Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi: The Romanian photographer set to make a positive change

Dragoi applies for photography competitions to make travelling possible

Alecsandra Raluca Drăgoi dreams of working as a photographer around the world (Alecsandra Raluca Drăgoi)

London-based photographer Alecsandra Raluca Dragoi is on a mission to make a positive change in the world using her art form.

Born in Romania, she has always been filled with a curiosity to discover new places and meet people from all around the globe.

“Photography has been a fantastic way to grow up faster and get to know myself,” she told The Independent.

“I find inspiration in my everyday life; people I meet, things I touch, smell, taste, hear, see, like and dislike, usually things that hide a story behind them and capture my attention, things that need to be told.”

Dragoi has loved travelling ever since her parents took her climbing in the mountains as a young child and she fell in love with Africa’s “wild landscapes” after reading Through Dust and Dreams: The Story of an African Adventure by Romanian author Roxana Valea aged nine.

These days, she tries to find alternative ways to travel by applying for photography competitions or funding.

Dragoi won the National Geographic Travellor Photo Competition this year and has also triumphed at the Sony Awards and the Getty Images Competition.

She hopes to use photography to make a positive change in the world after graduating from her MA later this year.

Dragoi does not have a favourite destination as “all countries have something to offer with different cultures”, but she wants to continue promoting Romania and its tourism.

“I want to stop the bad press it gets in international magazines and TV channels,” she said. “Every country has its problems but I hope to show that there are sides of Romania that are of incredible beauty and definitely worth exploring.”

You can visit Dragoi's website to check out more of her work here.