a little about me
HELLo I’m aleksandra
I’m a Portrait Photographer and Stylist with a background in Production Design and film-making. Though I was born and raised in Surrey, England, I moved to California for 10 years, where I received my training in film design and spent my time developing my creative side. Being a visual person I started taking pictures from a very young age, always wanting to capture the little moments and to create beautiful images that would last a lifetime.
I created The Design Trailer as a means to continue my love of photography and design. By taking what I have learnt from film making, I approach my photography in a natural and intimate way that captures the moment like it were a still from your own life’s movie and I use my trained eye to style aesthetically beautiful spaces and create picturesque tableaus that will entice and inspire.
Portrait PHOTOGRAPHER
My portraits are shot with natural light and with no staging, allowing me to capture the most real and genuine moments. The images I create have a warm and nostalgic feel that makes them timeless and unique. Ranging from individual portraits and family portraits to special occasions and the ordinary day. I like to keep things relaxed and take mostly documentary style photos capturing the real moments as they happen in a single frame. I do also take a few staple shots so that you have the best of both worlds.
I shoot in and around Surrey and South West London (Wimbledon, Richmond, Barnes, Battersea, Fulham, Chelsea).
Styling
As a stylist and designer, I love layering and using different textures to create eye catching images and I like to use my knowledge of different eras and the places that I have travelled to in all my creations. With my fondness for period aesthetics I like to mix the old and new making it look seamless and effortless.
Utilising my film design experience in my prop and food styling I feel I can bring a unique perspective and approach that enhances the process and final look of the image.
I am available to style for photoshoots, brands, commercials, book publishing and any general content creation.
AWARDS
2019 / Nominated / Best Art Direction / A Boy, A man and a Kite / RedLine International Film Festival, USA
2015 / Won / Best Art Direction / Against Night / The Long Island International Film Expo, NY
2015 / Nominated / Best Production Design / Against Night / Southampton International Film Festival, UK
PRODUCTION DESIGNER
As a Production Designer, I have a strong background in narrative filmmaking and have designed numerous festival award winning short films. Building and creating sets from scratch on sound stages to working on location, I have created sets ranging from a 1960’s Soyuz space capsule to a Mongolian yurt and interior train compartments from the 1940’s.
In 2015, my thesis film, ‘Against Night’ was nominated for a Student Academy Award and I received an Award for Best Art Direction for the film at the Long Island International Film Expo in New York.
My Production Design experience also includes, a TV Sitcom Pilot 'The Manny' (Guest starring: Rob Schneider and Diedrich Bader) and a Music Video for 'Rational' with Warner Music UK.
FILMMAKER
I am an avid filmmaker, when I’m not production designing, you’ll find me on set as Art Director or on larger feature films as Assistant Set Decorator. Recently having worked on ‘Men in Black: International’, starring Chris Hemsworth and Liam Neeson.
As an Art Director, I have worked on numerous shorts, a feature film and a commercial for Lab Series Skin Care. The short film ‘Sunrise’, a Lionsgate competition winner of the new voices of the twilight saga competition that was chosen by Stephanie Meyer and Kristen Stewart, received over 3 million views.
I’ve also had the pleasure of working with John Bush, an Oscar nominated Set Decorator, on the short film, ‘A boy, a man and a kite’ as Standby Art Director and Prop Master.
In my spare time I enjoy working on personal projects, developing stories and ideas into scripts. In 2015, I finished my first project, 'In Reverie', a short film about my great uncle during WW1.
Currently, I am a freelancer and always looking for the next project that inspires my creativity.
