Heidi Alexander
Photographer
"The photograph fulfills my deep need to stop things from disappearing. It makes transience less painful and retains some of the special magic, which I have looked for and found. (Dorothy Bohm)
Bohm's words describe my feelings about photography exactly.
I was born and raised in Switzerland by American parents. In 1969 my newly single mother brought me and my four siblings to live in Scotland. My father was a motor racing photographer who gave me his Leica M4 camera when I was in my late teens, and, after completing my BA degree in Scotland, I was offered a place at David Hurn’s School of Documentary Photography in Wales.
But, unable to accept the place, I remain happily self-taught and largely unprofessional.
Now retired from a career in Social Work, I continue to live in Edinburgh, enjoying all opportunities to pursue digital photography, especially street, travel, portraiture and, occasionally, commercial.
The Stockport Collection adventure, which began in the first Covid lockdown prompted me to start scanning my re-discovered 35mm images from my travels during the 1970’s.Feel free to email me via the contact page on this site for a signed copy of The Stockport Collection, postcard packs or prints.
PORTFOLIOS > Tempus Valor
Tempus Valor
The title of this project is Latin for “time value” (TV), or shutter speed priority.My learning intention was primarily technical: to relinquish the familiar comfort of AV (aperture priority) and to try to express the excitement of movement in still photographic imagery. Images with evidence of movement always made a strong emotional impact on me. Further inspiration and was found in Ernst Haas’ (1921-1986) philosophy and photography, and Roland Barthes’ (Camera Lucida, 1980) concept of ‘punctum’, i.e. to try to make images which “pierce” the viewer beyond words.The goal was to take photographs of professional classical dancers. However, to gain sufficient confidence and achieve acceptable images with shutter speeds of 30th of a second, I needed to practise with a variety of subjects and locations.Blackford Pond, in late afternoon autumn sunshine, was the one subject for practice to which I returned several times. To finish, I did gain access to photograph a classical dance rehearsal. But it was images of the birds in flight, taken during my practice process, which inadvertently, yet clearly, emerged as the body of work expressing my intention.My expectation to learn the technicalities of “time value” was eclipsed by a lesson in valuing time, appreciating process and welcoming the wordless aesthetic of the unexpected, sometimes ambiguous outcome. The inherent beauty of many of the images became the tangible reward for relinquishing familiar control in favour of unpredictable exploration.I return regularly to Blackford Pond, in November, with a camera.
Tempus Valor 1
Temous Valor 2
Tempus Valor 3
Temous Valor 4
Tempus Valor 5
Tempus Valor 6
Tempus Valor 7
Tempus Valor 8
Tempus Valor 9
Tempus Valor 10
Tempus Valor 11
Tempus Valor 12
Tempus Valor 13
Tempus Valor 14
Tempus Valor 15
Tempus Valor 16
Tempus Valor 17
Tempus Valor 18
Tempus Valor 19
Tempus Valor 20
PORTFOLIOS > Work in Progress
Rediscovering The Stockport Collection negatives in early 2020 spurred me on to dig out the rest of my analogue archive from my 1970's adventures - all made with the Leica M4 camera my father had given me.I found the slides from an extraordinary six-seater plane trip over Utah's Canyonlands and the Grand Canyon in the USA that my father had arranged for us to make in 1972.I found slides and negatives made on a memorable road trip around Morocco in 1976, and further images from the USA, Europe and Scotland, all during the 1970's.Five decades later those images stir muddled memories and mixed emotions. But mostly an extraordinary - and very welcome - sense of re-connection with my younger self, and even occasional pride in my work. I was recording sights I wanted to remember, to share with friends and family, the way we used postcards before we had the internet: "Look what I saw!". They are 'postcards from the past', my past.Now, working with Rob Shaw, the exceptional Stockport Collection book and in-house RAW Society designer, I'm in the process of creating a small series of soft cover books of favourite images from those 1970's adventuress. As 'postcards from the past', they start with that unforgettable small plane trip: "Postcards from the Air", to be followed by "Postcards from Morocco".We're planning small digital print runs of soft cover, 150x210mm (approximately A5 size) books, starting at a modest £12, the first in time for Christmas 2025.Stay tuned for sales of these and subsequent "Postcards from...", as my dear father would say.
Postcards from the Air 1,1972
Postcards from the Air 2, 1972
Postcards from the Air 3, 1972
Postcards from the Air 4,1972
Morocco 1,1976
Morocco 2 1976
Morocco 3 1976
Morocco 4, 1976
PORTFOLIOS > The Stockport Collection, 1976 -77
In April 2020, during the first UK Covid-19 lockdown, I discovered negatives of images made during three weekend visits to Stockport Market near Manchester in 1976 and 1977. At the time I was a full-time student at Stirling University, and soon after, I became a parent with a full-time career in Social Work. All the negatives made with my father's old Leica M4 camera went into storage,forgotten. For forty-three years.In July 2020 I started posting some of the images on social media. The reactions were immediate, with viewers eagerly offering names and memories associated with my images. I messaged The British Cultural Archive which helped spread the images further. Everyone was keen to help with information and many responses were quite emotional.On 21.1.2021 The Guardian published a selection of The Stockport Collection in the Arts and Culture section. I could not have been more delighted for Stockport.
The GuardianOn 21.5.2021 I launched a Kickstarter campaign to print a BOOK of the The Stockport Collection. KickstarterOn 16.6.2021 the first edition of The Stockport Collection book, hardback, 116 pages, beautifully designed by Robert Shaw of Northbank with foreword by Paul Morley, was launched. It was sold through various independent bookshops in Manchester and Stockport.From 23.4.2022 - 1.5.2022 the first Stockport Collection photo exhibition was held in a converted coffee warehouse, now WhereTheLightGetsIn , which sits just meters from the market where most of my photos were taken forty-five years earlier. A wonderful short video to promote the exhibition was made by Gavin Sturgeon.
The Stockport Collection by Gavin SturgeonThe Daily Mail also posted an article: Evocative Images 11.3.2022 . BBC North also did an interview with appropriate music: BBC North 12.3.2022The exhibition was hugely popular, provoking new memories, new identities, heartfelt comments in the Visitors Book, alongside much joy and tears, and the book, postcards and exhibition posters all sold out.But, thanks to popular demand and more memories a 2nd edition of the book, updated with new memories, is now available direct from me via the contact page on this site. All books from me are signed.From 22.7.2022 The Stockport Museum at Staircase House in Market Street has been holding the second exhibition of my donated prints. The 2nd, updated edition of the book is also available there.Signed copies of the 2nd edition are £24 + £2.50 pp UK. (International postage costed on request.)Prints, postcard packs and signed copies of the 16 page zine of "Stockport Market" version by Cafe Royal Books are also available via the 'contact' page of this website.
1.Arthur Mellor, Brenda Mellor and Joe Fidler, Stockport Market
2. Lang Family Carpet Stall, Stockport Collection
3.Kay Family Sock Stall and Cooling Tower on Portwood, Stockport Collectio
4.Veg Stall with Brush 2, Stockport Collection
5. Richard Gardner, Stockport Collection
6. Frown, Fag and Pet Food, Stockport Collection
7. Boar's Head Sermon, Stockport Collection
8. The Boar's Head Hymn, Stockport Collection
9.Eileen Higgins who always had a beehive, Stockport Collection
10. Plant Stall Debate, Stockport Collection
11. Elder, Stockport Collection
12. The Magnificent Nose, Stockport Collection
13.Breaking News, Stockport Collection
14.Ann Olsen's Bra Stall, Stockport Collection
15.Bert's for Shoes, Stockport Collection
16.Arthur Chadwick,1904-1982, The Stockport Collection
17. Under the Counter Baby, Stockport Collection
18.Roy Dyer and his son Chris, Stockport Collection
19. Blonde Curls in the Pushchair, Stockport Collection
21. Wash and Brush Up, Stockport Collection
21. Lad with Shorts, Stockport Collection
22. Peeking over the Fabric Rolls, Stockport Collection
23. Winter Coat, Stockport Collection 1977
24. Jack the Hat Hulme, Stockport Collection 1977
25. Elsie Spencer, Stockport Collection
26. The Lace Lady, Stockport Collection
27.Trevira, Ted Quinn, Stockport Collection
28. Stefan with Scissors, Stockport Collection
29. Betty's Dishcloths at The National Westminster Bank, Stockport Collection
30. Snackbar, Ann Goddard, Stockport Collection
31. Teabreak, Betty Taylor, Stockport Collection
32. Butchers Smiles , Stockport Collection 1977
33. Gaskill Butchers, Stockport Collection
34. Price Check, Stockport Collection
35. Fags and Sweets, Stockport Collection
36. Happiness is a Cigar (called Hamlet), Mr. Lieder,Moustache at the Watch Stall, Stockport Collection
37. The Astrakhan Hat, Stockport Collection
39. Get Out on the Streets, Stockport Collection
39. All our slippers are Perfect, Stockport Collection
40. Shoelaces and Hankies, Stockport Collection
41. Gina Livesey at Livesy's Shoe Stall, Stockport Collection
42. At the Hotdog Cart, Stockport Collection
43. Flares and Attitude, Stockport Market
44. Chips on St.Mary's Church Steps, Stockport Collection 1977
45. Reading the Paper in the Van, Stockport Collection
46. Outside the Market Superintendent's Office, Stockport Collection
47. Market Street, Stockport Collection
48. Admiring the Blooms, Stockport Collection
49. Spring Bulb Chat, Stockport Collection
50. Mr.Ridgeway's Surprise, Stockport Collection
51. Mr.Ridgeway in his Shop, Stockport Collection
52. Portrait of Mr. Haq, Stockport Collection
53. Mr. Haq at the Clothing Stall, Stockport Collection
54. Bags of Choice, Stockport Collection
55. Portrait of Jessie Clarke at Potts Greengrocers Stall, Stockport Collection
56. Paul and Colin at Potts Greengrocers Stall, Stockport Collection
57. The Jeweller, Stockport Collection
58. Gentleman with Betty, Stockport Collection
59. Jack Hulme, Stockport Collection
60. Mates, Stockport Collection
61. Bakers Vaults Gentlemen, Stockport Collection
62. Market Day Gatherings, Stockport Collection
63. Hanging Around, Stockport Collection
64. Under the Skirts, Stockport Collection
65. Francis Parker Building,Harold Hooper on the left, Stockport Collection
66. Rawlings, Stockport Collection
67. Frederick Robinbsons Brewery, Stockport Collection
68. Foam Stall, Stephen Ashcroft, on the bridge over the UnderbanksMarks and Spencer Window, Stockport Collection
69. Merseyway Precinct, Stockport Collection
70. The Wilmslow Band plays Merseyway Precinct, Stockport Collection
71. Wilmslow Band Wind Section, Stockport Collection
72. The Wilmslow Band is Noisy, Stockport Collection
73. New Sunglasses,Stockport Collection
74. Cathcinga Breather, Stockport Collection
75. Arthur Bennet and his wife Winifred, Stockport Collection
76. Arthur Bennet Resting his Eyes, Stockport Collection
77. Folded Arms, Stockport Collection
78. Girl with Attitude, Stockport Collection
79. Stockport Generations, Stockport Collection
80. Handbags Speak Louder Than Words, Stockport Collection
81. Jack the Hat Hulme, Stockport Collection color
82. Moustache, Stockport Collection color
83. Barain Mirror, Stockport Collection color
84. Marks and Spencer Window Shopping, Stockport Collection color
85. Park Street Corner, Stockport Collection color
86. Lace Curtains and Hat Factory,Stockport Collection color
87. Jessie Clarke, Stockport Collection color
88. Keith Rigeway's Summer Stall, Stockport CollectionStockport Collection color
89. Cissy Barratt, Stockport Collection
90. Arthur Mellor, Stockport Collection
91. The Kader Smile, Stockport Collection
92. Little Boy Blue, Stockport Collection
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> Scotland
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> London
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> Switzerland
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> Italy
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> Turkey
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> India
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> USA
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> Paris
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> England
Heidi Alexander
PORTFOLIOS >Digital Postcards> Vietnam
Autumn 2025
We are all in deep need of peace, a sense of security, good news, and especially hugs and health. I wish everyone some moments of respite from the heartache and losses of ongoing brutal conflicts, climate disasters and worldwide hunger.
These poppies, with their extraordinary combination of powerful presence and fragility, continue to embody so much I don't have the words for.
I first wrote these words around 2018, and I'm sad that I can't change them: things have got worse, tougher, more distressing.
And that means that any creativity and connection and collaboration and especially community is ever more critical. It's holding hope.
Heidi Alexander
Photographer
Prints of most of the images on this website are available for purchase. Current prices for prints start at £125 for an 8x12 inch signed print, and larger sizes are available on request.The first edition of the beautiful 116 page hardback book The Stockport Collection, designed by Robert Shaw of Northbank with foreword by Paul Morley, sold out in May 2022.Popular demand resulted in an updated 2nd edition, available direct from me, (£24 +£2.50 UK pp), as are postcard packs (£5.50 incl.UK pp) and a limited supply of signed copies of "Stockport Market" by Cafe Royal Books, (£6.70+£1.50pp). Do contact me using the form below for a signed copyI continue to welcome your help with the identities of the still unnamed faces and sharing the memories from this special time in Stockport. Thank you!
