Alex Handley
Award winning photographer and photojournalist, Alex Handley, graduated with BA (Hons)
Photography in 2002 and MA Photography in 2004 at Bradford College.
Alex has been making headlines for his photojournalism even as a
student, winning the Fuji Student Award in 1999 and the National
No Smoking Day Competition in 2000. He later won the Ilford Spirit
of the World Cup competition in 2006 and has collected numerous
other prizes and sponsorships.
“I left school with no qualifications and in my early 20s it dawned
on me that it would be a very long hard road unless I did something.
After a 2 year Foundation course in Leeds I got unconditional
offers from 5 universities around the country.
I left a degree
course disillusioned and happened upon Bradford College. Trevor
Griffiths was a great inspiration to me then and still is. I had great
experiences at the College. I was always very focussed.
To be a photographer you have to have lots of drive, good research
and people skills, be humble and always ready to learn. While I was
a student I worked with Terry Cryer, the big 1960s jazz photographer
who also worked with the McCartneys. He rejected my first
approach as he didn’t like students and was moving house. I was so
determined I hired a van to help him move his extensive darkroom!
Terry is now a good friend and I still work with him sometimes.
I also worked with the late Bob Carlos Clark. After he judged the anti-
smoking competition, he offered me the chance to work with him.
I have never turned work down as I want the experience. People
laughed when I spent a day photographing dog bones, but the same
company then had me photograph some of the stars of Lock, Stock
and Two Smoking Barrels.
Photography is personal, as much about what I have done in my
life as the subject. When people look back at my work I don’t
necessarily want them to think ‘he photographed some great
things’, but ‘hasn’t he seen and been part of some great things?’
Good photojournalism often comes when you have the chance and
the time to spend with people. If you are accepted and tolerated you
are able to take the pictures that you want that are objective rather
than subjective.”
Alex has been photographing circuses since 2004. His work
encompasses spectacle and performance but also captures the
communities involved. He is planning to commence a PhD in the
near future.
Photograph by Trevor Griffiths