It is important to me to be able to offer my clients photo prints that are on the cutting edge of sustainability. As more people move towards a more environmentally conscious lifestyle, companies are able to deliver green options to consumers. As I come across outstanding products, I will be sharing these with you, here on my blog. I was seeking out the most eco way to print my photographs, and this bamboo product sounded fantastic. I decided to try out this new eco style of photo printing. The quality of colour and contrast in this bamboo print really make the image pop What I love: – The print looks really good. The texture of the bamboo has been maintained, so the finish has a beautiful, natural texture, reminiscent of art paper. The edges have a beautiful, unique look, and the keyholes on the back make it easy to hang. – It is made from bamboo which is incredibly sustainable. Bamboo grows fast, can sequester more carbon than trees and generally doesn’t require pesticides or herbicides. – The prints last for decades (or longer) due to the durability of bamboo, and the satin laminate protects against dust and UV […] Read More
Junkies magazine is a fantastic new Australian publication celebrating the concept of rethink, reuse, reduce and recycle. It’s jam-packed full of articles and photos of creative ways to help the planet, your own way. I’m thrilled to have this wonderful write up about my photography included in the Spring issue of Junkies magazine. These images are from my project Portraits of The Disappearing Amazon, for which I had the privilege of visiting and photographing tribes in the Amazon jungle over a 3 month period. It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Please enjoy the images. Read More
My partner James, AKA The Upcyclist, is building a Tiny House out of recycled materials, in collaboration with The Bower Reuse and Repair Centre in Marrickville, Sydney. The Tiny House movement, which has been growing throughout the USA for years, is emerging here in Australia. It is a response to high housing costs and a lifestyle of overconsumption, which can often lead to debt and dissatisfaction. The idea is to downsize your possessions in order to increase your quality of life, or as James puts it: Less House, More Life. Imagine a life without debt, in which your cost of living is so low that you can work less and have more free time to do the things that you are passionate about. This tiny house is a pilot project, a way of testing the interest in this concept amongst Sydneysiders. So far there has been much interest, not only passers by in Marrickville, but also The Sydney Morning Herald and other TV and print media outlets (details to follow). You can see the SMH article and a video including James and other local tiny housers HERE. The Upcyclist tiny house doesn’t contain all the usual inclusions of […] Read More
I’ve had a fantastic time shooting these two campaigns for Australian bohemian fashion brand Tree of Life. The campaign above is titled Gyspy Wanderer. I’m in love with the styling, which in a way, bridges my fashion images with my travel photos from around the world, through the inclusion of vintage Afghani accessories, and the “Gypsy Wanderer” theme that somewhat represents my life pre-Sydney. Below is a photo of one of my posters in the shop window of Tree of Life at Bondi Junction, followed by photos from the shoot. This campaign was “Midnight Garden”. While planning and shooting the images I took inspiration from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which I have loved ever since I studied it in high school. You can see additional images from these shoots on my Facebook and Instagram, over the coming week. Read More
We had an amazing turn out to the opening night of Pachamama Exhibition on Thursday, 26 June. Art lovers from all over Sydney came to view images of indigenous peoples of Latin America, by five photographers including me. Each photographer’s set of images illustrated a theme relating to the people’s relationship with Pachamama: Tradition by Alicia Fox Displacement by Rodrigo Llauro & Natalia Cartney Reconnection by Guillermo Rossi Adaptation by Armando Vega Relationship by Toril Pursell All photos were for sale, with a percentage going to NGOs assisting the people in the photographs. Images (framed and unframed) are still available for purchase, so feel free to contact me if you are interested. Below is a short excerpt from a call out by Survival International, an NGO working to protect isolated tribes in regions including the Amazon. It explains why rapid action to help vulnerable tribes people is important. “An alarming number of uncontacted Indians have been sighted fleeing Peru and entering Brazil. Brazil’s Indian Affairs Department has warned that they face imminent “death” as they enter into the territory of other uncontacted tribes and settled communities. Rampant illegal logging in Peru is believed to be at the heart of this impending disaster. There are only about 100 uncontacted tribes left in […] Read More
Wikipedia: “Pachamama is a goddess revered by the indigenous people of the Andes. She is also known as the earth/time mother. In Inca mythology, Mama Pacha or Pachamama is a fertility goddess who presides over planting and harvesting…She is also an ever present and independent deity who has her own self-sufficient and creative power to sustain life on this earth.” I was thrilled to be invited to take part in Pachamama Photography Exhibition in Sydney. Opening this Thursday (26 June), the exhibition will run across the weekend in StirrUp Gallery, Marrickville. This group exhibition will feature the work of 5 photographers, including me: images which explore the relationship between indigenous peoples in Latin America and Pachamama. I’d love to see you there. You can find the event details RIGHT HERE. Read More
As Sustainably As Possibly (ASAP) invited me for an interview to share my story behind running an eco photography business. I was the second to be interviewed for the Pledgecast series, following NSW Greens MP, John Kaye. I felt quite honoured. Through this short interview you can hear how travelling made me realise, in an unforgettable way, that how I live in Australia affects people all around the world. As part of the interview, ASAP asked me to make an environmental pledge. Fast fashion is a serious problem in today’s world, and working as a fashion photographer, this is something I am very conscious of. Sustainable fashion expert, Lucy Siegle estimates that each year, 80 billion garments are produced throughout the world. The conditions under which most of these are made are dangerous, both for garment factory workers and for our environment (during production and at the end of fast fashion’s short life when the clothing is sent to landfill). I pledged to stop buying new clothing and consumables. Since I made the pledge, I have had a fantastic time discovering beautiful and unique clothes in second hand stores (from the Salvos to fancy vintage stores). There are even websites dedicated to helping Australian’s buy and swap pre-loved fashion. Buying second hand clothing […] Read More
Today is National Sorry Day. This week is Reconciliation Week in Australia. I show my respect for all those who have suffered and those who continue to heal as a result of our country’s past, and the continuing inequalities between black and white Australia. Australia prides itself on being a place of fairness. But our government doesn’t always reflect the values of it’s citizens. Our Constitution still does not recognise the first Australians, and it still allows the States to ban people from voting based on their race. I was shocked and disturbed when I heard this. I support changes to recognise Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution. RECOGNISE (the people’s movement to recognise ATSI peoples in our Constitution) says that “National Sorry Day is a time to recognise and remember the trauma in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and communities affected by the Stolen Generations policies.” Please take a moment to visit the RECOGNISE website here. Photos I shot at Chill Island Festival, 2008. Read More
The Sydney Writer’s Festival is on right now and it has reignited the fire within me to get back to writing the book that so many of my friends and acquaintances have been asking about: the story of my three year journey through Latin America. I’m not much of a talker, but when you get me started on one of my adventures through South and Central America, you’ll have trouble stopping me. This is why for the last four years, people have been encouraging me to put my experiences into a book, to inspire others to get out into the world and, like me, discover themselves as they discover the world. Today I went to a workshop with Summer Land, who encouraged me to start this new “Writing” section of my blog, to keep you updated with my journey as a memoir writer. Please email me at info@aliciafox.net if you have any questions or if you would like me to blog about something in particular. I look forward to sharing with you. Thanks! Me working on the first draft of the book in Santa Catalina, Panama. I lived in this little surf village for 1 month on $3 a day, eating […] Read More
I love working with sustainable brands, creating beautiful images to help promote inspired and cutting edge products. It’s important to me to see these positive grass-roots businesses prosper. I recently had the pleasure of photographing for Cocoze Shoes, a fantastic new Canadian company making eco shoes from coconut fiber and natural rubber: an alternative to the highly disposable synthetic thong that we Australian’s love to wear. Below is a quick Q&A with Wayne Seto, Managing Partner at Cocoze Shoes. What are the best 3 things about Cocoze Shoes? There are so many good things about Cocoze Shoes that choosing only 3 things was difficult. So I consulted the founder of Cocoze, Pierre Thomson, for his input. In the end we both agreed upon the following, if it had to be only 3: 1) Our shoes at Cocoze naturally and gently exfoliate the soles of your feet, making your feet soft, healthy and beautiful. 2) Coconut fiber (coir) used to make our shoes is 100% natural, sustainable and biodegradable. Thus good for people and good for the planet. 3) Cocoze Shoes are all hand made in Thailand in a small eco-friendly factory. No chemicals, dyes or toxins are used […] Read More
Photo Shoot for Sustainable Fashion Label Carlie Ballard Carlie Ballard is an inspiring, big-hearted lady who I have now had the pleasure of working with twice. Her self titled fashion label harnesses the creative talents of artisans in developing countries, and fuses these with beautiful designs to create contemporary garments for the modern day wardrobe. With a strong philosophy of mixing sustainable fabrics (including hand woven fabrics and organic cotton), fair labour practices and traditional techniques, Carlie Ballard creates garments with longevity and a touch of culture for the adventurer and dreamer in all of us. The clothing is made in a small workshop in India, offering the dignity of employment, fair pay and excellent working conditions to a talented group of artisans. All of the profits from the workshop are dedicated to growing its capacity to employ, train and support the families of the women it has been established to assist. Carlie is also a founding member of Clean Cut Fashion, a collective of sustainable fashion advocates, and is the curator of online store Indigo Bazaar, a carefully curated selection of cutting edge brands from around the world which are at the forefront of the sustainability movement. Below are images from my […] Read More
Travel is like an intensified version of normal life. We take ourselves out of our comfort zone to situations where the ups are higher and the downs take us deeper than we have ever been. This is why we often return from travelling feeling like a new person: so much more experienced, wiser and even enlightened. After a year or so travelling through South America, I’d been confronted by many lows (and many more highs, thankfully). One thing that irritated me was how long things took. I’m pretty chilled out and enjoy taking my time, but on Latin American time things can be excruciatingly slow. The border crossing from Colombia to Panama is one example of this. The whole process of travelling by boat from port towns to port towns took days. I understand that authorities in this Darien Gap region are wise to watch their ports for drug smugglers, but anyone who has spoken to locals knows that the authorities are aware of the traffickers and allow certain offenders to slip through the cracks. On arriving to Panama, at the tiny village of Puerto Obaldia, the immigration officer sitting inside his sweltering hot cement block informed us […] Read More
Indigo Bazaar is an ethical fashion company providing beautiful clothing that is made in a way that is good for the environment and for the garment workers and artisans who are part of the production. As consumers become more aware of the dangerous and unfair working conditions involved with fast fashion, entrepreneurs like Carlie Ballard, founder of Indigo Bazaar, are providing alternatives for those of us who want to know that our clothing comes with good karma. I photographed these natural portraits of Carlie wearing Indigo Bazaar, for her promotions and online profiles. It was a wonderfully fun afternoon with Carlie and Make up Artist Emily, from LittleFox Makeup Artistry. Read More
After water, tea is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. My love for tea began on the beaches of Sri Lanka where I drank sweet, milky black tea because it was easier to come by than clean drinking water. Living in Japan, I gained a deep respect for green tea and sacred Japanese tea traditions. In Latin America, I learned about the medicinal benefits of an endless variety of herbal infusions. I have a thing for tea. Half of my kitchen shelves are allocated to food, the other half to teas and herbal “tea” blends. I appreciate the variety of textures, tastes, colours and aromas, as well as the healing effects of each different blend. So you can imagine how much fun I had photographing these images. All blends were lovingly created by Amber at T Totaler. “Tea” includes black, green and white tea from the (Camellia sinensis) plant. “Herbal infusions” are beverages that are prepared by adding herbs to hot water, usually between 70-100 degrees celsius. Read More
Just because you live in Inner City Sydney, doesn’t mean you can’t live out your eco homesteading dreams. I do my best to be as green as possible in every aspect of my life, from growing my own organic vegetables to living in a chemical free home. I do what is best for our environment, which includes what is best for my own health. After all, we humans are part of the eco system too. The Kitchen Above 1. Each Sunday I walk down to Addison Road Markets in Marrickille, to buy my chemical-free fruit and veges (my own garden is only 2 months old so just produces salad greens so far). I talk to the stall owners to find out about that week’s produce. The delicious, gluten free bread is freshly made by the lovely folks at Common Ground, a commune not far from Sydney. 2. My first crop of (giant) home grown mushrooms. They were the sweetest mushrooms I’ve ever eaten. 3. My seeds, nuts and dried foods come from Alfalfa House Co-op (Enmore), my favourite place to shop. The stock is as organic, local and ethically produced as possible. I love the co-op so much that I volunteer […] Read More
Being an Eco Photographer means reducing the environmental impact of every aspect of my business, and working with (i.e. producing photos for) clients that have a positive impact on the environment. I was trying to formulate an explanation as to why I’ve decided to be an “Eco Photographer” and what this actually means. Then one day three things happened to me and I became so impassioned that I did what anyone would do… I got on my soapbox (i.e. my personal Facebook wall) and shared what I was feeling with my friends and family. I received such an overwhelmingly supportive response that I decided to include my little story on this blog. It gives you an idea of how I live my personal life, which crosses over into my business life. So here it is: I don’t often put unhappy things on Facebook but I feel the need to share this today It has 3 parts, and hopefully is inspiring: 1. James came home and told me, with a smile, that he had a song stuck in his head all day, the song of some beautiful girls from the Ashaninka tribe we stayed with by Ene River, in […] Read More
My photos and I are being featured on fivepointfive.org and I think you should check it out, here. You’ll gain an insight into my project Portraits of The Disappearing Amazon, a 3 month journey which will changed my life. You can also get the background story on some of my favourite portraits from the project, and the beautiful people within them. Five Point Five is about inspiring you to do those things that you will remember with satisfaction for the rest of your life. They are all about travel, lifestyle and making a positive difference in the world – 3 things that are really important to me too. The website offers information and mini documentaries on volunteering overseas, as well as travel resources and inspiration. So go get inspired… Portraits of the Disappearing Amazon by Alicia Fox Read More
Surbala is a resort wear label founded by Neha, a charming fashion designer from India. Neha sources artisans from her home country, who handmake Surbala’s collections, employing traditional Indian techniques. When I first met Neha to plan our fashion shoot, I could instantly see the great passion she has for her work, and through talking with her, it was obvious that she goes to great lengths to ensure that each Surbala piece is made with love and care. I appreciate the way she works so much that I asked Neha to share a bit about Surbala, with my blog readers. Me: What does “Surbala” mean? Neha: I came across the word Surbala when as a student, I first read acclaimed Indian poet Shri Makhan Lal Chaturvedi’s famous Hindi poem “Pushp ki Abhilasha“ (means the aspirations of a flower). He mentions the word Surbala that refers to a beautiful woman. In Hindi, technically SUR means a musical note & BALA means a young woman. The word Surbala stuck by me for a long time. And when I was thinking of naming my clothing label, I couldn’t think of more suitable name as I see my clients as beautiful and perfect ladies. […] Read More
Working as an NGO photographer and documenting the work of not-for-profit organisations that are improving people’s lives, inspires me endlessly. More than anything, it brings a sense of hope. I have witnessed so many seemingly hopeless situations turned upside down, resulting in thriving human beings and optimistic communities, all thanks to the committed work of everyday people . These people show me that any one of us can be a hero, a lifesaver, even an angel. I’d like to share with you an excerpt from a book I am writing, about my three year journey through Latin America. This passage describes an experience I had in Nicaragua, while working with the amazing grass roots organisation, Empowerment International. The organisation was formed by an extraordinary North American woman Kathy, who couldn’t walk away from a community in need, so she moved to Nicaragua to work day and night to change their situation. I volunteered with Empowerment, teaching photography classes to the children and creating a photo documentary of their projects. On my first day volunteering with Empowerment, Anielka led me into the barrio of Villa de Esperanza, one of the poorest neighborhoods in Granada. Many of the families there were surviving […] Read More
I’m excited to put up these new photos from a recent hair shoot, with styling by KDelme Hairdressing. Two weeks ago I was apartment hunting around Sydney. As soon as I entered one in Petersham, I knew I had to have it, with this shoot in mind. The wooden floorboards, ornate doorways and blank walls would make a perfect backdrop. A week later the apartment was mine and I was doing this hair shoot with a really fun group of ladies. We had a ball!! Photography & Styling: Alicia Fox Hair: Kaarina Hamilton and Helen Billingham Make Up: Alysha Maree Models: Stephanie Wicks and Elissa Laforce Flower Crowns: Bella Rowz Clothing: Surbala Read More
