From sea and shore
- Hannah Tapping
- Sep 16
- 2 min read
Words by Hannah Tapping
From teaching to surf lifesaving, Rhys Ellis-Davies captures coastal life in myriad forms.
Rhys Ellis-Davies has always taken his teaching further than the traditional four walls of his classroom. With more than three decades in education, he has always looked for ways to make learning tangible, meaningful and connected to the real world. His more recent role as an Outdoor Learning specialist has seen him bring lessons to life in unexpected places, from fields and forests to the shoreline. A highlight came when he led 120 Year 5 pupils to Newquay Harbour to take part in the RNLI’s Float2Live programme, ensuring children in a coastal community gained essential water safety skills that could one day save lives.
Rhys’ dedication to the sea goes well beyond teaching. He and his partner Jodie actively participate in Holywell Bay Surf Lifesaving Club, where training, coaching and competing are part of their routine. Surf lifesaving is not just a sport for them, it’s about being part of a coastal culture grounded in community and resilience. It is here that his two worlds – education and the ocean – meet, both guided by a respect for the coast and its challenges.
Photography has been a constant companion running alongside these pursuits. From his earliest days with a simple cartridge camera to producing calendars and cards, Rhys has found in photography both a creative outlet and a way to preserve moments that matter. He first honed his eye documenting the achievements of his own children in sport, but during the quieter pace of the pandemic years, he turned his lens towards the subtleties of landscape and wildlife. Waiting for light to shift across Holywell Bay or West Penwith taught him patience, while experimenting with long exposures and intentional camera movement opened new avenues of expression.
His photographs often reflect the same energy that drives his surf lifesaving. Whether freezing the spray of a breaking wave, framing athletes mid-race, or capturing the stillness of a setting sun, his images speak of a life immersed in saltwater. Asked what he hopes people take from his work, Rhys’s answer is modest: “If a picture makes someone pause, smile or revisit a memory, then that’s a success.” His photographs are about presence, records of moments shaped by the sea and the ever-changing pull of Cornwall’s coast.
