Showing posts with label people. Show all posts
Showing posts with label people. Show all posts

Monday 31 August 2020

English Rose portraits

English Rose by Alexandra King Photography Black Woman queen royalty

If  I don't share these photos now I'll sit on them waiting for the 'right time'.

The main English Rose photograph is the image that means the most to me of the whole set. My studio came with these murals and I had it noted on my shot list to see if the Queen Elizabeth 1st would work as a portrait shot. I had planned for Sophia to do a similar pose to Princess Margaret in the Cecil Beaton Dior dress image, sat with the dress flared all around and looking regal. The proportions and idea of Elizabeth looming over Sophia didn't work. 
I asked Sophia sit up on the mantelpiece where she nestled in front of Elizabeth as a successor rather than a subject. 
The result portrays An English Rose.

I'm really pleased with them but have been looking at them non stop for the last 7 days and have lost all perspective. I hope when I look back on them next year I will still love some of these shots. 

Sophia made every shot beautiful, it was impossible to choose. Usually I get maybe 20% usable images from a shoot. The model will be awkward, I will be awkward or use the wrong settings. This shoot there were 90% usable. A professional model makes a huge difference. 

I booked Sophia to model as I had worked with her before and knew she was professional and had the face I needed. Sophia is also a designer maker and creative from London so in this image in particular was fitting not just in looks but in identity. I understand this is very much my gaze and in truth about my cultural identity being British and needing a way to look at it with hope and pride. 
To feel the shame of being English which I had for so long discounted all the people here who are brilliant and inspiring and just getting on. I gave too much focus to those who hate and need to only give air to those who hope. 

I just kept saying to myself, focus on the beautiful. This is what its about. 

These are my favorite 11 today
Model - Sophia Brown aka Velvet Jones 
Photographs - Alexandra King
Dresses - Alexandra King 

Tuesday 11 August 2020

Pink Peony Dress Remnant Photographs


alexandra king fine art fashion photography peony dress

The remaining photos that didn't make it to the set that I still liked on their own. Some were experiments, some with a different light. When I shot these a year ago I loved making everything misty. When I can to edit them this week I wanted things sharper. I guess I'll keep changing styles and using different techniques for different situations. 

Sunday 7 June 2020

Black Lives Matter Bristol June 7th


Today I marched because black lives matter. I was here for my Mum and all the people of colour who have had to carry the pain of racism for hundreds of years. 
As a white person I must take responsibility and use my privilege to stand in the way of racism. 
We can't change history but we can change our future. Children of colour are entitled to grow up with opportunities, with confidence and pride in themselves. With absolute equality. 
No virus is as deadly as racism. 

I would like to thank the organizers, smart young people who bought people together and led a peaceful, respectful protest. The removal of the despicable slave trader statue was a joyous point in the march and simply a job that needed doing a long time ago. 

Update - In the week that has now passed I have thought a lot about photographing this moment. Was it voyeurism or documenting a moment that was important to me? Street photography and taking peoples photos without permission in public is hard, it feels invasive despite being perfectly legal and well intentioned.
How would I feel if I had been photographed, I probably was as there were lots of photographers all getting their shots. I suppose I would be fine as long as I looked ok! My face is out there in public anyway and I hope I am a kind photographer. 

Photographing protests in less safe countries ie. China would be a different process. It would be wrong to share anyone's faces. If I photographed the pulling down of the statue it wouldn't have been ok to share the peoples faces as they could have been at risk of arrest.

I need a lesson in ethics and photography. MORE PHOTOS BELOW.



Saturday 30 May 2020

First night of Lockdown





The first night of lockdown. March 21st. A lot to think about and contemplate. 

Monday 25 May 2020

Art Box


art box sorting alexandra king

There has been a lot more time to sort out things like old art boxes recently.  

artist hands alexandra king photography

artist hands alexandra king

art box pencils

art box



coloured pencils

A Walk in the Country

photo of an island copse in somerset

Fitting for the time, it is rumored that this island copse of trees with a moat all around was where the village buried their dead during the plague. I'm not sure its true but an interesting grim concept.

Under lockdown I have discovered what's around me in every direction. Its been so beautiful in the Somerset countryside, I don't want to get back to normal. These were taken over a few different walks in April where we were very glad to have moved back home with my parents earlier in the year. 

Tuesday 22 October 2019

Climate Strike Wells - 20th September 2019

Extinction rebellion flag Wells Somerset Alexandra King photography

Extinction Rebellion Climate Strike in Wells Somerset. Wells has an active sustainable group along with newly elected progressive leaders on the council from the Green Party and Lib Dems. 

I missed the meeting in the town square but couldn't miss the huge procession of people young and mature walking past the studio window. People settled on the Cathedral green with their vibrant banners and pledges, a wonderful mix of school children, parents and grandparents. 

It was a positive step forward with clear actions we all can take to be responsible citizens of this planet. 


Climate strike poster protest Wells Somerset Alexandra King

Humans are dodos climate strike Somerset Alexandra King photography

The body shop climate strike UK Alexandra King photography

Extinction rebellion climate strike Wells Somerset Alexandra King photography

Extinction rebellion climate strike Wells Somerset Alexandra King photography


Climate strike Wells Cathedral Somerset UK Alexandra King photography

Climate strike UK Alexandra King photography

Climate strike UK Alexandra King photography

Climate strike UK extinction rebellion  Alexandra King photography

Wells climate strike pledge Uk alexandra King photography

Climate strike Somerset UK Alexandra King

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