AlphaRose Photography

Gotta have my cheeky Red Vs Blue reference somewhere…

TLDR;

Find someone who tells you to keep going, even when you don’t want to.

I was always the weird kid who would rather live in their own fantasy world than reality.

What didn’t help was my ungodly obsession with small Youtube Creators circa 2008. I’d found these two lads who loved Doctor Who and created silly little sketches about them. They were everything to me. Just two people and a little camera, creating something that to my little 8 year old brain was fantastic! I’d later go on to meet one of them and now, he’s a friend of mine.

Writing became my escape. I was introduced to Wattpad and AO3, places people shared their work and I did the same. It became something that, even now, I find solace in. Creating Fan-Fictions or even trying to create a whole world. One day I’ll finish the story I started in 2012… maybe.

Later on, I’d go on to study “Creative Media Production (Film & TV)” at A-Level, loving the writing and pre-production but hating the actual making of the film. We did one unit on Photography and learning how a camera worked, that was probably my favourite. We got given the cameras for a few days and let loose with it! It was great!

After school, I was lost. My mental health plummeted, I was moving around a lot and was thrown into the Adult life. I lost all my hobbies outside of gaming and felt a bit…isolated. After Ed and I moved in together, he told me that he had a soft spot for Nature Photography and always wanted to get into it. A few weeks later, he came home with a secondhand DSLR from CEX. We messed about with it and I mentioned it was something I enjoyed.

That was when Lottie got in the mix.

An avid cosplayer, someone who, even as kids, was always photogenic and loved being in the spotlight. She recommended looking at Cosplay Photography, using her as a test dummy. She basically just wanted easy access to a photographer without paying £100’s, and knew I’d never charge her!

So that’s what we did. October 2022, we’re at London MCM Comic-Con and she’s trying to encourage me but I’m just too lost and anxious. I just wanted to enjoy the event. I didn’t know anyone, didn’t know what to do so just, left the camera in my bag and enjoyed the weekend away. I’d been to conventions and London Comic Con before but only as a teen, not as an adult and especially not as someone who was trying to work the event!

This is the only photo I can find from the event.

Once we all got back home and I moved up to Preston, we ended up trying again. Lottie would come over, we’d find a new location and take the camera & a random cosplay she had. Through this, I got back the social anxiety of being a photographer and learned what I needed to as I went. I knew the basics of a camera (Shutter Speed, Aperture and depth of field) from Film but after that, I was lost. I was learning Lightroom editing through pushing buttons and seeing what happened.

May 2023 though, that’s where everything changed.

We ended up back at MCM London and Lottie introduced me to a range of people, explaining that I’m wanting to get back into photography but needed a bit of, to quote Lottie, a kick up the ass. Here I met two people who, unbeknowst to them, would become my biggest influences and driving forces.

Millie and Lawrence.

They were so warm and welcoming to me, being nothing short of supportive and encouraging. Lawrence made sure I took care of myself, not forgetting to eat and drink (it was like, 30 degrees and direct sunlight) and Millie let me watch her work to see what I could learn. It was actually Lawrence that encouraged me to not be afraid to move, lie on the floor, climb a tree and get weird with it. These cosplayers are wrapped up like a Christmas tree, carrying 20+kg on them. They can’t exactly move so we have to!

I came away from that event loving photography even more, knowing what I was capable of. I even had people messaging ME asking to shoot! It was crazy.

The only downside? The social media of it. I’m terrible at that! I had a Photography Instagram but never used it. Lottie’s tried to help but I’m useless!

Over the course of 2023 & 2024, I’d do more conventions and more 1-1 shoots with Lottie. Everytime, I’d learn something knew. I’d have an idea, she’d have a costume. Or vice versa. From that, it just grew.

Ed was so supportive of it, even being my “Shadow Tog” when I’d have an idea but physically couldn’t take it. But mainly, he was my postive support. Every wasted shoot or bad photograph, he’d remind me I’m still learning and starting, that I’m not useless and I can do this. If it wasn’t for Ed’s constant support and love, I’d really not be in the place I am now.

Literally.

I wasn’t going to apply to university out of fear I wasn’t good enough or I was too old. He told me that it’s the best time and if I don’t like it, I am young enough to walk away and try something else. I’m so lucky to have someone like him by my side.

If it wasn’t for Lottie and Ed, I’d not be sat here, 11pm on a Wednesday night writing up my history and searching up what the hell portraiture actually means.

Well, here’s to the next four years and seeing what happens…

Mentioned Photographers & Creators:

Millie – @ameliacarvellphotography

Lawrence – @law_sedgwick_photography

Lottie – @cos_Lottie

Photographed Creators:

Queenie – @Cosqueenie

Bee – @theQueerBumblebee