©Tanya Alexis
©Per Bernal
BIO
Tanya Alexis began her love affair with photography in her early teens. In 2014, the sudden loss of her partner led her down a deep healing path. As her healing work transformed from the healee to the healer, her photography merged into something new…a way to combine her passions and sort her grief; whilst simultaneously supporting the healing journeys of her subjects. Her photographs grant them an opportunity to watch their healing experience unfold in real tangible ways. It is her explorer’s spirit and keen energetic awareness which brings uniqueness to her personal work. As a result, gazing into her images are like seeing into the quiet soul of the individual. When she isn’t photographic portraits, she is busy creating portraits of flowers in their natural habitats.
Q&A:
When did you start using Leica?
I began using Leica in 2008. I used my tax refund one year, and went directly to Samy’s Camera’s Leica booth to by a Leica, and I have never once looked back.
What is your favorite camera?
They all hold special places in my heart. My M4 was my first rangefinder and the reason I started talking to someone very dear to my heart. My MP is a replica of my late partner’s camera. My CL was my Uncle Lenny’s. My M11 was my first digital Leica.
What is your favorite subject matter to shoot?
At the moment, my favorite subjects are flowers and nature. I love how you can feel the whole spectrum of emotions just by looking at something in nature.
What other Leica camera are you thinking of getting?
I am good on cameras at the moment, but I have a few lens, I would love to give a home; specifically a 28mm Summaron.
How has Leica changed your life?
Leica has changed my life for the better for a million different reasons, but for brevity’s sake, here are a few. Using a Leica camera has made me a better photographer. It has made me step up my game in ways I could never have dreamed of. I met my late partner attending a M240 workshop back in 2013. The first photograph I ever took on a digital Leica was a photo of him that very day. Later that day, during a photowalk, I overheard him telling someone else that his favorite Leica was an M4. I pulled out my brand new to me M4 and exclaimed, “I just purchased an M4.” We ended up melting away from the crowd to have dinner, and we kept on talking and talking and talking. Leica was a big part of our whole relationship, and when he passed unexpectedly, I called up Tony Rose and asked him to order me a replica of Michael’s custom MP. That camera has become an extension of me. Every time I use it, I am reminded of his love of Leica, photography, and me. The Leica Store in Los Angeles has been just as instrumental in the shaping of my photography as the cameras. I have met so many incredible humans and good friends over the years through Leica. Paris gave me my very first group show in 2016, and has become a wonderful friend over the years. I know it sounds a bit corny, but my life is better, because of all the beautiful serendipitous moments that have stemmed from that store. Who could have predicted my life would shift so dramatically, solely because of a camera shop in Beverly Hills?