Tell us a little about yourself, who are you and what do you do?
My name is Alexandra Cameron, and I'm a natural light photographer that specialises in portraiture.
What does an average day look like for you?
I wake up at about 7:30 am and do my morning shower and skincare, then I come downstairs and have a hot chocolate and check my social media. I usually grab my laptop and start editing whatever I'm working on from the day or two before. If it's a shoot day, I edit or do admin in the morning and then shoot with a client in the afternoon. After the shoot, I start the transfer, and while the card is copying over, I take the dogs for a walk. Once I'm back, I pop on a film (recently been rewatching all of my favourite Ghibli's) and start to edit, which I'll do until bedtime and usually carry on till the following day.
What advice do you have for striking a work/life balance?
Being my own boss really helps that, though it's taken some time to work out the best system for myself. For me, with work, I've worked out that I need at least a day in between shoots to edit. Last year I had a busy period and booked in 5 shoots in a row which was stressful mainly because I had jobs overlapping, so I shot in the day and edited all evening into the morning till the next shoot; it didn't leave time for anything. Now I usually book shoots on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sometimes I can get the editing done in the evening so that I have more time the next day, once I've caught up with admin/emails, to see friends or walk with mum or see my niece etc. I think I've got the right balance now, but it is intimidating to be booked months in advance, so we'll see how it all goes.
What advice do you have for striking a work/life balance?
Being my own boss really helps that, though it's taken some time to work out the best system for myself. For me, with work, I've worked out that I need at least a day in between shoots to edit. Last year I had a busy period and booked in 5 shoots in a row which was stressful mainly because I had jobs overlapping, so I shot in the day and edited all evening into the morning till the next shoot; it didn't leave time for anything. Now I usually book shoots on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sometimes I can get the editing done in the evening so that I have more time the next day, once I've caught up with admin/emails, to see friends or walk with mum or see my niece etc. I think I've got the right balance now, but it is intimidating to be booked months in advance, so we'll see how it all goes.
What anxieties, if any, do you hold about your life/career? And how do you deal with them?
My anxieties about work generally centre around the jobs drying up; I think it's most self-employed people's fear. Any money I earn I put away waiting for the inevitable moment the jobs will stop, I'm not sure that anxiety will ever leave. In terms of anxiety in life, I suffer from derealisation, which is a dissociative disorder and also, since the pandemic, generalised anxiety. I'm high functioning but can't travel and haven't left the country in 10 years which is heart-breaking and tough for my career.
Model and activist Nyome Nicholas-Williams by Alex Cameron
What do you consider your biggest failure? And how did you persevere and grow from the experience?
I've been thinking about personal failures for a few days, and to be honest, I don't know if there's one clear poetic one; I think there are a millions little ones! Some of the hardest are images I've taken that I've been really excited about and took some planning but didn't look great on the computer or edit correctly, so I had to scrap.
When working on a new project how do you overcome self-doubt and fear?
I make sure no money is involved, haha. I love doing personal projects because the only one I can truly let down is me; letting others down is the worst.
Do you have any rituals that help with your work or mental health?
I hate jobs overlapping, so the best thing for my mental health is to shoot and edit before the next shoot. I also love pushing myself to take self-portraits now and again; it's literal therapy.
Author Dolly Alderton by Alex Cameron
Can you recommend any resources that have helped you in your career?
No, but I would say if you want to pursue photography, follow a lot of photographers; inspiration is the main thing that will help your career.
What's the best and worst advice you've ever been given?
Best is 'decide that you want it more than you're afraid of it.' I can't think of a worst.
Are there any misconceptions about what you do that you'd like to dispel or clarify?
My job is 40% unpaid work.
How do you navigate social media, any rules or guidelines you set for yourself?
I tell myself that It's my little corner of the internet, and I should share whatever I want.
