Freelance Contributor
If a picture tells a thousand words, then photographer Roger Lewis has stories for a lifetime. The interesting thing about the seasoned photographer is that he really doesn’t set out to capture any one particular thing. He lets the art guide him, and he sees it everywhere. His ultimate goal is to leave behind “footprints of Trinbago”. With more photos taken than he can count over two decades, he has definitely accomplished that goal.
As the man behind the increasingly popular brand Look Into My Eyes, Roger has earned widespread praise for a lens that celebrates the different hues, shapes and sizes of the country’s women—especially during Carnival, when many say mostly light-skinned, slim women dominate social media pages. It is a stance he takes seriously, even when it costs him a pay cheque. He recalls being approached by an event promoter to cover a party, with instructions not to photograph “too many dark-skinned people” because they were “already locked in”.
He declined the job.
“I could refuse because I am in total control of my pages and my work,” he says, noting that many other photographers simply do not have that luxury. “They work for pages that choose what to post and what not to post, hence the European standard overload. It is not always the photographer’s fault,” he tells us, adding, “On the other hand, most of my rejections at events come from darkies, but I turn around and see them posing for the light-skinned photographers. It is what it is. Skin colour is a factor in event photography. I let no one cramp my passion for what I do.”
Roger explains that colourism is deeply rooted and goes beyond photography. “It’s a global problem of racism. People have been mentally programmed to see lighter skin as better. So in marketing, they mainly want lighter ladies up front—even in the Caribbean.”
Born in Port-of-Spain—John John, to be exact—Roger, who will be 61 next month, has always had a passion for art. It dates back to his days at Barataria Junior Secondary. “There was a photography class—the darkroom, processing film and such. I did not know then how those classes would be a deep seed planted,” he reflects. He later pursued the subject while attending Barataria Senior Comprehensive School. “My teacher, Mr Makimba, touched my soul. I always wanted to be an artist after his teachings.”
His father also came in for high praise for passing down his artistic genes. He could create magic with his hands—carving, sewing, plumbing, costume-making. “Anything creative he would do with excellence and without any formal training. I guess I absorbed; I sponged without knowing. Gifts from the ancestors were passed on to me—that’s how I feel.”
Roger knows what it is to grind with no excuses. He spent years working in the steel mill and in the security field, practising his craft on his days off. He tried going full-time twice but failed because the jobs didn’t come through, forcing him back to the drawing board. About ten years ago, he decided to trust his abilities one more time. An artist and painter, transitioning to the instant gratification of photography felt natural to him.
“It would take me three or four weeks to do one painting. A photo takes me three or four seconds—or even happens in a moment.”
He has not given up on art completely, though. For him, there is nothing quite like creating on a plain piece of canvas using paint or pastel. “My goal is to go full circle. That’s one of the reasons I shoot the way I do,” he says.
Now living in Chaguanas, Roger views his body of work as his legacy. “I don’t have children, hence why I passionately do photography. I feel like that may be all I have to leave behind, other than a good name.”
Driven by a desire to continuously push the envelope and perfect his craft, he travels far and wide, including Panama and Colombia, capturing people and places. His latest adventure took him all the way to the Motherland, where he documented the sights and sounds of everyday life—an experience that brought him to tears.
“While visiting the slums of Nairobi, Kenya, I understood why I was here. If I could help one person make it out, I will. I visited the countryside and stayed in upper-class housing for two weeks. Everything was a lesson. I actually stood in the streets and cried, not fully understanding why. I believe my biggest takeaway from that visit is to never forget where I’ve been and where I have to go.”
Today, Roger is focused on passing on his knowledge through workshops. He is also rebranding and diving into other ventures, including more travel, more street photography, and expanding his website.
“Look Into My Eyes has so much more to come. Thank you to the people who pushed me when I wanted to give up—the ones who helped me and believed in me,” he says. “Some gave me opportunities to prove that I could and would be the best. Every good photo I capture brings my heart joy, over and over.”
