Wild Swimmers

I’ve always had a pull to water and particularly to the coast, and when I returned from The North I shot a short series (The Sea Swimmers, 2020) which captured swimmers on the coast of Suffolk as they braved the swell of the North Sea. I was fascinated, drawn to how they connected to the water and how the environment both welcomed and spurned them. I was drawn also to the theatre of the activity - the brave protagonists, the costumes, the smells and drama of churning water and the inherent emotions of intrepidation, excitement, relief. 

In this body of work, Wild Swimmers, I’ve explored people who engage in the lakes, seas and rivers of the UK. I’ve set out to show the range of people, their rituals, communities and their environments. The theme of connection to our natural environments runs through my work, so to be part of this experience and see swimmers reconnect and reground has been a privilege.

The work was shortlisted for the Royal Photographic Society IPE164, won the UK Government GREAT Britain award and has been featured by BBC News, The Outdoor Swimming Society, Mental Health Swims and the EADT.