Humanitarian Documentary Work

Lewendon’s humanitarian work is built on long-term presence and trust. He has been repeatedly embedded with humanitarian missions in conflict zones and areas of displacement, often during periods when access for the media is restricted. He is trusted not just to photograph, but to witness responsibly.

His photographs do not dramatise. They don’t simplify or overstate. They reflect the reality of people living through instability—without stripping them of dignity or agency. He works closely with NGOs, medical teams, and local communities, building relationships that allow for honest and respectful documentation.

He is trained in hostile environment awareness (HEAT) and CBRN response, giving him the preparation and discipline needed to work in high-risk and sensitive contexts. But what truly shapes his work is not training—it’s patience, humility, and care.

He does not impose a narrative. He stays long enough for one to emerge.

Children of Gaza

In 2024, Tom Lewendon travelled twice to Gaza, including an extended embed inside Al-Aqsa Hospital during an active siege. With international media barred, he worked independently alongside humanitarian teams, documenting civilian life, medical efforts, and quiet moments of survival under bombardment.

Donate and learn more about Lewendon’s Initiative to publish his photo book project, “The Kites Still Fly” HERE

Street Photographer

Tom Lewendon’s street photography mirrors his work in conflict zones: calm, observant, and interested in the unnoticed. Whether in Berlin, Kyiv, Rafah, or Times Square, he’s drawn to the moments that drift past without announcement—a look, a hesitation, an untold story waiting to vanish.

He doesn’t approach street photography as theatre or commentary. It’s a form of listening. His images are built around instinct and timing, shaped by light, rhythm, and stillness. They are quiet portraits of public life, often charged with tension, loneliness, humour, or connection.

What unites all of his work—street or war zone—is the focus on what lives underneath. On what might otherwise be missed.