Deep blue sea
Surfer and photographer Abbi’s two obsessions inspire her aquatic abstracts
My favourite time of year to shoot is in the winter. I’ll wade out into the Cornish sea, kitted up in thick neoprene with my Nikon D7000 inside its waterproof housing, and it’s worth braving the cold for the moody skies and unpredictable seascapes that I love to shoot.
I’ve always had a passion for the sea. Whether I’m surfing rough waves, diving in calmer waters or sailing the windswept coastline, there is something phenomenal about being in an uncontrollable environment.
I graduated in Marine and Natural History Photography from Falmouth University, and my final project focused on documenting the intricate individual relationships that we have with the ocean. I realised that to do the sea justice with my camera I was going to have to get it wet. Everyone loves oceanscapes that feature the setting sun or the light of dawn, but I feel like I’ve seen pictures like that so many times. Sea mist, stormy waves and heavy rain are just as picturesque.
Nautical Nikon
For my underwater work I put my Nikon D7000 inside Nauticam housing with a dome port and use dual strobe lights. My 10mm-17mm lens allows me to get close to the action but still end up with great wide-angle shots. For oceanscapes taken from dry land I usually use a 18mm-105mm lens to give me a longer range, depending on how close to the sea front I am. I’m a keen surfer, so getting into the water when the ocean is freezing and choppy doesn’t bother me, but I’m careful to