For more than a decade, Finn Lewis has moved effortlessly through the worlds of fashion, art, and image-making, building a career defined as much by presence as by versatility. Yet beyond the camera lies someone far more introspective: a self-described introvert, creative wanderer, and storyteller quietly expanding his artistic horizons. From his upbringing in Telford to a life shaped by London’s creative energy, Lewis reflects on identity, vulnerability, visibility, and the desire to create work that resonates beyond the surface. In this conversation for Yummyzine 12, he speaks candidly about modelling, music, intimacy, and the evolving relationship between the person he is and the image the world sees.
The images are cropped/made safe for online purposes, full images available inside Yummyzine Issue Twelve
Photo story by YUMMY STUDIO, INterview by Adrian Gomis Exposito
An Interview with Finn Lewis
AGE. Let's start at the beginning: who is Finn when no one is watching? What does your inner world look and feel like?
FL. I’m actually pretty introverted and a bit of a geek. I can really go inside myself and get lost in my own little worlds a lot of the time!
AGE. You grew up in Telford and then spent a decade building a life in London. How did that shift shape who you are, and do you feel like those two versions of yourself coexist?
FL. I first visited London when I was 10 years old with my grandad, and I knew it was where I needed to be, so in a lot of ways, I don’t really differentiate the two versions. It just felt inevitable that I would end up in the city.
AGE. Ten years in modelling is a long time. How has your relationship with the work changed? What did it mean to you at the start versus what it means now?
FL. It has been a long time since you put it like that! I think any work you do for a long time changes as you grow and come into yourself, maybe even more so with something like modelling, which relies so much on the person. I feel much more confident and empowered now, and I think that shows in how I come across, on and off camera. I’m able to enjoy it so much more now, taking the whole process for what it is.
AGE. Life modelling is a very particular kind of work. What drew you to it, and what does that specific experience of being seen teach you about yourself?
FL. I work with Atelier Social, which is this really cool, queer-run life drawing event. It just felt like time to try some new creative outlets, and it's been so rewarding to see myself through the eyes of others, which are, by nature, so much more subjective than a camera lens. To see yourself portrayed through the filter of someone else’s experience is really humbling, in the best way.
AGE. Working with a house like JW Anderson carries a certain creative weight. How do you decide which projects feel true to you, and which don't?
FL. It’s honestly just a feeling, usually. Do I like the sound of it? Does it inspire me? What do I want from the work? I feel like the instinct has done me pretty well so far. I’ve got lots of work I’m really proud to be part of, and have worked with some truly incredible people across the years.
AGE. You're beginning to explore music and other creative outlets. What's driving that expansion, and what are you trying to say that modelling alone can't carry?
FL. I think it’s a desire to tell my own stories, rather than be part of someone else’s. I love collaborating with other creatives, I always will, but as I experience more of the world, I feel compelled to process and disseminate that through creative work of my own. I think we are all just striving to listen to our spirit and honour what it needs as we make sense of our human experience.
AGE. When people see your work, your images, your presence, what do you hope they feel or recognise in themselves?
FL. Honestly, I would love my work to help people feel good, maybe a bit of escapism, even momentarily. But really, as with any creative work, it’s really not up to me. Once it’s perceived, it’s something else, something outside of me. I have always loved that, the unknown element of how people will experience your work.
Quick-Fire Questions
AGE. Three words that describe where you are right now?
FL. Honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness.
AGE. A song that feels like it was made for you?
FL. ‘Bruises Off The Peach’ by Ryan Beatty.
AGE. Something London gave you that Telford couldn't?
FL. Expansion.
AGE. Something Telford gave you that London never could?
FL. Roots.
AGE. One thing people read wrong about you?
FL. I’m kinder than I come across in photos!
AGE. A ritual that keeps you steady?
FL. Working out and moving my body
AGE. What does a good day actually look like for you?
FL. Good coffee, movement, laughter
AGE. Something you're in the middle of figuring out?
FL. Everything!
AGE. A place where you feel most like yourself?
FL. On my nan’s sofa.
Unveiling His Yummy Side
FL. You know, in our teens and even now, my best friend and I tell one another, “You look so yummy right now”. It’s like the highest form of compliment for us. So that’s what it is to me: confidence delivered with love!
AGE. This shoot for Yummyzine 12 brought out the edge in you. How did it feel to be in front of the camera for this one? Was there anything that surprised you?
FL. I’m actually surprised we managed to capture that edge, because we laughed so much on set that day. It felt like we really hit a flow, and I think the images do capture that ease despite the strength in them.
AGE. Is there a difference between how you inhabit desire or intimacy in front of a camera and how you experience it in your actual life?
FL. I’d like to think I’m a bit softer and more tender in real life. I am a Pisces, after all!
AGE. What does it feel like when someone looks at you and really sees you, not the model, not the image, but you?
FL. It can be pretty confronting. Being presented to the world as an image feels much safer sometimes, but the real joy of life is in the vulnerability of being seen, so it’s important to lean into the fragility of that.
AGE. If someone wanted to get your attention, what would they have to do?
FL. Talking to me about music is usually a pretty good “in”. Mariah Carey is a particularly low-hanging fruit.
AGE. What’s your favourite underwear to use on a daily basis? Do you have any go-to pieces for special occasions?
FL. I’m actually a loose boxer kind of guy, the sort that bunches up over your jeans. The only time I wear tighter stuff off camera is if I’m training and I need the extra support!
AGE. Are you more dangerous, fully clothed or with nothing on at all?
FL. Depends on how killer the outfit is… but the birthday suit is always a good option.
AGE. You give off serious tease energy with your thirst traps… what do you enjoy more: the attention, the control, or the way it boosts your confidence?
FL. Now, whoever said I was teasing?
AGE. What’s something subtle you do that you know drives people crazy?
FL. It’s all in the eye contact, for sure.
A Final Note
AGE. What are you building, artistically, personally, quietly, and what do you hope people feel when they encounter your work five years from now? What are your hopes for the future in general?
FL. I just hope I continue to feel inspired, and that I have the fortune and confidence to pursue whatever that inspiration looks like. I’d love for people to have a fuller view of my world in years to come, and for that world to be full of work that inspires conversation, thought, and feeling. Who knows what form that will take? I just know I’m open to, and excited by, all the possibilities.
