Hi there.
Photographer here.
You can call me Anthony.
You can also find me as
NEATSHINYOWL in most places,
including Washington, D.C., where I'm based.
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Let's begin with
Creative Approach
Three Languages.
One Vision.
Three distinct but interconnected visual vocabularies.
Each one serves a different emotional register.
Most commissions draw from more than one.
Each of these three languages emerged during a period where I underwent a little self-transformation. I searched for clarity in emotion. I found new ways of seeing.
Character as illumination. Poetry expressed as color & abstraction. The power of controlled absence.
When we work together, I look forward to interpreting you through these very same ways of seeing, until they become one cohesive language, through which your story can be told.
Selected Works from
The Portfolio
“I know who I am. I just haven't seen that version of myself in a photograph. Not yet.”
signed, you
Speaking of which,
Your Photographer
Anthony Lewis
I'm primarily a studio portrait photographer, based in Washington, D.C., exploring interpretation of identity through these carefully authored visual languages, editing, & creative direction.
My work is built specifically for people who carry complexity; especially Black and Brown women who are still in search of the best photograph of themselves.
I'm not interested in using my camera the way most people can expect a photographer to. But I am interested in dreams, the surreal, and the way most people have always hoped to be seen.
I hope you are, too.
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Editorial Feminine
Beauty, Glamour & Boudoir, as genres, serve as launchpads
for people seeking translation, sensuality, & transformation.
For some, this is an alternative but still avant-garde photo opportunity.
For others, it's an invitation to atmospheric entropy & abstraction.
This is where my work particularly excels.
SO HOW DOES IT WORK?
From Beginning To End:
The Process
STEP 01
Consultation
Every commission begins with a conversation. Before a camera is even introduced, I'll take some time to understand your goals, concerns, inspirations, & tastes. This period of time also includes how you want to feel during the session and what you want to walk away holding.
STEP 02
Pre-Production
Depending on the project, pre-production may include wardrobe guidance, location selection, styling direction, mood development, & discussion of how the final works will be used, displayed, or even shared. This phase exists so that nothing is left to chance on the day of the session.
STEP 03
The Session
Sessions are intentionally paced & collaborative. Whether you've been photographed hundreds of times or never, my process is built equally around guidance, observation, & adaptation, not performance. Over the years, I've noticed that whenever we're not serving face, being moody or stoic, the very absolute best authentic expressions always emerge naturally over time, & never on command.
STEP 04
Post Production
Finally, I enter a deliberate curation & retouching process with the amazing images we took. Please note, I do not provide RAW files or proofs. Only the strongest images are selected & refined, & bonuses bloopers or GIFs are nearly guaranteed. Lastly, my retouching approach prioritizes preservation of character & identity: that means freckles, tattoos, scars, rolls, & folds, are all generally kept.
REST
In a rushed world, it's my hope that I can help you to slow it down a little. With mementos, to boot.
Vibes
Art history, proven techniques, & considerations unique to you all share the same space, both in the session, and afterward in post.
Patina
Dust, texture, bloom, imperfections, & visual artifacts appear occasionally in my work.
Usually, intentionally.
Class
Preserving life in loud color is how I choose to remember you; the way that I get there is in Black & White.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BECOME ANYTHING OR ANYONE TO BE CAPTURED Like THIS
Let me witness you, & help preserve
a version of yourself that deserves
to be remembered.
We only ever have this moment once.
Let's hold onto it, together,
through portraiture.
Investment
Every Client. Every Session.
Beauty. Glamour. Boudoir.
A New & Improved Approach
Both servicess now include all 3 primary portrait genres
(Beauty, Glamour, & Boudoir), across all 3 visual languages.
The difference isn't just the amount of time spent on camera,
but depth, impact, & the overall size of your collection.
Across the board, my goal is to create images that feel recognizable & meaningfully just like you, reality, dreams, wishes, & all.
Looking For A Headshot?
Some visitors arrive here searching for headshots.
Professional profiles, branding, press/print materials & speaking engagements, are all examples of what we do, & what we're about.
While I am grateful to say I've created images that can function beautifully for these, my priority is photographing who you are.
Studio Portrait
Commission Minimum
From $640
$800 limited time only
🦉 2-hour guided studio session
🦉 3 distinct genres
🦉 All visual languages for each genre
🦉 Well-curated image gallery
🦉 Professional retouching
🦉 Hi-res delivery (~14 business days)
Signature Portrait
Commission Minimum
From $1200
🦉 4-hour guided studio session
🦉 3 distinct genres
🦉 All visual languages for each genre
🦉 Well-curated image multi-gallery
🦉 Professional retouching
🦉 Signature edits & composites
🦉 Hi-res segmented delivery (~1 month)
• For Studio Portraits, please arrive hair & makeup ready. This service does not include outside vendor arrangements.
• For Signature Commissions, Please arrive hair & makeup ready. Vendor services are not included.
• Wardrobe direction is collaborative, curated jointly between you & your photographer.
• Not sure which service fits your goals? Say so in your inquiry; I'm happy to recommend the right approach for you.
If you're looking for something beyond Beauty, Glamour, or Boudoir, I'm happy to say I'm also accepting
select commissions for maternity, editorial portraiture, fashion, intimate elopements, & micro-weddings.
Behind The Work
The Experience
What does it actually feel like to be in the room?
Here are some smiles to help illustrate those in-between moments.
Presence
Over Perfection:
Every session is guided, & built entirely around you; no prior experience with being photographed is necessary or assumed.
Nervousness is normal, and so is laughing halfway through realizing you actually like being photographed.
Read testimonials to see what first time clients & repeat clients alike had to say.
Or, if you're already convinced by now:
Planning, tips, & FAQ
When’s the best time to schedule photos for my birthday?
Short answer: any time.
Unpopular opinion: On your birthday.
Longer answer: if you want them on your actual birthday, at least 1 month before.
What should I wear or pack?
The way that I love a prepared girlie...
On one hand, understanding the assignment means doing the homework. On the other, it means making the rules up as you go along. Either way, visit this dedicated page to view some staples for the signature looks found elsewhere on the site, or make your way to my Resources Page for both inspiration & shopping links.
Do we need a permit for photography?
More than half of the time, you will need a permit for certain locations. On the plus side, permits are usually just rentals/scheduling concerns for studios, hotel suites, restaurants or bars, private villas, etc. I'm very happy to help guide the process ahead of time, but clients are ultimately responsible for booking their chosen venue.
Bonus tip: always add one hour extra. You simply never know who for, but it helps.
I don't have any good lingerie for a boudoir session...
Boudoir doesn't exist solely in lingerie, nor does it need to be on a bed or in a bedroom.
There's something truthful about ratty undies and a tee, if that's a story you want to tell.
If you're more interested in a clothed boudoir experience, suits, coats, & cloths come in handy.
Alternatively, the birthday suit is a freeing ensemble of wardrobe.
At Last, Your Journey
Starts Here
LESS PERFORMANCE
MORE ATTENTION
commissions by inquiry, only
PRIMARY STUDIO
Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Area
SECONDARY STUDIOS
Available for rental upon request
RESPONSE TIME
Within 2 business days
TRAVEL
Available beyond greater DMV area
DISCLAIMER
Neat Shiny Owl is neither capable of nor liable to exactly reproduce any specific existing work of art. All styles (whether external or internal), and influences are only points of reference. In the pursuit of art and the improvement of representation of people of color, we must diligently work to build and reinforce a wider gamut of phenotypes, appearances and aesthetics documented, highlighted, or otherwise personified and depicted in any accessible art.
This means more dark skin, more olive and umber tones, more broad shoulders, more breast variety, more very thin bodies just as much as more thick bodies, more hair just as much as less hair, more wide noses, more thick lips, more short people, more "average" bodies, more differently abled bodies, and absolutely more collagen & cellulite.
While the references used, whether on this site or in style-guides utilized, may not explicitly represent who you are, Anthony Lewis and all parties working on his behalf will make it their exclusive priority to only take the best of these references and apply them to you exactly as you are, and in a way that makes you shine.
Please note that the aesthetic you discover or recognize from both the social media accounts and website of Neat Shiny Owl/I Bid You Shorn is the most accurate representation of the services you are investing in and agreeing to. The art and accompanying aesthetic is highly specific, and no effort will be spared in giving the very best of that highly specific service, art, and aesthetic, to you as the customer or client.
Neat Shiny Owl adopts a no-selects & no RAWS policy, regardless of the client, and regardless of the service offered. This means you will in no way be receiving any unedited images or RAW files of any kind. This also means you will not be subject to any period of time where you are required to make choices on your own images. This also means that, especially pending great mutual vibes, you are nearly guaranteed more images overall, per portrait session, or per larger-scale project.
We hope to make amazing things together , with all of this in mind.
Thank you for your consideration.