OCEAN CULTURES is a photo documentary of my personal journey in finding a connection towards the ocean. This documentary investigates the perspectives of different maritime figures such as fishermen, shipwrights, and maritime curators to learn from their lived experiences and to enhance my own.
Everyone connects with nature differently. In my case, I feel as though I’ve forgotten how to connect with nature. With so many distractions in life nowadays, I can’t seem to get anything out of my head. Instead, I scroll through feeds of endless content to consume, unable to make sense of my purpose in life, and why the things I do hold importance. I’ve forgotten one of the most basic parts of life—finding a connection to the natural world.
The photographs are shown in a documentary-style short-form video to personalise and enhance the experience of my journey. This is done through the incorporation of interviews, ambient sounds and moving images of the ocean. The documentary is primarily made up of still images of nature, with select self-portraits. My absence and presence in these images highlight the tension in connecting to nature—it is everywhere and nowhere.
