Photographer gives it shot out of Africa
Nine months ago, photographer Alex Kilbee left behind his high-flying career in the buzzing metropolis of South Africa's biggest city, Johannesburg, to settle in Suffolk and start again.
From snatched moments with South African celebrities to a two-day stint with an eccentric extra-terrestrial life searcher, Mr Kilbee followed assignments across the country.
But then, with his wife Shana, he made the brave move and left behind the job of shooting pictures to fill pages of city's glossiest magazines, to settle in the beautiful countryside of Suffolk to be closer to his parents, who live in Finningham.
Waving goodbye to the South African weather and ten years of contacts in a career of a lifetime was a hard thing for Mr Kilbee to do, but he doesn't regret it.
"We like our peace and quiet and we like Suffolk," he said. "I grew up in the countryside and we prefer this lifestyle. I want to give my kids a similar upbringing.
"We always wanted to come back and we felt there were more opportunities here.
"And crime is on a dramatically reduced scale here.
"It's a challenge. You are starting again from zero. But my lifestyle plans come before my career plans."
While in South Africa, Mr Kilbee worked on the magazine Passi, meaning "passion" in Afrikaans, designed in a style that was cutting edge and in tune with young South Africans.
"The magazine really wanted to make a difference and change things," he said.
"Part of the fall out from the change in South Africa in the last ten years is that younger Afrikaners are struggling with their identity.
It does go a long way to helping young, contemporary Afrikaners develop their own sense of identity again."
But Mr Kilbee has not left behind his photographic passion and skill. His first exhibition in the UK will be from July 31 to August 30, where he will display portraits at the Beyond the Image gallery at Thornham Magna.
The black and white pictures present a strong image of character – something Mr Kilbee explains is very important in his work.
Using simple techniques to bring out people's character, he prefers to let people put their own stamps on their portraits, rather than using his own technical skill to impose a pre-conditioned idea about how a portrait should look.
The exhibition, tested on members of his family, is about showing people in their most simple and natural element, without any fancy tricks.
"I wanted to get back to basics. What I would like to get out of it is to try and teach people that having a portrait taken is not about Photoshop creations. You have to spend some time with people to get them to give something of themselves," he said.
Beyond The Image Gallery's curator Angie Broadberry, who examined Mr Kilbee's work before agreeing an exhibition, said: "They are some strong portraits. It is as though he has caught them when they are not aware, as though he is in conversation with them.”
Since moving to Elmswell, Mr Kilbee has been creating his photographic business again, building on his experiences in South Africa.
The exhibition offers a chance to take a look at the photographs he has taken since he left South Africa.
He said it had been hard work, but he is giving it his best shot.
georgina.smith@dissexpress.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Local pages
Looking for a...
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Diss
Thursday 02 September 2010
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 19 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 9 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
