Private View LPA 'Lets Face It' 7 Awards

Here are some photos from the private view. One shot from my Bronze winning series was exhibited while the others rotated as part of a slide show on the screen photographed below. It was a great night, not least because after the exhibition I went to see Kylie perform at the O2 which was a great way to celebrate!

New work/ Expatriates!

I have been very busy of late producing new work, winning awards, retouching and putting images into syndication. Anyway, more about that later....

For now, here is a recent and ongoing personal project looking at the sub-culture of expatriates. The following portraits were all shot in Singapore but my intention is to take this project to other countries in which there is a large expat population.

This project will be imminently posted on my website and here is the blurb i am midway through drafting:

EXPATRIATE

“An expatriate (or expat) is a person residing in a country and culture other than that of the person’s upbringing or legal residence.

Globalisation has created an international market for skilled professionals. Private motivation is
becoming more relevant than company assignment.”

“Traditional corporate expatriates did not integrate and commonly only associated with the
elite of the country they were living in. Modern expats form a global middle class with shared work experiences in multi- national corporation. Integration is incomplete but strong cultural
influences are transmitted.” (citation: wikipedia)

Alex became interested in the expat culture after numerous visits to Singapore.
To Alex the lifestyle of the expat seems like a stand-alone culture; many expats don’t appear to fully integrate into local society (raising the question of whether is is ever possible to fully assimilate into another, very different culture, leaving behind ingrained socialisation?)
Subsequently a culture is created to meet the lifestyle needs of the expatriate, incorporating cultural aspects of their homeland into the new environment and combining this with local lifestyle.

Through portraiture, Alex explores the nature of expatriates.

This is an ongoing project....

LPA 'Lets Face It' 7 Awards

I have some great news and that is that I have won a photographic award with the London Photographic Association!

I won bronze for my 'Untitled' series entered into the 'Lets Face It' 7 portraiture awards. The series will feature in the LPA winner's book and the image shown below will be exhibited at The Assembly Rooms in central London. It will be up until the 29th April so do pop in if you can.

Here is a link to my profile on the London Photographic Association's website:
http://www.london-photographic-association.com/Alex_Grace

Out-takes: Andy Butler from Hercules & Love Affair

So here are a couple of out- takes from the Andy Butler shoot to tantalise your taste-buds!
I have been so busy of late, I haven't been going through old shoots but this is a start to sifting through the backlog........Enjoy!!

The Oxfam Curiosity Shop 2011

The Oxfam curiosity pop up shop opens today at Selfridges.
Get down there and grab yourself a bargain.
Tons of celebs have donated outfits and I shot the stills campaign.
Below is the promotional video and the stills

In A Taxi with Christian Cooke

So this was out back in February but only just got around to scanning it....My In a Taxi with.... Christian Cooke tearsheet.......

Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby!!!

Recently I shot Ruby Wax at Julie's coffee shop in Holland Park, London and here is the article......it was fun to meet Ruby and also fun to visit Julie's!

Happy International Women's Day

Today is International Women's Day and I was asked by Oxfam to shoot some celebrity portraits for the Equals Campaign.

This involved photographing Annie Lennox, Miranda Richardson, Jane Shepherdson, Mariella Frostrup, Beverly Knight and VV Brown holding up the Equals placard with their own statements on Equality for women and what the world will be like when we have this.

More on the Equals Campaign here: http://www.weareequals.org

International Women's Day (8 March) is a global day celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future. In some places like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.

It is important and relevant because in many parts of the World women still do not have Equality, are not safe and face discrimination and injustice, which is quite simply NOT ACCEPTABLE!

More on International Women's Day here: http://www.internationalwomensday.com

Mariella Frostrup wrote a great article for Sunday's Observer and if you are in any doubt as to why we need International Women's Day, please take some time to read it:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/mar/06/feminism-global-challenge-one-voice

Langkawi boat

Here is something which caught my eye over the weekend in Langkawi, Malaysia......they are just snapshots but I really like the simplicity of them...

Christian Cooke

Christian Cooke is a talented young actor from Yorkshire and I shot him back in December for You magazine's 'In A Taxi with....' page. The shoot was featured in the mag on 6th Feb (i think!).

Anyway it was a last minute request from You mag and Christian was dashing off to a Channel 4 photoshoot for 'The Promise', the 4 part series recently broadcast on Channel 4 in the UK (last episode airs this Sunday).

Paul Keating @ The London Palladium

Paul Keating is a British actor currently starring as the Scarecrow in 'The Wizard of Oz' which is previewing at the London Palladium right now.

The show opens to the public on 1st March and reviews thus far have been promising. I plan to go see it next month.

I shot Paul during a rehearsal break at the Palladium so I didn't have him for very long.

The Palladium was also upside down as they were just finishing off refurbishments in time for the show opening.

Check out Paul's t-shirt - it's a dog made of buttons. I liked it a lot!

Toby

Today I would like to introduce you to Toby. Toby is very special as he is my Grandmother's dog, therefore he is loved dearly.

Toby entered my Grandparents life's about 9 years ago when he was discovered, a bit worse for wear, wandering aimlessly around a field. A settlement of gypsy's had just left and he was presumed abandoned/ lost. I think it was my Aunty Kath who found him and initially my Grandparents said no, having been heartbroken by the loss of their first dog, Jess a few years earlier.

Anyway, Toby soon won their hearts and he now happily resides with my Grandma who refers to him as her 'little love', cooks him special meals and generally spoils him rotten.

I like Toby a lot, he's a right little character. And I love these pictures as they are so full of expression. I would like to know what Toby was thinking about as I was shooting......

Happy Valentines Day!

For Valentine's day, Diva Magazine produced 'The Love Issue' and asked me to shoot the cover and 7 inside pages showing couples in love.

The shoot was fun, I enjoy hearing stories about how couples met and good, happy relationships inspire me.

Thanks to everyone who took part and of course, Happy V Day!