People & The Ocean by Ellie Wainwright

Like many people all over the world I am completely gripped by the ocean. Growing up on the Welsh coast, being in and around the ocean is something I’ve done since I could walk.

Swimming in the pink and purple hues at sunset, diving underneath to be completely surrounded by the big blue or riding along and rolling with the waves on her surface, I’ve always felt most at home in salty air and sand underfoot. When a massive swell drew in I’d be drawn to the shores watching surfers crowd the beaches, dropping in on different waves and carving the faces with turns and tricks. Quiet evenings would sometimes offer completely empty lineups and lone surfers gliding across green waves that never seemed to break.

Picking up a camera became a way for me to explore being outside in nature and capture the way that it would make me feel: alive and free in a world that sometimes felt orderly and restricting. Looking at the human connection to the natural world and the wonders that can be found in the waves, through photography my aim is to understand the complex relationships between people and the ocean, focusing on and raising awareness to issues that arise between us and the natural world.

The ocean is a muse for people across the globe, her healing properties clear the mind, give joy and for some, a purpose to carry on. We cannot separate ourselves from nature because we are nature, and through these images I hope to bring rawness and hope, highlighting the fact that imperfections are honest and honesty is beautiful.