Aleksander Lellep was born on 8 November 1886 in Viljandi. He graduated from Tartu Crown Gymnasium and studied to be a pharmacist at Moscow University. He worked as a pharmacist in Moscow. He was interested in photography and filming from an early age. In 1920–1921 he was the economic chief of the Estonian embassy in Moscow. He was actively involved in the young blacksmiths' movement, was the elder of the young blacksmiths' squad. He was arrested on 25 June 1941. After his imprisonment ended, he lived in Krasnoyarsk Krai until 1968, where he was involved in filming and photography. In 1968 he returned to Estonia. He died on 10 April 1971 in Tallinn.