Alex Cearns facts for kids

Alex Cearns OAM is a well-known Australian photographer. She is famous for taking amazing pictures of pets, animals, and wildlife. Alex started her own photography business called Houndstooth Studio. She has won over 350 awards for her business, charity work, and animal photos. She was even named the Best Canine (Dog) Photographer in Australia twice! Alex is also the official photographer for the Dogs' Refuge Home of WA. Her work has been shown in many books, magazines, and on TV.

Alex Cearns' Photography Journey

Alex Cearns grew up in South Australia. When she was 11, her family moved to Western Australia. Before becoming a photographer, Alex worked for the police for 14 years. She was a police officer and then a crime analyst. After that, she spent five years checking airports for the Australian Government.

Her journey into photography began in 2006. A year before, she went on a trip to Tasmania with a friend. She saw her friend using a special camera called an SLR camera. Alex was using an old film camera at the time. When she got back from her trip, she bought her own SLR camera and many lenses.

At first, Alex thought she would photograph many different things. But she found herself taking more and more pictures of animals. In 2007, she visited the Cocos Islands. There, she took photos of blue clams at a special breeding place. She entered these photos into different contests. She won two contests and placed well in two others!

In 2008, Alex opened her own business, Houndstooth Studio. This studio was even a finalist for the Telstra Business Awards in 2012 and 2013.

Exhibits and Helping Animals

Alex's photos have been shown in many art exhibits. One important exhibit was called Look Twice. It showed 60 photos of 50 different kinds of animals. Alex took these pictures during a trip to Bali. The photos included dogs, cats, turtles, snakes, and piglets from the island. Alex felt sad about the neglected animals she saw there. The exhibit was held in Swan, Alfred Cove in 2012. Money from the photo sales went to help the Bali Animal Welfare Association.

In 2013, Alex held another exhibit to help wildlife. This one was in Cambodia and was called Cambodia Wild. It featured photos of Asian elephants, tigers, Sun and Moon bears, and rare otters. The money raised from this exhibit helped two groups: Free the Bears Fund and Wildlife Alliance.

Books and TV Appearances

Alex Cearns has also been featured in many magazines and on television. She was a regular guest on The Couch, a TV show in Australia and New Zealand. She was interviewed many times and even hosted a segment. In 2013, she did a live pet photo session on the show. She also interviewed Mary Hutton from Free the Bears Fund.

Alex released her first photo book in 2014. It was called Mother Knows Best: Life Lessons from the Animal World. This book showed photos of different animals and captured their unique personalities. Since then, she has published three more books:

• Joy: A Celebration of the Animal Kingdom (2014)
• Zen Dogs (2016)
• Perfect Imperfection: Dog Portraits of Resilience and Love (2018)

She also added her photos to another book called Things Your Dog Wants You to Know.

Awards and Exhibitions

Alex Cearns has won many awards for her amazing photography. Her first award-winning photo, "Blue Clams," also received a "High Commendation." This means it was highly praised in the ANZANG Nature and Landscape Photographer of the Year Competition. This photo was displayed at the Western Australian Museum in Perth. It was also part of a traveling exhibition across Australia.

Alex was also asked to contribute photos for the 2012 book The Divinity of Dogs: True Stories of Miracles Inspired by Man's Best Friend. This book was written by Jennifer Skiff and published in several countries.

Selected Awards

• 2019: Received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for her charity work.
• 2013: Finalist for the Pride of Australia Medal.
• 2013, 2012: Australian Business Excellence Awards.
• 2013, 2011: Best Canine Photographer / Artist in Australia.
• 2012: Australian Telstra Business Awards Finalist (Micro Business and People's Choice).
• 2008: Won 3 Bronze Awards in the International Aperture Awards (Nature Category).
• 2008: Winner of the York Society Photographic Awards (Open Colour Category) for "Blue Clams."
• 2008: 8 photos reached the semi-finals of the Wildlife Photographer of the Year contest.
• 2007: Winner of the People & Pets Section, DOTARS Photography Competition.

Select Exhibitions

• 2013: Cambodia Wild (solo exhibit).
• 2012: Look Twice – the animals of Bali as never seen before (solo exhibit).
• 2012: Silvery Gibbon Art Auction.
• 2012: Sentience Hidden Lives.

Helping Others (Philanthropy)

Alex Cearns is very involved with many charities. Her dedication to helping others led to her receiving the Order of Australia Medal in 2019. This is a very special award.

Besides working with the RSPCA, she has given her photography services for free to many other charities. These include:

• Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Center
• Animal Aid Abroad
• Animals Australia
• Free the Bears Inc
• Dogs Refuge Home
• Stop Live Exports
• World Animal Protection
• Wildlife Alliance (Cambodia)
• Evolve! (UK)
• Sea Shepherd
• WA Dingo Association

Alex is also a member of HeARTs Speak. She has worked with the Bali Animal Welfare Association (BAWA) to help people learn about abandoned street animals in Bali. In 2012 alone, it was reported that Alex donated over $500,000 worth of photography services. This included photos, vouchers, and sponsoring more than 40 animal charities.