Alex Coupar has worked as a photographer in and around Dundee since 1955, documenting the areas and events which reflect both our culture and history. During his career, stretching over fifty years, Alex has recorded the intricacies of every day life as well as national and civic events.
Before his photography career took off, Alex studied at Dens Road and Morgan Academy with the hopes of becoming a photographer one day. In pursuit of his dream he joined DC Thompson once he left school as a press photographer where he later went on to specialise in theatre work and magazine features. As a part of his career, Alex served his National Service with the Royal Air Force School of Photography as a publicity photographer from 1953-1955, when he returned to DC Thompson.
As a photographer with DC Thompson, Alex captured both tragedies as well as celebrations and continued this as a freelancer, some of his images are seen below.
The University of Dundee Archives are fortunate enough to now hold Alex’s collection of negatives and prints as well as his work diaries, dating back to the early stages of his career in the 1950’s until his retirement in 2000. Although, while his collection is not yet available as it is currently being listed and organised, it will hopefully be accessible to the public by the end of 2021.
Visit Coupar’s Camera to learn more about Alex’s life and photography career: http://sites.dundee.ac.uk/coupars-camera/biog/