ENTRY DESCRIPTION
Lions have been momentous symbols to humankind for thousands of years. Their bravery, strength, courage, loyalty, and close family bonds have inspired millions of people in their day-to-day lives. My aim in Ndutu this year was to create a group portrait that would resonate with and connect us to this most iconic mammal and highlight their noble qualities.

For a worthy portrait to materialise, I needed the subject, location, composition, light, background, and sky to come together simultaneously, which, of course, is totally out of my control. These few and far-between split seconds have become what I search long and hard for. There is simply no better feeling than when it all pays off.

I am especially drawn to how the proud noble gaze of the lion represents the stability and leadership that dominant males bring to a pride and how the intent stare of the lioness reminds us of their loyalty to the pride and powerful hunting capabilities. It brings a subtle balance to the frame, highlighting the inspiring qualities of such a famous and highly regarded species.

AUTHOR
James Lewin is a rapidly emerging contemporary photographic artist. He has a passion for conservation, focusing his attention on capturing African Wildlife in its most natural form.

By exercising an immersive and intimate approach, Lewin stives to connect people with East Africa’s magnificent yet vulnerable inhabitants. To capture his striking portraits, he utilises wide- angle lenses from highly unique perspectives, allowing the viewer to feel as if they were beside the animals within the frame. He views his work as an influential tool to raise both awareness and funds for the creatures he admires and spends time with. Twenty percent of every sale feeds directly back to conservation projects in Africa.

Lewin’s photographs have a timeless quality and convey that his wildlife subjects are endangered and may one day only be remembered through photography. He finds black & white a powerful reminder of this as people often associate a monochrome aesthetic with history. Like the photographic masters such as Sebastiao Salgado & Terry O’Neil, Lewin prints his work on silver gelatin. These prints are made using traditional photochemistry and are far superior in archival rating to other printing methods.

James' work has been awarded in multiple International Photography Awards, including the Monochrome Awards, Nature's Best Awards, Monovisions Photography Awards, ND Awards and Outdoor Photographer of the Year. James was ranked number 1 B&W Photographer in the UK and number 4 globally in the 2021 One Eyeland Top 10 Black & White Photographers Award. This included winning Gold, Silver and Bronze in the Wildlife Category. James was also a Hasselblad Masters Finalist which is one of the most prestigious professional photographic competitions in the World.

James' work is represented by The Drang Gallery (UK), ARTITLEDcontemporary (NL), Lyons Gallery (AUS) and Isabella Garrucho Fine Art (USA).

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