Alex Hyde | https://alexhydetakesphotographs.wordpress.com
What do you do?
If I had to categories my style of photography I’d say I’m an urban documentary photographer. I’m currently studying Photography at Manchester Metropolitan University and live in Manchester so I spend a lot of my time exploring the city and it’s surrounding areas. In my last series ‘Forgotten Manchester’ I explored the outer areas of the city documenting locations that had been deeply neglected and composed them against the thriving skyline of the city.
What are the biggest changes you see happening in your industry?
As I’m a young photographer and still a student my experience in the business of photography is minimal however I’d say the internet has become the most powerful force in photography. Apps such as Instagram have completely changed the manor in which people view photographs.
What opportunities and challenges will these changes bring about?
Instagram is a great app, my work gets seen by more people on Instagram than almost any other platform I publish my work on. The challenge with the internet is the density of artists and photographers publishing their content, the creative fields are more competitive than ever and getting recognition for your work is difficult. I suppose this can be seen as motivation for improvement and separating yourself from the competition.
What are your biggest goals?
My long term goal is make a successful living out of photography, Gallery shows and book publishing are the fields I would like to focus on. My short term goals are to keep improving my skills in all areas and working towards a first in my degree. I’m attempting to maintain my life here in Manchester are it is a great city for the arts.
Who and what would you need to reach your goals fast?
Achieving my goals is up to me, at my current age I need to keep developing every aspect of my practice so that when I leave university I have the skills to produce ever ambitious work. I also need to focus my time on exhibitions and collaboration as a means of extending the reach of my work and exposing my work to new people.
Finally, who should contact you and why?
I’m not the most commercially minded photographer out there but I do understand the uses of commercial work in terms of making a living and getting recognition from an every growing list of businesses clients.
