People of the Solent

With its rich cultural history and inspiring natural beauty, it’s no surprise that the Solent has inspired many people to achieve wonderful feats in their respective fields. Rescue crew, volunteer coastwatchers and conservationists are just some of the extraordinary individuals who work daily on the water and play an essential role in shaping its future.

As part of our project Secrets of the Solent, we've teamed up with photographer Tom Harrison to tell the stories of these incredible people in a photographic exhibition. Through portraits and interviews, we’ll explore how our incredible marine environment has influenced their lives.

We would also love to see your images of the Solent - whether these are portraits, landscapes or wildlife photography. Feel free to share them with us on social media using the hashtag #SecretsOfTheSolent and we'll repost our favourites. 

The Secrets of the Solent project represents everything I love about photography. It gives me the chance to meet some of the incredible characters who work on the Solent, and to explore their role within the ecosystem of the Solent using photography. "

I have been in love with photography from the moment I picked up a camera aged 14.  I immediately realised that photography offered the most perfect excuse to simply go and explore the world and to engage with remarkable people- whether that be in our immediate surroundings or further afield. 

After moving to Manchester for university, I cut my teeth in photography working for my student newspaper. I covered a vast range of stories, from sports and fashion to music and protests. It made me realise how photography can take you anywhere you want it to. After capturing a powerful set of images during the 2010 student protests, I was fortunate enough to land a two-week internship at The Guardian, which went on to publish a number of my pictures and helped kickstart my career. 

After graduating from university I committed myself to a career in photography. I worked as a staff photographer for Aberdeen Journals before joining Solent News Agency which resulted in regular commissions for prestigious titles such as The Times, The Guardian and the Daily Telegraph. In 2019 I made the leap and went freelance. I now specialise in shooting portrait commissions for commercial and editorial clients.

I use a combination of natural and strobe lighting to create powerful and dynamic images with a cinematic style. I hope my approach tells the stories of my subjects in an honest yet exciting way, and champions the vast array of people I have photographed over the years. 

Recent portrait projects have included topics such as British sumo wrestlers, London publicans over lockdown, Mudlarkers on the river Thames and top flight women's football stars. 

The Secrets of the Solent project represents everything I love about photography. It gives me the chance to meet some of the incredible characters who work on the Solent, and to explore their role within the ecosystem of the Solent using photography.