IRWIN LEWIS is a San Francisco-based photographer, Native American born in Southern California, but raised on Gila River, Arizona reservation. Tribe, Akimel O’odham. Irwin is known for his black and white street photography, a visual storyteller that captures the light and darkness around the Bay Area and in Japan. Irwin is greatly intrigued by other cultures and the idea of how some cultures have to live in two different worlds, the modern world and the traditional world. This personal idea inspires him to create the best possible photographs where the past, present and future collide.
Irwin studied photography at Academy of Art University in San Francisco, CA. Although, he was briefly interested in becoming a musician, Irwin decided to keep making photographs because he loved the idea of documenting his family, friends, and strangers. Telling their story through photographs.
Irwin has recently received the “Creative Corps Initiative” grant (2023) from Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. He has also worked on commission for GAP inc., MH Group Travel (Japan), StarChefs, and the Native American Health Center.
When Irwin is not on assignment he is making music or skateboarding, to help construct his mental visualization to not just take pictures, but to make photographs.

“My mental construct of culture in this world, has always given me inspiration in my photography. The idea of how some cultures have to live in two worlds, the modern world and the traditional world.”

-Irwin Lewis