A schoolgirl inspired to take up photography at a school activity club has gone on to stage an exhibition hailed as ?pure photojournalism?.

?I didn?t really take photography that seriously until I joined the school?s club and thoroughly enjoyed it,? said 17-year-old Alexandra Smart who hopes one day to become a professional photographer.

Alexandra?s b&w photos depict life among the gypsy communities of Bulgaria?s capital Sofia.

The images are due to go on show at the Imageart gallery in Milton on Stour near Gillingham in Dorset on 21 and 22 January.

Commenting on the shots the gallery?s owner Steve Payter said: ?This is pure photojournalism. Alexandra is incredibly talented and these pictures really tug at the heart strings.?

This is Alexandra?s second exhibition. Her first, held in nearby Salisbury, raised £700 in donations for deprived youngsters in Bulgaria.

Alexandra is currently studying for her A-levels at St Mary?s School in Shaftesbury.

The show is set to feature around 16 of her images and is free to enter. It is open from 10am-4pm each day.

ImageArt gallery is based at No2 The Old Dairy, Milton on Stour, Near Gillingham, Dorset.

Picture credit: Alexandra Smart