Rory Lewis Photographer Headshots & Portraiture

There is a particular quality of light inside the keep at Richmond Castle. It falls from high, deep-set openings through stone that has stood since the eleventh century, and it arrives cool, directional, and entirely indifferent to the century you happen to be working in. It is the sort of light a painter would have walked a hundred miles to find. On Sunday I found it waiting for me, and I photographed a king beneath it.

I am honoured to share that my portrait of Field Marshal The Lord Houghton of Richmond, GCB, CBE, DL, has been accepted into the Royal Collection — one of thirteen works from my non-profit archive now preserved within it, and among the most recent.

It is with great pride that I share that three further portraits of His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent — photographed in Royal Air Force uniform — have been accepted into the Royal Collection. They join the Field Marshal portraits as part of a body of thirteen works from my non-profit archive now preserved within that collection.

I am honoured to share that my portrait of Field Marshal The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, GCB, CBE, DSO, DL, has been accepted into the Royal Collection, completing the thirteen works from my non-profit archive now held within that institution.

It is a moment of real significance for my non-profit archive that my portrait of Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank has been accepted into the Royal Collection, among thirteen works from the archive now held within that institution. This was the first portrait of a British Field Marshal I ever made, and to see it enter the Royal Collection feels like the completion of a circle.

We are five months into 2026, and I can count the Heroes in Focus sittings I've done this year on one hand. That has to change — and soon, because the pace the archive needs is not the pace it is currently moving at. I want to be straight about that, because the work matters too much for me to dress it up.

This portrait, created as part of the ongoing work of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit, documents General Sir Roly Walker, the professional head of the British Army.

Commissioned into the Irish Guards in 1993, General Walker has commanded at company, battle group, brigade, and strategic levels, with operational service in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He commanded the Grenadier Guards in 2009 and later served across brigade, divisional, army, and strategic headquarters.

I am very pleased to be able to provide The Rifles Berkshire & Wiltshire Museum with a portrait of Captain Massey, from the 1st Battalion, The Rifles, for inclusion in their newly redeveloped galleries in Salisbury.

Through the Rory Lewis Non-Profit, I am dedicated to preserving the faces and stories of those whose courage defines our shared history. It was an honour to capture the portrait of Mike Pratt, GC, whose bravery and humility stand among the finest examples of service.

In October 2025, I had the honor of photographing Major General James Bowder OBE, the third consecutive Major-General of the Household Division I have captured for the Rory Lewis Non-Profit. Following my portraits of Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE and Major General Chris Ghika CBE, this latest sitting continues an evolving visual record of those entrusted with upholding the highest traditions of the British Army and the Crown.

Field Marshal David Julian Richards, Baron Richards of Herstmonceux, GCB, CBE, DSO, DL—appointed Honorary Field Marshal by His Majesty The King in June 2025—sat for my non-profit archive on Monday, 6 October 2025. This portrait marks a significant addition to our mission to document the living history of Britain’s senior military leadership through the art of portraiture.

On October 7, 2023, Israel was plunged into chaos when Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack, leaving over a thousand civilians dead and the nation on the brink of war. Among the Americans closest to the events was Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Lewis, Commander of the Marine Security Guard Detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.

Among the most meaningful moments in my non-profit archive was the privilege of photographing Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank. It was not simply a portrait sitting, but an encounter with a man whose life spanned the defining military and political chapters of modern Britain.

In the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, I had the privilege of photographing Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Stauffer as part of my ongoing Heroes in Focus (Rory Lewis non-profit) military portrait initiative. This work exists to document service with dignity—creating lasting, museum-grade portraits that honour leadership, commitment, and the human story behind the uniform.

Portraiture, at its best, does more than record a likeness—it preserves leadership, responsibility, and history. In this portrait of General Sir James Everard, recently featured in The Telegraph, the aim was to convey not only authority, but the gravity of command carried by one of Britain’s most experienced senior officers.

My third visit to The Royal Lancers marked a significant moment in the continuing evolution of my long-term military portraiture work, now undertaken through my non-profit practice. Returning to the regiment in 2024 allowed for a deeper, more reflective engagement—building upon earlier sittings to create a cohesive body of work rooted in heritage, continuity, and service.

The Rory Lewis Non-Profit is proud to have funded the latest addition to the distinguished gallery of British Army leaders: a portrait of General Sir Patrick Sanders, KCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen. Serving as Chief of the General Staff since June 2022, Sir Patrick’s career exemplifies the leadership, dedication, and strategic excellence that define the modern British Army.

The Soldiery project by Rory Lewis now forms part of the permanent collection of the National Army Museum in London. This landmark acquisition underscores the project’s historical, cultural, and educational importance, and stands at the heart of the mission of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit: to preserve military heritage through museum-grade portraiture for future generations.

The Rory Lewis Non-Profit is honored to have captured and preserved the legacy of Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the current Chief of the Defence Staff, marking him as the fifth Chief of the Defence Staff photographed by Rory Lewis. This portrait continues the Non-Profit’s mission to document and celebrate the leadership and service of Britain’s most distinguished military figures.

Rory Lewis Non Profit is proud to donate a series of portraits to The Rifles Museum in Winchester. Located within the historic Winchester Military Quarter, the museum offers a compelling insight into the heritage and evolution of the British Army’s largest infantry regiment.

In 2022, Rory Lewis Non-Profit was honoured to record a formal portrait of General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, KCB, CBE, undertaken in London during his tenure as Chief of the General Staff. The commission was created for permanent display within the gallery of former Chiefs—an historic lineage marking the stewardship of the British Army’s senior leadership.

There is a particular quality of light inside the keep at Richmond Castle. It falls from high, deep-set openings through stone that has stood since the eleventh century, and it arrives cool, directional, and entirely indifferent to the century you happen to be working in. It is the sort of light a painter would have walked a hundred miles to find. On Sunday I found it waiting for me, and I photographed a king beneath it.

I am honoured to share that my portrait of Field Marshal The Lord Houghton of Richmond, GCB, CBE, DL, has been accepted into the Royal Collection — one of thirteen works from my non-profit archive now preserved within it, and among the most recent.

It is with great pride that I share that three further portraits of His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent — photographed in Royal Air Force uniform — have been accepted into the Royal Collection. They join the Field Marshal portraits as part of a body of thirteen works from my non-profit archive now preserved within that collection.

I am honoured to share that my portrait of Field Marshal The Lord Richards of Herstmonceux, GCB, CBE, DSO, DL, has been accepted into the Royal Collection, completing the thirteen works from my non-profit archive now held within that institution.

It is a moment of real significance for my non-profit archive that my portrait of Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank has been accepted into the Royal Collection, among thirteen works from the archive now held within that institution. This was the first portrait of a British Field Marshal I ever made, and to see it enter the Royal Collection feels like the completion of a circle.

We are five months into 2026, and I can count the Heroes in Focus sittings I've done this year on one hand. That has to change — and soon, because the pace the archive needs is not the pace it is currently moving at. I want to be straight about that, because the work matters too much for me to dress it up.

This portrait, created as part of the ongoing work of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit, documents General Sir Roly Walker, the professional head of the British Army.

Commissioned into the Irish Guards in 1993, General Walker has commanded at company, battle group, brigade, and strategic levels, with operational service in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, and Iraq. He commanded the Grenadier Guards in 2009 and later served across brigade, divisional, army, and strategic headquarters.

I am very pleased to be able to provide The Rifles Berkshire & Wiltshire Museum with a portrait of Captain Massey, from the 1st Battalion, The Rifles, for inclusion in their newly redeveloped galleries in Salisbury.

Through the Rory Lewis Non-Profit, I am dedicated to preserving the faces and stories of those whose courage defines our shared history. It was an honour to capture the portrait of Mike Pratt, GC, whose bravery and humility stand among the finest examples of service.

In October 2025, I had the honor of photographing Major General James Bowder OBE, the third consecutive Major-General of the Household Division I have captured for the Rory Lewis Non-Profit. Following my portraits of Major General Benjamin Bathurst CBE and Major General Chris Ghika CBE, this latest sitting continues an evolving visual record of those entrusted with upholding the highest traditions of the British Army and the Crown.

Field Marshal David Julian Richards, Baron Richards of Herstmonceux, GCB, CBE, DSO, DL—appointed Honorary Field Marshal by His Majesty The King in June 2025—sat for my non-profit archive on Monday, 6 October 2025. This portrait marks a significant addition to our mission to document the living history of Britain’s senior military leadership through the art of portraiture.

On October 7, 2023, Israel was plunged into chaos when Hamas launched a brutal surprise attack, leaving over a thousand civilians dead and the nation on the brink of war. Among the Americans closest to the events was Gunnery Sergeant Marcus Lewis, Commander of the Marine Security Guard Detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem.

Among the most meaningful moments in my non-profit archive was the privilege of photographing Field Marshal Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank. It was not simply a portrait sitting, but an encounter with a man whose life spanned the defining military and political chapters of modern Britain.

In the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, I had the privilege of photographing Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Stauffer as part of my ongoing Heroes in Focus (Rory Lewis non-profit) military portrait initiative. This work exists to document service with dignity—creating lasting, museum-grade portraits that honour leadership, commitment, and the human story behind the uniform.

Portraiture, at its best, does more than record a likeness—it preserves leadership, responsibility, and history. In this portrait of General Sir James Everard, recently featured in The Telegraph, the aim was to convey not only authority, but the gravity of command carried by one of Britain’s most experienced senior officers.

My third visit to The Royal Lancers marked a significant moment in the continuing evolution of my long-term military portraiture work, now undertaken through my non-profit practice. Returning to the regiment in 2024 allowed for a deeper, more reflective engagement—building upon earlier sittings to create a cohesive body of work rooted in heritage, continuity, and service.

The Rory Lewis Non-Profit is proud to have funded the latest addition to the distinguished gallery of British Army leaders: a portrait of General Sir Patrick Sanders, KCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen. Serving as Chief of the General Staff since June 2022, Sir Patrick’s career exemplifies the leadership, dedication, and strategic excellence that define the modern British Army.

The Soldiery project by Rory Lewis now forms part of the permanent collection of the National Army Museum in London. This landmark acquisition underscores the project’s historical, cultural, and educational importance, and stands at the heart of the mission of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit: to preserve military heritage through museum-grade portraiture for future generations.

The Rory Lewis Non-Profit is honored to have captured and preserved the legacy of Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the current Chief of the Defence Staff, marking him as the fifth Chief of the Defence Staff photographed by Rory Lewis. This portrait continues the Non-Profit’s mission to document and celebrate the leadership and service of Britain’s most distinguished military figures.

Rory Lewis Non Profit is proud to donate a series of portraits to The Rifles Museum in Winchester. Located within the historic Winchester Military Quarter, the museum offers a compelling insight into the heritage and evolution of the British Army’s largest infantry regiment.

In 2022, Rory Lewis Non-Profit was honoured to record a formal portrait of General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, KCB, CBE, undertaken in London during his tenure as Chief of the General Staff. The commission was created for permanent display within the gallery of former Chiefs—an historic lineage marking the stewardship of the British Army’s senior leadership.