When I first rang Alex to ask him about the possibility of photographing his guitars and workshop I was expecting a somewhat older and far less hip individual. The quality and craftsmanship that is evident when you see one his guitars belies the reality of this precociously talented young man.
I had little experience of Gypsy jazz but imagined it was a rather austere world, predominantly male and middle-aged.
What struck me about Alex, aside from being not quite as I imagined him to be was that I was always looking to perfect his craft and always looking to experiment with new designs, for someone that can make at most 6 guitars a year, his chosen vocation is one of love rather than material wealth.
Over the next two years, I took guitars lessons from Alex in exchange for photographing him and his guitars. My weekly guitar lesson became almost a therapy session for me and it felt like a 'breakup' when Alex announced he was leaving London and his studio to move west, eventually settling in Bristol.
We've managed to keep in touch and I'm honoured when he asks if I'd be available to photograph his new creations when he visits London.
