By Shelby Tuttle

Veteran entertainment photographer David Alexander recently unveiled a stunning debut book, Pictures of Time, offering a fresh perspective on humanity and our connection to the planet.

For decades, Alexander photographed legendary album covers for artists like The Eagles, Aretha Franklin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, James Brown, Ringo Starr, Tina Turner, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, and The Steve Miller Band, along with movie posters for iconic films like The Terminator and 9 to 5. But beyond the commercial success, Alexander began to see a deeper message woven into the fabric of his work.

Pictures Of Time: Seeing Time in the Ordinary World is a captivating collection of photographs that reveal the interconnectedness of all living things. 

Alexander tells me, “Each page spread in Pictures of Time presents similarities and connections among different living and natural things. These similarities and connections didn’t spring up overnight. They evolved from the distant past and will continue to evolve into the unknowable future. Therefore, they offer glimpses of time.” 

Through his lens, Alexander finds the extraordinary in the ordinary. A group of people sitting together on a lawn is reflected in a photo of wildflowers bunched together, soaking up the sun; a family’s connection echoes in the vibrant energy of manzanita trees. 

Says Alexander, “It’s now widely, if not universally, believed that trees communicate with and support each other through their roots. We certainly know that people communicate with each other through words, music, touch, and in so many other ways. If that’s true about trees and people, then I’ve had to ask myself why other life forms wouldn’t communicate with others of their species.”

In his countless hours photographing nature, he notes that he’s wondered about intraspecies communication when taking pictures of flowers, trees, and other wild species. 

“The more I photographed, the more convinced I became that intraspecies communication occurs,” he says. “A look at the other page spreads in Pictures of Time shows a broad variety of similarities and connections that I believe build a consistent story of relationships across disparate living and natural things.” 

Organized by themes like Shape, Pairing, and Rhythm, the book presents a beautiful tapestry of full-color photographs. Flowers blooming, trees aging, and even people relaxing in a park all seem to share a silent conversation across time. 

Pictures Of Time isn’t just a visual feast; it’s a window into the profound beauty of everyday life, and a testament to Alexander’s ability to find profound meaning in the seemingly ordinary, reminding us of our place in the grand flow of time.

This book will resonate with anyone who appreciates art, photography, nature, or simply ponders the larger questions of existence. 

“I am a photographer who has been looking closely at life since I picked up a camera over 55 years ago,” Alexander says. “Through my experience, I’ve come to believe in the power of close observation and the value of photography of the everyday world as a means of not just showing but exploring life on this planet.”

Alexander is also the founder of A&I Color, a renowned film processing lab, and co-founder of X-DAM, a digital asset management company trusted by Fortune 500 giants like NBCUniversal, Viacom, and The Hallmark Channel. His book is available on Amazon and at www.picturesoftime.com.