Alex Frayne, a photographic artist and filmmaker born in London and now based in Adelaide, has carved a distinctive path through both cinema and still imagery. He is currently a judge for The Mono Awards.
Initially making his mark in filmmaking, his photographic books and series quickly gained recognition, with the noir-tinged Adelaide Noir (2014) and Theatre of Life (2017) earning critical and public acclaim. In 2020, he released his third photobook, Landscapes of South Australia, through Wakefield Press.
Frayne’s eye for character and atmosphere has twice earned him a place as a finalist in the National Photographic Portrait Prize – in 2012 with The Seventy-Year-Old Jetty Jumper (2011) and again in 2017 with The Hermit (2016).
His compassionate and unflinching series The Overseers of Streets, which documents members of Adelaide’s homeless community, has played a role in highlighting the realities of urban poverty.
His landscapes, and many of his portraits, possess a distinctly cinematic quality. Each image carries a striking atmosphere, shaped by elements such as lighting, mist or fog, the subject’s demeanour, or Frayne’s skilful post-production work.
Interestingly, he always shoots on film, even to this day
Alex Frayne can best be be summarized by art critic Simon Caterson. "...The book (Landscapes of South Australia) confirms that Frayne, who uses old cameras and expired film in his artistic practice, deserves to be thought of alongside Ansel Adams and the other great landscape photographers..."
You can see more of Alex's work on his website, or follow him on Instagram.
