TITLE: Under the Great African Sky
Over the past eight years, I have spent over a thousand days searching the wilderness for unique photographic opportunities to inspire people to take action against the decline of wildlife in Africa. I use an artistic approach as I believe we must first admire and respect these endangered animals before we can take action. Showing horrifying imagery doesn't often have the desired results.
The images were created using wide-angle and standard lenses to amplify the subjects' impressiveness and allow the best chance of developing an emotional connection between the viewer and the subject. I hope these images remind us that we share this planet with incredible creatures and that it is our responsibility to ensure they survive long into the future.
The monochrome aesthetic creates a detachment from reality and allows the viewer to focus on the subject without distraction. We often associate black and white photography with history, so my photographs serve as a reminder that the subjects could only be remembered through photography.
AUTHOR: James Lewin (United Kingdom)
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 strives 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 awareness and funds for the creatures he admires and spends time with. 20% of every sale feeds directly back to conservation projects in Africa. Having minimal impact on the planet is equally important to Lewin; each safari is carbon neutral.
Lewin's photographs have a timeless quality and convey that his wildlife subjects are endangered and may one day only be witnessed 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 longevity and tonal range 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 4th 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.
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