TIDES AND TEMPESTS
Outdoor photographer Rachael Talibart shares the allure of stormy seas, her coastal inspirations and a unique approach to capturing the waves
Rachael Talibart
Rachael grew up on the south coast of England and spent much of her childhood at sea, which left her with a life-long fascination for the ocean and stormy weather.
After a career as a solicitor in London, Rachael followed her passion for photography full-time. She has since featured in magazines and exhibitions, and is best-known for her critically acclaimed Sirens series. She also owns and runs f11 workshops in the south of England and leads photography tours.
For more of Rachael’s work, head to: @rachaeltalibart www.rachaeltalibart.com
Clearing Fog, 2016 A wonderfully atmospheric early morning on the cliffs above Beachy Head. I took about six exposures of the lighthouse with the fog whirling around it, but this was the keeper because of the birds
All images © Rachael Talibart
How long have you been a photographer and how did you get into it?
Photography has been a hobby since my teens, but it became a passion in 1989 when I took unpaid leave, upon qualifying as a solicitor, to solo backpack around the world. I carried my first 35mm camera, a little Minolta compact, and the beautiful things I saw on my trip motivated me to start taking photography more seriously.
On my return, I spent my first pay cheque as a solicitor on my first SLR. I was really a happy snapper at that time, content simply to record what I saw. My husband bought me my first DSLR for Christmas 2007 and I learned how to process digital files on an Open University course in 2008. I quickly became enthralled by the creative possibilities of photography, and I think I have been obsessed ever since. I became a full-time professional photographer in 2016.