Photography Made in the Sea
Eat, sleep, wave, repeat.
“The sea is always there but ever changing. No two swims are the same and each photograph I take in the sea is unique. I find it endlessly inspiring to be able to visit the same place again and again and yet never see the same thing twice”
For the last eight years I’ve been swimming in the sea throughout the year in Brighton and Hove, making photographs as I go. For the last three years I’ve assembled a selection of these pictures into a calendar of Brighton ‘Sea Views’, which I sell at my gallery just a few metres from the water.
My 2025 calendar arrived with me earlier today, and I’ve just spent the morning packing up the first batch for the post. It’s been a busy month full of mundane business chores and unfriendly weather, but seeing these in print today has been a little reminder of why I do it, and some motivation to keep swimming out for another winter in the sea.
There is something wonderfully liberating about trying to take photographs in such an uncontrollable environment, literally immersed in my subject. I am continually pushed around by the wind, waves and tides and have to relinquish control of much of the process, being far more reactive and spontaneous than I ever would be on land. Composition has to be rather more instinctive, and timing is everything. It is playful, silly and completely addictive, a perfect balance to the more ‘serious’ work I do on the Downs. The number of usable, printable images is very low, but each one that works is an unrepeatable moment of serendipitous joy.
Here is my selection for 2025, I hope they convey something of the joy, freedom and excitement of it all.
This isn’t intended as a sales pitch, but if you’d like a copy of the calendar you can find it here.
This month I’ve also been enjoying
’s wonderful (and very relatable) writing about the sea and the challenges of autumn swims. I’m excited to see some work emerging from a new project by Niall McDiarmid, and I was delighted to get my copy of Brutalist Plants by Hoxton Mini Press, including some pictures by , who was kind enough to pop into the gallery the other day to say hello.
I love your swim pics. There's something incredibly pleasing about them, especially to someone who hasn't swum in the sea for decades.
Truly beautiful work!