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All About Photo presents Reverie of the Unseen by Rory J Lewis, on view throughout June 2025 — a celebration of invertebrate beauty in the wild.
Reverie of the Unseen
From the antlers of a stag beetle, to the multi-directional flight of a dragonfly, or the iconic markings of a ladybird beetle, there are very few forms not afforded the arthropod by evolution.
Reverie of the Unseen is a collection of my works from the last 3 years, which seeks to elevate these oft overlooked animals by capturing the unseen ‘personality’ so many of these beautiful creatures appear to possess.
Through specific angles, lighting techniques or capturing certain behaviours, these tiny invertebrates can suddenly seem so much more relatable to us, as if waving good morning, playing games with one another, or tilting their head in silent communication- like perhaps, the pet puppy we once had.
All of the images are of live and completely unharmed subjects, taken in the wild, as being able to photograph them at their most vibrant is what provides so much of the magic, If there is an unnaturally colourful backdrop in the image, it is purely created by placing a physical object behind the subject. so shooting during the night or very early hours of the morning, as they’re sleeping or just waking up, is nearly always imperative.
This also helps in keeping their disturbance to an absolute minimum, ethics are also as important to me as the art itself, as I seek to do nothing more than celebrate these remarkable animals, and I invite others through this work, especially those that may find them fearful, to celebrate them with me.
Curator :
Artist:
Rory J Lewis, a multi-award winning British macro wildlife photographer, is renowned for his artistic portrayal of invertebrates and ethical techniques to capture intricate wildlife images within their natural habitat.
Growing up among the rolling hills of the Cotswolds, with a fascination for the local wildlife from a young age, Rory was exposed to cameras very early on, as his father was also a keen landscape photographer. After trying a few different genres, everything changed for Rory when he first aimed a macro lens at an insect.
Through a blend of macro and traditional portrait techniques, Rory unveils the hidden essence of these elusive life-forms, creating compelling visuals that are both intimate and evocative.
In an era marked by climate change and habitat loss endangering countless invertebrate species, Rory's images challenge viewers to perceive these often misunderstood creatures with newfound empathy and appreciation, in the hope of shedding new light on the critical roles they play within our fragile ecosystem.
Rory’s works have been featured in many popular publications and have received awards from the Royal Entomological Society, World Nature Photography Awards, Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust, and was most recently the People of Nature Awards fauna photographer of the year. Rory has also represented Venus Optics Laowa lenses in their marketing on multiple occasions and has recently carried out Canon sponsored workshops in partnership with Wex Photo Video throughout the UK.
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