Photography News | Issue 68 | photographynews.co.uk
Interview 24
Photography News: Can you share the story of how you came to photograph celebrity portraits and where it all began? Rory Lewis: Portraiture became my foremost passion. I finished universitywith a good degree and returned home to continue developing my work. To my surprise, I began to receive commissions – at first individuals needing portraits, thenmodels requiringmodel portfolios and eventually businesses requiring portraiture for advertising and campaign photography. In 2007, my success allowed me to start my own photography studio, working with clients both locally and nationally, and eventually internationally. When my work was first acquiredby theNational PortraitGallery in2011, I knew I was producing something amazing. Celebrities were a natural progression, as I was offeredmore commissions to capture them. PN: Of all the disciplines within photography, what drew you to portraiture? RL: I’m a historian and always have been. I’m rarely without my head in some history book or magazine. My camera is an excuse to touch history – it gives me the opportunity to access the remarkable, workwith historical figures and meet extraordinary people. PN: Howdo you ensure your photographs are so unique and stand out among your peers? RL: So much of the portraiture commissioned in the press and print industry is reluctant to take risks. I try to challenge that safety and introduce moments of spontaneity and awkwardness. When I am commissioned by a company, I always make sure I have one moment at the end – which I like to call my dessert – where I’ve finished my brief and I have that person to myself. You shouldn’t waste your moments. In a lot of my sittings I only have five or ten minutes, so I have to break the ice with my subject very quickly. I like to keep them in continuousmotion and direction in order to capture the movement of their thoughts. When I was shooting Sir Patrick Stewart, I realised we are too used to seeing him play the hero, so I asked him to play the villain. We captured a series of portraits that made him into a Richard III or Machiavellian character. When I’mworking with an actor, I like them to act. I’m always waiting for that moment of spontaneity in expression. I ask them to move and express themselves, and I try towork theminto a frenzy. I don’t think photographers do that enough. PN: The balance of creativity and technical skill in your portraits makes them very distinctive. Can you describe some of your processes and techniques? RL: My equation is this: 20% lighting + 80% direction = The Portrait. Keep it simple – lighting is easy, direction is hard. This is where the true talent of a photographer is found. The photography studio is a stage, your subjects are performers, whether a politician, soldier, actor or corporate boss. You must become a director of people. This takes confidence and imagination. If you lack imagination, then seek a higher imagination fromfine art. PN: How do you approach your subjects and does this differ between different subjects? For example, celebrity portraits vs the ‘soldiery’ portraits. RL: There is no difference to my approach. At first I examine the subject, whether celebrity, politician, or thesoldiers regiment, andreadtheir biographies or history. I then look at previous depictions of the subject. Finally, I look to fine art
to seehowpainters approachedsimilar portraits. Fromthis cocktail, I derivemy inspiration. For instance, I was recently commissioned to capture a portrait of former prime minister DavidCameron, serving as primeminister of the United Kingdom from 2010 to 2016. It was one of the most challenging sittings of my career. I beganbylookingatotherportraitphotographers’ representations ofMr Cameron. I then examined Mr Cameron by watching clips and reading his biography, which I do for famous subjects. I thenturnedmystudy to fineart andsawhow similar figures have been represented in history. My motivation is history: it always has been to record subjects as historical beings. My idea was to capture Mr Cameron as a meditative statesman. Brexit has left the UK in very uncertain times, and I wanted to seek inspiration from a portraitist who had recorded political figures during a period of uncertainty. Researching all the greats, I found Sir James Guthrie. Guthrie was a Scottish painter, best known in his own lifetime for his portraiture, although today more generally regarded as a painter of Scottish realism. Sir James received a commission to paint portraits of all those statesmen who had served in office during the first worldwar. Of all his depictions, two sketch studies really stood out: the first was that of Herbert Henry Asquith, First Earl of Oxford, and a British statesman and Liberal Party politician who served as prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916. The second portrait was of William Ferguson Massey, prime minister of New Zealand. The first world war was indeed a very trying period in British history. Guthrie sketched Asquith andMassey in a very complex
Images A portrait of David Cameron looking meditative (left) and a shot of Sir Ian McKellen (right), inspired by the painter Holbein
Ahead of the rerelease of his acclaimed Northerners exhibition, we talk to Rory Lewis about his inspiration, process and past work A Portrait of the Portrait Artist Rory Lewis:
and meditative state, almost reflecting on their past and careers as heads of state. With this inspiration in mind, I explained my ideas to Mr Cameron and he was pleased with the mood board and style of portraiture I wanted to evoke. The session took place in June of this year and from a short sitting of around 30minutes, I directed Mr Cameron to assume a series contemplative and thoughtful expressions. Mr Cameron was indeed an easy sitter, inquisitive and delightful toworkwith. PN: Of all of the people you’ve photographed, do you have a favourite person to work with, or maybe a portrait that stands out as your favourite? RL: Sir Patrick Stewart – such an icon of the stage and screen. The sitting with him
offered me the opportunity to catapult my style to a wider audience. In my style of simplicity, the portrait is all about the ocular. I focused Sir Patrick’s gaze across the lens, not into it, and an incredibly receptive Sir Patrick rapidly obliged me with a wonderful series of provocatively poised expressions. After working for just ten minutes, I was already happy with the results I was getting. This then provided me with the opportunity, for the last few minutes, to experiment and, most importantly, to enjoy my time with this compelling and absorbing subject. Rather than lookingtothefamiliarheroicrolesthatSirPatrick
Words by Lee Renwick Images by Rory Lewis
Powered by FlippingBook