Alfie lists the image-makers Jeff Wall, Alex Prager, Gregory Crewdson and Nadia Lee Cohen as key influences, inclined toward their ‘set-up’ shots and how they “construct new worlds” in a single frame. This sense of artifice emerges in Alfie’s rendition of a birthday scene: sat in a wooded area, donning a pink party hat and sunglasses, he eats a mouthful of cake surrounded by a smattering of balloons – completely alone. While it’s hard not to look at the image and be hit with the deeply entrenched childhood fear of no one turning up to your birthday party, it does have humour about it, a sense of trying to see the lightness, the comedy, in a moment that feels like the sheer opposite. “I wanted to have a laugh, have a bit of balance – there’s no loneliness or sadness without the opposite,” says Alfie. “Although that birthday picture is quite fucking sad and lonely!”
The footballing world isn’t one well known for being emotionally in touch, open to having discussions about loneliness or self doubt; “Footballers are seen as very strong minded, which I like to think I am, but this work was me just being okay with being vulnerable and honest with myself,” says Alfie. It’s likely a good mix of these qualities that allowed Alfie to take the plunge and leave football for good, a decision one coach told him was “mad” to make – he was, of course, living the ‘boyhood dream’.
Luckily, it all paid off. He’s been signed to Somesuch as a photographer and director, worked with Oscar-nominated filmmakers, traveled to Ukraine to work on a documentary with a close friend, and had the chance to present a solo exhibition with a photobook companion. “I’ve honestly had the best time of my life in the last eight months,” Alfie ends our chat, “the people I’ve met, the experiences I’ve been having, it’s outrageous.” In having the bravery to embrace the unknown it seems Alfie has fallen through the drum of the washing machine into a whole new reality, one where he’s happy picking up a camera instead of lacing up his boots.
A Loan is now showing at Oof Gallery in Tottenham, London, until 27 September.