Alina Pullen is a photographer originally from Turkmenistan who is now living and working in London. Growing up near the flaming desert of Karakum, she carries colours, stories and scents of Central Asia in her heart wherever she goes. She is inspired by people she meets, the life and stories they share with her, and tries to always take a little glimpse in someone’s soul through her camera’s viewfinder. Alina has always identified herself as a photographer’s daughter, and her father, Nikolai Kireyev, a respected portrait and reportage photographer in Turkmenistan, is still her inspiration and first teacher. Due to restrictions on media in Turkmenistan, Alina left the country 10 years ago, having to leave her family there, to pursue education in the United States. She is driven by women’s experiences all over the world, and wants to share the stories and inspiration of her photographic heroes. Being a mother is a major part of Alina’s identity which is reflected in her intimate and honest approach to storytelling, centered around the precious fleeting moments, connection and sharing. The struggles of early motherhood with anxiety, breastfeeding and body dysphoria have pushed Alina to explore those topics in her art, and she has gone through a monumental healing process via photography. She is passionate in sharing and connecting with her heroes, hoping to allow them to see themselves in a beautiful, healing light of her photographs, and offer comfort and respite from routine.
www.alinapullenphoto.com
Instagram: @alina.pullen.photo
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