MEET ALEX HUTCHINSON
Photographer Alex Hutchinson has built a career around the pursuit of light. Known for his cinematic, quietly powerful imagery, Alex’s work captures atmosphere as much as it does subject. Whether he’s shooting fashion editorials in Dublin or scouting dreamlike spaces abroad, his process always comes back to a simple question: where’s the light?
We sat down with Alex to talk about creative influences, the power of environment, and why simplicity always wins.
“Light is everything. Whether indoors or outdoors, I plan around when the light will hit best.”
— Alex Hutchinson
CREATIVE INFLUENCES
If you could have dinner with any creative from history and pick their brain about their process, who would it be?
I thought about this a lot, and I couldn’t really pick what I’d consider a traditional artist.
Terrence Malick would be the person I’d love to sit down with, just to understand how he thinks.
He directed The Tree of Life and A Hidden Life, and when I first picked up a camera around 2010 or 2011, those films completely changed how I saw photography. I owe a lot of my visual aesthetic to the way he shoots.
I can’t shoot like him, but I love telling visual stories that feel cinematic, moments that the viewer can connect to. People often ask if I tell models how to pose, but I don’t. I try to create an atmosphere that feels like a real moment.
Lighting, music, and the energy of the crew all have to be in sync. Watching interviews with Malick made me realise his process is similar: if the light is right and the moment’s there, everyone just moves instinctively and captures it. Then the story gets built in post.
A DOP who worked with him once said, “Working with Terrence made me not just a better cinematographer but a better person.” That says it all.
I’d also love to talk to Paul Thomas Anderson. There Will Be Blood is my favourite film of all time. From a visual storytelling perspective, it’s immaculate. My first question would probably be, “How did you get the budget to do this?”
Shot by Alex for 4thArq at Coal Lane House
FINDING INSPIRATION
Where are you finding inspiration at the moment?
I’m editing a shoot right now, and I’ve never seen Dublin look more like continental Europe, maybe even a bit like New York. I’ve been away so long that I’m seeing it differently.
I’d also been watching a lot of films before that shoot, which definitely influenced how I approached it. Photography goes in peaks and troughs. Sometimes you’re uninspired, and then suddenly something clicks and you’re back in it.
Even though I can’t shoot exactly like Terrence Malick, his visual storytelling still influences me. He uses natural light so beautifully, and I try to think the same way: how can I use the light that exists right now to tell a story?
Any recent films that inspired you?
One Battle After Another. Visually, it’s fascinating, more storytelling-driven than visual, but still cinematic.
There were evening scenes that just made me think, that’s incredible camera work.
I’m a nightmare to go to the cinema with because I’ll point out the lighting in a corner, and my wife’s like, “It’s just a corner.” But everything in a film is intentional. When it’s done right, it completely transports you.
When you’re creating for yourself rather than someone else, that’s when your true creative stamp comes through.
“Everything in a film is intentional. When it’s done right, it completely transports you.”
Shot by Alex with model Joanna Cooper at Coal Lane House
ON LOCATIONS AND LIGHT
When scouting or choosing a location, what do you look for that others might miss?
It depends on the brand, but I look for minimal distractions: clean, simple spaces with interesting textures and light. I like settings that absorb or reflect light in a subtle way. I keep a running list of scouted spots. When a project comes in, I match the brand, model, and wardrobe to the right location.
Ultimately, light is everything. Keeping the frame clean lets the garment and model remain the focus.
Can you think of a shoot where the location completely changed the concept?
Definitely. My first accidental cover shoot. We were at a Dublin hotel, shooting in one of their luxury suites, but it wasn’t working. The light was off, the energy was flat.
Then I walked into the bathroom: marble everywhere, glass shower, gold taps, huge mirrors. Perfect.
We ended up shooting six or eight looks in that one bathroom. It was supposed to be a simple four-page hair story, but the editor came in and said, “This is a full fashion shoot.”
One of those shots became the cover; the model perched on the sink in a huge blue dress, looking fierce. That location changed everything. You have to be able to adapt and trust your instincts when something isn’t working. That’s something that comes with experience too.
Shot by Alex for 4thArq at Coal Lane House
When has a location become another character in the story?
Coal Lane House, without a doubt. You could shoot there every day and never get the same result.
The first time I shot there was during the pandemic with Joanna Cooper’s brand. She couldn’t travel, so a friend connected me with the owner of this newly finished house: raw concrete, minimalist, beautiful light.
We sat on the photos for months because we knew the place would blow up once people saw it. Now, it’s been shot dozens of times, probably half by me.
What makes it special is how the light moves through it throughout the year. It transforms constantly, which keeps it inspiring.
“There are three essentials in fashion photography: location, styling, and model. If you get those right, you could take a terrible photo but you’ll get somewhere. If you have a poor location, good style, and good model, the location could end up being so distracting.“
Shot by Alex for Benetti Menswear at Coal Lane House
INSIDE THE CREATIVE PROCESS
Walk us through your thought process when you first step into a space.
The first thing I ask is, “Where’s the light?”
I use an app called Sun Surveyor to track it and see where it’ll hit in an hour, because that’s usually when the model’s ready.
I plan around that, but I also like working on the fly. I’ll ask the space owner when the light is best, then structure the day around it.
My dream location? A villa in Mallorca with Danish minimalist interiors and Moroccan warmth: soft orange walls, wood, cream furniture, sunlight from every direction. Minimal, warm, and distraction-free. That’s my idea of perfection.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in photography?
Go somewhere new. Changing your environment changes how you see light.
When you get there, reach out to an agency and ask to shoot with a model for an hour. No styling, no pressure. Just practice in a new space and rediscover what you love about photography.
And don’t over light. That’s my main thing. Don’t point a light at a model, point it away.
EVOLVING WITH SPACE
How has your relationship with environment changed over your career?
Massively. I started out shooting against graffiti walls because I thought they looked cool. Looking back, they were awful.
With time, I’ve realised simplicity is key. Clean, quiet environments let the model and story breathe. That’s what I love about spaces like Coal Lane House: every photographer sees it differently, and the results vary wildly.
The older I get, the more I’m drawn to gentle, natural images where I can just follow someone through a space, let them unfold. Lighting is still a challenge, but it’s also what keeps me learning. A day where the sun is too strong can ruin everything; summer is hard to shoot in because there’s a misunderstanding that you can shoot all day, but you can’t.
I’ve even started planning retreats for photographers who are ready to level up creatively. It’s about finding that spark again and pushing yourself to the next stage. (Keep an eye on Alex’s instagram for more information – @alexhutch)
GET IN TOUCH
Do you want access to location creatives who will help you scout and find the perfect location for your next project? Email us at hello@soscout.com
Below: Shot by Alex for Benetti Menswear at Coal Lane House
