Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandria LaNier.
Hi Alexandria, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
I began my journey as a photographer and costume designer over 20 years ago. My first project was a series of fairies in costumes that I photographed in botanical gardens. That project was very successful as I won Best in Show at San Diego Comic-Con and was featured on the cover of Fairie Magazine twice in the US and UK along with The Field magazine in the UK. My love for photography and costume design continued with an Alice in Wonderland series that became very popular in various mediums. My complete Alice in Wonderland series is available on Amazon in a book form. One of the images from that series is featured in a book dedicated to the history of Alice in Wonderland titled Alice’s Wonderland, A Visual Journey through Lewis Carroll’s Mad, Mad World by Catherine Nichols. I then went on to create a Wonderful Wizard of Oz series. I also photographed a series of Mermaids and have a beautiful Mermaid Lagoon calendar available through Zazzle. Whew, I have done quite a few photographic series. My last series took 6 years to complete and is very unique because I stopped photographing models and started photographing adorable zombie rag dolls for my Little Zombie Kidz 12 book series for children 8-12 years of age, available on Amazon. Fast forward to today, and I find myself in one of the most beautiful locations in the United States. From an artist’s standpoint, the south has a tremendous amount of inspiration to fuel many project ideas. It’s so rich with beauty, history, and culture that I find myself falling in love with all of it! And so, I’ve planted myself in the middle of it all and moved to Columbia, SC. From here, I can be on location in any southern state within just a few hours’ time. There is a lot to learn and explore, and that’s what I’m here for. Right now, I’m concentrating on landscapes of Savannah and Charleston. I find both locations to be quite magical. In many ways, I feel like I was always destined to be here as my style has always been a bit southern.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Not everything is easy, and projects can run into difficulties. Over time, learning that things just happen has taught me to embrace the curve balls that get thrown my way. For example, if it’s raining, find a way to use the rain to tell a story. Sometimes difficult situations may require learning a new skill. I’ve had to wear many hats as an artist/photographer. I’ve found it’s best to think ahead about everything that could come my way to help move things along much smoother during the process.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
First, I would like to say that I am a huge fan of other photographers’ works! I drool over images all the time. It seems funny, but it’s my passion, and it keeps me feeling connected. However, I think what sets me apart from everyone else is the fact that I specialize in fantasy and costume. I have a unique artist’s eye because of this. We all look through a lens differently, and that is the magic of the art of photography and design. When I shoot a landscape or garden, I always see it as a magical place and as scouting for future shoots. Best of all, many of my nature/landscape images look amazing on canvas and metal and are great for interior design, which is another thing I specialize in!
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
I was a mix between a tomboy and girly girl. I loved movies, music, dancing, gymnastics, and at a very early age loved costumes. I loved when the seasons changed and the holidays came growing up, and still do today. Decorating for the holidays has always been a big deal in my house. Often times I would take long walks in nature and gather small treasures like moss, mushrooms, berries, bark, and flowers then make fairy houses and fairy costumes out of pressed flowers. I spent many hot summers reading books, with my favorite stories almost always taking place in the south; I loved photography and first took it in high school. As a child, I always looked at photography as the coolest job in the world!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: alexandrialanierofficial
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/AlexandriaLaNier
Image Credits
Alexandria LaNier
