James Lewin is a rapidly emerging British fine art wildlife photographer and conservationist focusing on African wildlife. He found his eye for photography after discovering his passion for conservation in Kenya. His fine art style swiftly developed in his attempt to connect people with East Africa's magnificent yet disappearing wildlife. To capture his striking portraits, he prefers working with wide-angle lenses from unique perspectives unknown to any living person creating a detachment from reality while making the viewer feel like they are beside the animals within the frame.

James was born in 1996 and he lives and works in Laikipia, Kenya.

Biography
James Lewin is a rapidly emerging British fine art wildlife photographer and conservationist focusing on African wildlife. He found his eye for photography after discovering his passion for conservation in Kenya.

His fine art style swiftly developed in his attempt to connect people with East Africa’s magnificent yet disappearing wildlife. He found an immersive and intimate approach was most effective in achieving this. To capture his striking portraits, he prefers working with wide-angle lenses from unique perspectives unknown to any living person creating a detachment from reality while making the viewer feel like they are beside the animals within the frame.

James’ photographs have a timeless feel and convey that his wildlife subjects are endangered and could only be remembered through photography. He finds Black & White a powerful reminder of this as people often associate black & white photography with history.

James is an avid conservationist, holding fundraisers, talks and donating prints to charity auctions. He views his work as a powerful tool to raise funds for the animals he admires and spends time with. Up to 20% of each sale supports organisations protecting the animals within the frames and the surrounding communities. James was also part of “Prints for Wildlife” with 150 leading photographers, which has raised $1.7m for African Parks Network since 2020.

Having minimal impact on the planet is of equal importance to James. Each adventure is carbon neutral by purchasing carbon credits with a community-owned carbon project (verified by VCS & CCBS) located between two ecosystems in Southern Kenya that he works in regularly. The project secures a critical habitat that forms a vital corridor connecting the Tsavo-Amboseli ecosystem and benefits over 70,000 local livelihoods.

James is one of the only wildlife photographers to produce traditional Silver Gelatin and Platinum Palladium prints. Not only far superior in archival rating, but they also provide an unrivalled tonal range and three-dimensionality, truly bringing James’ pieces to life. James is working with some of the very best printers in the world to create these rare prints to extreme sizes.

James’ work has been awarded in a number of International Photography Awards, including the Monochrome Awards, Nature’s Best Awards, Monovisions Photography Awards, ND Awards and Outdoor Photographer of the Year. Recently in 2021, James was ranked the number 1 B&W photographer in the UK and number 4 globally in the One Eyeland Top 10 B&W Photographers Awards. This included winning Gold, Silver & Bronze in the Wildlife Category.

Solo Exhibitions
2021 The Drang Gallery, Solo Exhibition, Padstow, 22nd Dec – 12th Jan 2022

Group Exhibitions
2021 Chilli Art Projects, Awakening Group Exhibition, London, Aug-Sept
2021 Isabella Garrucho Spring Exhibition
2020 Cricket Fine Art Summer Exhibition
2019 Cricket Fine Art Winter Exhibition
2018 Cricket Fine Art Summer Exhibition

Awards
2021 Monochrome Awards, 3rd Place in Wildlife and Honourable Mention
2021 Hasselblad Masters 2021 Finalist.
2021 Nature’s Best, Mkapa African Wildlife Photo Award.
          Category Winner
          Highly Honoured
2021 One Eyelands, World’s Top 10 B&W Photographers.
         Global Ranking – 4th Place, United Kingdom – 1st Place
         Awarded Gold, Silver & Bronze in Wildlife.
         Awarded Gold in Photojournalism
         Awarded Bronze in Nature.
2021 Mono Visions Photography Awards, Honourable Mention
2020 Monochrome Photography Awards, Honourable Mention
2019 Monochrome Photography Awards, Honourable Mention
2018 BBC Your Shots Competition
2018 Outdoor Photographer of the Year, Highly Commended, Wildlife Insight
2018 Monochrome Photography Awards, 3 Honourable Mentions
2017 Neutral Density Awards, Honourable Mention, Wildlife Series

Publications
2022 World Photography Awards, Interview, March 2022
2021 Wilder Magazine Vol 6, 16 page feature, Oct 2021
2021 Widewalls, exclusive interview, Aug 2021
2021 Sunday Times Travel Newspaper
2021 The African Insider
2020 Chiiz Photography Magazine
2019 Daily Mail Online
2019 Outdoor Photography Magazine
2019 Breathe Magazine
2018 BBC Wildlife Magazine
2018 Nomad Magazine Africa

Partner Charities
Tsavo Trust, Kenya
Big Life Foundation, Kenya
Reteti Elephant Sanctuary, Kenya
The Mara Elephant Project, Kenya
Borana Conservancy, Kenya
Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Kenya
The Serengeti Cheetah Project, Tanzania