It has now been eight years since the completion of Soldiery, a sweeping portraiture project that consumed over three years of Rory Lewis’s life between 2016 and 2019.
The British Army is a proudly diverse institution steeped in heritage, pageantry, and unyielding tradition. With Soldiery—which culminated in both a nationwide exhibition and a published book—Lewis set out to create a contemporary reflection of historic military portraiture.
His aim was to document the modern British Army and its people in a way that honors both their formidable legacy and their profound humanity.
To achieve this, he travelled the length and breadth of the United Kingdom and beyond. From the rugged winds of Fort George in Inverness to the rolling Yorkshire Dales, and down through London, Andover, and Aldershot, he conducted hundreds of sittings. He worked closely with the Army’s senior leadership, its individual soldiers, and its historic regiments.
For Lewis, Soldiery was both a labor of passion and a journey of discovery. As a historian and lifelong admirer of the military, he found himself immersed in a living tapestry of identity. He quickly learned that each regiment operates like its own distinct tribe, with specific customs, distinct uniforms, and deeply ingrained values. From the quiet professionalism of the 1st Battalion, The Rifles, to the centuries-old ceremonial duties of the Household Cavalry; from the formidable Royal Tank Regiment to the extraordinary discipline of the Royal Gurkha Rifles, he sought to capture their strength and quiet dignity.
His approach was fundamentally informed by his background in history and inspired by great military painters such as George Dawe, who immortalized an entire generation of Russian generals. Yet photography demands a different kind of honesty. Accuracy and truth have been his guiding principles. Lewis aimed to capture every line, mark, and scar that tells a life’s story. In each portrait, he sought to reveal the human being beneath the uniform. When a fresh-faced recruit stands beside a seasoned combat veteran, the raw energy of youth is juxtaposed with the gravity of experience. Looking into their eyes, one can read their stories—those preparing for their very first posting and those who have lived through the harsh realities of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Over the years, the archive grew to include some of the most senior figures in the British Armed Forces. Lewis had the rare honor of photographing His Royal Highness The Duke of Kent in his ceremonial uniform as Field Marshal, capturing a lifetime of royal and military service. He also recorded formal portraits of Field Marshal The Lord Guthrie, General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, and Major General Chris Ghika CBE at Horse Guards.
But Soldiery is also a record of evolution. The changing face of the British Armed Forces is perhaps best embodied by Trooper Collins, one of the first women to serve in the prestigious and traditionally male ranks of the Household Cavalry. Her portrait, which won the Portrait of Britain Award in 2024, stands as a milestone in the history of the regiment and a testament to the modern military.
Today, eight years on, Soldiery has evolved from an artistic endeavor into a living historical record, proudly continuing under the umbrella of the Rory Lewis Non-Profit (www.rorylewis.studio/non-profit). The organization’s mission is to preserve military heritage through museum-grade portraiture for future generations. Lewis is deeply honored that the Soldiery collection has been acquired by the National Army Museum in London as part of its permanent collection, alongside significant acquisitions by The Rifles Museum in Winchester and Salisbury. Soldiery ensures that these faces, and the stories of the men and women who serve, will never be forgotten.
About Rory Lewis
Rory Lewis Non-Profit is a charitable organization founded by portrait photographer Rory Lewis and dedicated to honoring and preserving the stories of military and uniformed personnel worldwide through fine art portraiture and storytelling.
By creating a living archive of military portraiture and sharing it through museum exhibitions, educational initiatives and public programs, the organization fosters greater understanding, empathy and respect for those who serve.
At its core, Rory Lewis Non-Profit bridges the worlds of art, history and service, ensuring that the faces and stories of those who dedicate their lives to duty endure as a timeless record of courage, sacrifice and humanity. [Official Website]
