Political portraiture is uniquely challenging. Unlike actors or artists who often arrive ready to reveal themselves, political figures carry the weight of office, legacy, and scrutiny. Their public image is choreographed, their private selves carefully protected. To photograph them is to navigate a space where power, perception, and personality intersect, requiring not only technical mastery but also an ability to draw out the humanity beneath the role. Over the years, I have worked with some of the most influential figures in modern public life—Tony Blair, John Major, Theresa May, David Cameron, and more recently Usha Vance, the Second Lady of the United States. Each sitting has presented its own complexities and quiet revelations.
Sir John Major, Captured by Rory Lewis (2018) — Politicians Are Tricky to Photograph: Lessons from a Career Behind the Lens
When I photographed Sir John Major in 2018, I encountered a man whose tenure was defined by quiet resilience. Major had guided Britain through turbulent political and economic years not through showmanship but through steadiness, working behind the scenes rather than in the spotlight. Capturing that calm resolve without reducing his personality to simplicity required careful balance. The portrait that emerged speaks to dignity, composure, and an understated strength shaped by years of responsibility.
Sir Tony Blair, Captured by Rory Lewis (2019) — Politicians Are Tricky to Photograph: Lessons from a Career Behind the Lens
My sitting with Sir Tony Blair demanded a different approach entirely. Blair remains one of the most consequential and polarizing figures in contemporary British history, a leader whose decisions continue to reverberate. Preparing for the session meant diving into his world—reviewing past portraits, reading his autobiography, watching old parliamentary debates—in order to understand the psychological landscape behind his public persona. The resulting portrait captures Blair as a contemplative statesman, a man who has weathered the storms of leadership and whose expression carries the weight of choices made under extraordinary pressure.
David Cameron’s portrait, created after his departure from Downing Street, came at a moment marked by reflection. His time as Prime Minister will forever be entwined with the Brexit referendum, a decision that reshaped the identity of a nation. I sought to capture the tension between authority and introspection, the complexity of a leader navigating the long shadow of a defining moment. The deep blue background, subtly echoing the European Union flag, frames Cameron in a contemplative space—an image that suggests the introspective distance between the choices of power and the consequences that follow.
Lord David Cameron, Captured by Rory Lewis (2018) — Politicians Are Tricky to Photograph: Lessons from a Career Behind the Lens
Lady Theresa May, Captured by Rory Lewis (2022) — Politicians Are Tricky to Photograph: Lessons from a Career Behind the Lens
In 2022, I photographed Theresa May for the cover of her book The Abuse of Power. May is known for her steely determination, yet the Brexit years left a visible imprint on her expression and posture. My task was to reveal both the resolve and the emotional toll of steering the country through unprecedented political unrest. The portrait offers an intimate look at a leader shaped by immense pressure, where strength and vulnerability sit side by side.
Most recently, I was commissioned by The Free Press to photograph Usha Vance, the Second Lady of the United States. The session took place at her residence on Observatory Hill on a quiet spring morning, pale light drifting across ivory and soft wood. Photographing on the veranda, in the curved library, and by the hearth allowed me to explore a balance of warmth, authority, and introspection. Usha carries a reserved intelligence and calm resolve, qualities that guided each composition. Her styling—an ivory tie-neck silk blouse, tailored black trousers, classic pumps—reflected a sensibility defined by deliberation rather than performance. The portraits accompanied Peter Savodnik’s feature “Meet Usha Vance: MAGA’s Enigmatic Second Lady,” and together we aimed to present a figure who is both approachable and quietly formidable, someone whose influence is subtle yet unmistakable.
Second Lady Usha Vance, Captured by Rory Lewis (2022) — Politicians Are Tricky to Photograph: Lessons from a Career Behind the Lens