Alesha Hickmans

My name is Alesha Hickmans and I'm a 22 year old fashion and documentary photographer based in Bristol. My work often takes shape as a fashion editorial, however I often use this to embed a narrative and tell a story through the casting, location and of course styling. Instagram:

My most recent body of work re-visits a childhood favourite by Enid Blyton; The Famous 5. The work was shot within the fashion idiom but the casting and locations all chosen in a way that would challenge the social issues within Blyton's books such as; racism, homophobia, sexism and so on by creating a modern and diverse version of the characters and the clothes which help create that identity.

This project is currently still ongoing and I aim to create a publication and short moving image piece.

Where would you like your work to take you?

My dream gig would be to shoot an editorial for Burberry, for sure.

Which part of your creative process do you enjoy most?

I actually really enjoy planning the shoots, casting models, pulling outfits, scouting locations and most of all collaborating. Then watching it all come together on the day!

Where do you draw inspiration from?

My friends for sure, and the places we visit. I've found that throughout the pandemic especially, I've really appreciated the places I've been and experiences I've shared with people, that's really contributed to my work this past year.

What piece of music would you say compliments your work the most?

That’s hard!! I've been listening to Frankie Stew and Harvey Gunn a lot recently, especially whilst shooting this!

Can you list a couple other creatives/friends/people you look to for inspiration?

I live in a house with 4 other great photographers, so them of course!! But also Hannah Moon, Brianna Capozzi and @jojessicapaterson has been an amazing help throughout my final year.