Alex Crothall, 18, from Bearsden, took the pictures at Olivia Dean’s recent concert at the OVO Hydro, after bringing a new camera to the gig, and later posted them on Instagram.
British Vogue spotted the images and reshared two of them on its own Instagram page, crediting Alex in the caption.
Olivia Dean also shared his post on her Instagram story, and Nanushka, the fashion brand behind one of Dean’s custom outfits, featured one of his pictures on its social media.
Alex said: “I was shocked.
“I told a few friends, and then it just blew up.
“I still haven’t fully processed what’s happened in the space of a few days.”
The recent Bearsden Academy leaver is currently on a gap year before beginning a Film and TV course at the University of Glasgow.
Photography has been a part of his life since childhood, when his mother, Adele Crothall, bought him a Nikon Coolpix L23 at the age of nine.
It wasn’t until his fifth year at Bearsden Academy that he began to take the craft seriously, crediting his Higher Photography teacher, Mr Armour, for helping him develop his technical skills.
Alex said: “I’d always had an interest in photography, but that’s when I really started to take it seriously.”
He now carries his camera on his travels and enjoys capturing street scenes, architecture, and candid moments.
The Olivia Dean concert was the first time he had photographed a major live event using a camera rather than a phone.
Alex said: “I’d taken photos at gigs on my phone before, but this was the first time I’d used a proper camera at a concert.
“I was there as a fan, but I also wanted to see what I could do with it.”
Using a Sony RX100VII, he shot the event in manual mode and used the camera’s built-in zoom to capture both close-ups and wide shots of the crowd.
He described the evening as “amazing” and was struck by Dean’s rapport with the audience.
Alex said two photos stood out from the set: the opening shot as Dean took the stage, and one of her performing in a pink dress.
He said: “It had so much movement and really captured her whole vibe.”
The images were Alex’s first post on his photography Instagram account, @alexcrvisuals, which he hopes will become a portfolio.
He said: “I was proud of how they looked and want to build up a portfolio of images, as it’s something I’ve always been passionate about.”
A few days later, British Vogue reached out to request permission to share the photos.
He said: “They said they would love to re-share my photos on their Instagram page and give me credit, which they then did in the caption.”
His family, he said, have been supportive throughout the experience and encouraged him to keep taking photos.
Alex said: “My family are really proud.
“They’ve told me to keep believing that something amazing can come from doing what you love.”
The teenager now hopes to continue developing his photography alongside film and design, with a particular interest in concert photography.
He said: “I’d love to take my concert photography further.”
As for his dream gig to photograph, Alex is saving a special place for Ariana Grande.
He said: “I’m a huge fan, so that would be amazing.”
