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The sea is my connection to nature and being part of something so much bigger. Something with so much more meaning. To be out in the ocean as the sun comes up and to see in the new day is out of this world. The way the water holds you up and supports you… it’s just something beyond words. I always loved being in the sea as a child and this has remained with me to this day. Lots of fond memories of jumping the waves on stormy days with my mum and my gran. That’s probably why now, I just love being out in the ocean no matter the weather!

Being out in the water not only helped me reconnect with nature in an even deeper way than before (excuse the pun there!) but I wanted to be able to document this in my photography. At first, I purchased a GoPro and to my amazement the new models even shoot RAW! It was a perfect start. I ended up taking one of my favourite images on this camera and its now blown up big on my lounge wall. The capabilities astonished me and I ventured into more abstract images, beneath the surface of the water. It was opening up a whole new world to me and as amazing as the GoPro was, I wanted to take this further. I now have a Seafrogs housing for my FujiFilm XT3 which comes on my sunrise dips most mornings. There’s something really special about seeking out new perspectives. I just bob along the surface of the water, watching the sunrise and firing off some shots as it happens. I aim to shoot with a very shallow depth of field, so close to the surface that it’s a ripple or 2 that really make the shot for me. I was always a fan of watching and shooting the surf too, so now this has given me the opportunity to get into the water with my fellow sea lovers and capture them from the surface too.

I feel like sometimes the images I shoot now are a far cry from those of a couple of years ago but I feel like I’m developing as a photographer and forever changing. There’s always something to learn or experience and I think that’s what keeps photography the most exciting for me. And right now, that’s seeking out the ripples, the abstract patterns and textures on the water, the action from the waves and the surfers riding them. Playing with shutter speeds to see how I can capture the waves in a different way. All whilst living fully in the moment being embraced by the water.

View more of Emily's photography here.