PHOTOGRAPHER ALEX POVEY
Documented between 2013 and 2021, Joyride is a photo book that vividly chronicles the excitement and autonomy of Alex Povey and his friends as they crisscross America’s wilderness and wastelands by unconventional means.
I grew up in a small town in Sussex, South England. I'd go to Brighton or London for punk shows in my teens. I remember some kids handing me a zine during a show that included information about squatting, hitchhiking, and dumpster diving, and I was pretty fascinated by that.
Not long after, I started squatting in a big pub in northeast London. Various transient types from around the world would pass through our squat, sharing enticing stories of traveling in other countries and continents. It wasn't long before I was hitchhiking and finding creative ways to avoid the costs of passenger trains while traveling around mainland Europe. I moved between the squatting communities, primarily between Berlin, Barcelona, London, and Amsterdam. Eventually, in 2012, I settled into a squat in Amsterdam. I began working a low-paying dishwashing job which enabled me to buy a proper digital camera and a ticket to the United States.
I landed in NYC and eventually made my way down to New Orleans, where many stateside travelers I met in Europe were based. From there, I took my first cross-country freight train trip to the SF Bay Area, via the Midwest, in the dead of winter. Despite the rough conditions, I learned I could see so much of the countryside without spending so much money. So riding freight trains became my primary mode of transport. Then I spent the next nine years roaming the continent, documenting everything I could.
More recently, I settled back in New Orleans and have been working on cultivating water lilies and other aquatic plants. I still take occasional freight train trips, but these days I'm more invested in bicycle touring with my Chihuahua.
Your greatest inspirations or influences.
I often feel inspired when I'm on the move or out of my comfort zone. Seeing somewhere or something new. But I also get a lot of inspiration from my peers. I'm lucky to find myself surrounded by incredibly creative and ridiculous individuals who continue to raise the bar, whether it's in art, exploration, or everyday life.
How are the current trends in technology and innovation affecting your work as a creative?
I'm finding it pretty strange. For example, cameras with GPS really weird me out, and I have a strong distaste for geotagging. And although phones are taking better and better photos these days, a lot of social media seems to be steering away from still images to short video clips for the shortest attention spans possible. On the positive end, I like that good quality digital cameras are getting smaller. It's nice not to lug around something that takes up half my pack.
We'd love to hear more about your creative process
It's pretty much just leaving the house with a camera. Going out and finding something fun to do. Then just documenting it. I feel that often the more significant the risk is in getting a shot, the better the picture turns out. Whether it's climbing on something sketchy to get the right angle or overcoming the fear of getting caught somewhere you're not meant to be. As for editing, I usually do an editing pass, then let it sit on my computer for a while, and go back to it several times and make small changes before I'm happy with it.
Anything coming up that we should know about?
Check out my book, joyride.
What does well-being mean to you?
It means treating others how you wish to be treated, eating healthy, and owning your own time.
Anything else you'd like to share?
Yes- stop geotagging!
Book https://www.burnbarrelpress.com/product/joyride-by-alex-povey
