For years, I’ve held an ambition close to my creative heart: to photograph the extraordinary quartet behind The League of Gentlemen. Mark Gatiss, Steve Pemberton, Reece Shearsmith, and Jeremy Dyson forged a world of pitch-black humour, grotesque beauty, and unforgettable characters. As a teenager, their work opened a doorway to the kind of atmospheric, stylised storytelling that still influences my portraiture today.
Steve Pemberton Portrait Sitting, Rory Lewis Photographer London 2025
Steve Pemberton Portrait Sitting, Rory Lewis Photographer London 2025
Steve Pemberton Portrait Sitting, Rory Lewis Photographer London 2025
In 2024, I had the pleasure of photographing Steve Pemberton, one half of the creative engine behind Inside No. 9 and Psychoville. Steve carries an energy that is both playful and profound — a natural storyteller whose intelligence and curiosity reveal themselves the instant the camera rises. His portrait sits among my favourites from recent years.
Last week in London, I continued the journey with Reece Shearsmith. A master craftsman of character, rhythm, and emotion, Reece moves effortlessly between horror and humour — sometimes within a single expression. Photographing him was a genuine privilege, and the resulting portraits feel steeped in the same dark theatricality that has defined so much of his work.
Now, my hope is to complete the creative circle with Mark Gatiss and Jeremy Dyson — two artists whose contributions have shaped not only The League of Gentlemen but the landscape of British storytelling itself. For now, two out of four feels like a significant milestone, and I’m grateful for these encounters with performers who helped shape my artistic imagination long before I ever stepped behind the lens.
Comedy has always fascinated me as a portraitist. Beneath the laughter lies an acute sensitivity to human nature — the very essence I strive to capture through light, expression, and stillness.
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