By the Sea – Why I Love Living and Photographing in Aberdeen

Aberdeen Seeside

As a family photographer in Aberdeen, I feel incredibly lucky to live by the sea. Growing up in a different country, I never had the chance to experience the ocean every day — it always felt like something distant and rare, something you only see on holidays.

Now, being able to call this coastline my home still feels magical. Every time I walk down to the water, I’m reminded how special it is to live here, and how much I treasure the beauty of this place.

Morning haze at Aberdeen beach taken with my phone

One of my favourite rituals is walking up and down along the promenade, listening to the sound of the waves as they roll in and out. There’s something about the sea that slows time — the rhythm of the water, the waves crashing, the cries of the gulls above. It makes me breathe deeper, move slower, and notice the world more gently.

What makes it even more special is watching my little one grow up here. He plays on the beach almost every day — collecting shells, chasing the waves, drawing patterns in the sand with sticks - and also digging deep holes ofcourse! . Seeing him so free and joyful by the water is one of the greatest gifts of living here. It feels like giving him something I never had as a child: the sea as part of everyday life.

Little explorer down the beach at low tide

I love photographing the coastline. The light here has a quiet magic to it — soft and golden at sunrise, dramatic and wild in a storm, delicate and pastel in the stillness of winter. My favourite mornings are in the colder months, when the sun rises low on the horizon, painting the sky in rich pinks, oranges, and golds. The whole beach glows, and for a few moments the world feels completely still.

And here’s a little secret: I live close enough to the water that I can sip my morning coffee while watching the sun come up over the sea. It’s the most peaceful way to start the day. In the summer, when the sun is already high and the waves sparkle with tiny points of light, I love just standing there, soaking it in — the sound, the light, the feeling of being exactly where I’m meant to be.

Sunrise at the beach in Aberdeen

Living by the sea has shaped how I see the world and how I photograph it. The wide horizon, the ever-changing light, the endless space — it all inspires me to capture moments that feel open, natural, and full of life. I feel endlessly grateful that my work lets me celebrate this place every day.

Aberdeen sunrise at the beachfront

Rainbow over the sea at Aberdeen

Little one playing in the sand

Hare - taken with my phone