Cross recipients for a new portrait project.Rory Lewis Website Victoria & George Cross http://rorylewisphotography.com/portfolio/victoria-george-cross-portraits/
In 2017 Lewis photographed actor Rufus Sewell in Los Angeles. The portrait was acquired by the National Portrait Gallery.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rorylewis.studio/blog/rufussewllnpg|title=Rufus Sewell (Actor) Portrait Acquired by National Portrait Gallery London – Portrait Photographer Rory Lewis Liverpool & London & Los Angeles (CA)|date=4 December 2017|work=Portrait Photographer Rory Lewis Liverpool & London & Los Angeles (CA)|access-date=12 February 2018}}
Throughout 2016–17, Lewis embarked on a portrait project entitled SoldieryLiverpool Echo Newspaper (Soldiery) British Army Portraits http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/portraits-parade-photography-exhibition-armed-12882717 British Army Portraits. Photographing over 278 British soldiers, and publishing a book of the collection.Rory Lewis Book Soldiery British Army Portraits https://www.rorylewis.studio/soldiery/ The collection was exhibited at Armed Forces Day Liverpool 24 June[https://www.rorylewis.studio/soldiery 2017] and then moved to The National Army Museum in London from 31 January – 12 February 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-42932511|title=The 'changing face' of the British Army|last=Beale|first=Jonathan|date=3 February 2018|publisher=BBC News|access-date=12 February 2018}}
As part of the Soldiery project, Lewis held portrait sitting with WO2 Deborah Penny, Britain's first transgender soldier to serve in the front line.{{Cite news|url=https://www.rorylewis.studio/blog/portraitofbritain18|title=British Army Soldier, Warrant Officer Class 2 Deborah Penny Portrait Acquired by National Portrait Gallery London – Portrait Photographer Rory Lewis Liverpool & London & Los Angeles (CA)|date=19 December 2017|work=Portrait Photographer Rory Lewis Liverpool & London & Los Angeles (CA)|access-date=12 February 2018}}
In 2018 Lewis embarked on a new project entitled Portraitist,Portraitist Exhibition BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-45004510 including portraits of former prime minister David Cameron.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rorylewis.studio/blog/2019/1/30/david-cameron|title=David Cameron Prime Minister Portrait Sitting|last=RORYLEWIS|date=23 December 2018|website=Portrait Photographer Rory Lewis Liverpool & London & Los Angeles (CA)|access-date=23 December 2018}} The portrait sitting was featured by the Guardian Newspaper.{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2019/jan/23/rory-lewis-best-photograph-david-cameron-looks-back-without-regret-brexit|title=Rory Lewis's best photograph: David Cameron looks back without regret|website=TheGuardian.com|date=23 January 2019}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.rorylewis.studio Rory Lewis Photographer Website]
- [https://www.rorylewis.studio/northerners/ Rory Lewis 2012 Photography Exhibition Video]
- [https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-29657598 BBC News Rory Lewis Exhibition Northerners]
- [https://www.rorylewis.studio/portraitist Rory Lewis Exhibition Portraitist]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Lewis, Rory}}
Category:Alumni of King's College London
Category:British portrait photographers