About Paul

Paul Stretton-Stephens is an artistic coastal photographer whose work captures the atmosphere, movement and emotional character of life beside the sea. Drawn instinctively to the coast, he finds both tranquillity and inspiration in the changing rhythms of the tides, translating these experiences into expressive photographic artworks.

Paul’s artistic journey has been shaped by exploration, cultural encounters and a lifelong curiosity about the visual arts. Inspired by Indigenous and First Nations art traditions, he has participated in Aboriginal art workshops and explored the galleries and artistic communities of Santa Fe, alongside the cultural and coastal influences of Mauritius, Australia and Spain. These experiences continue to bring depth, texture and a distinctive sense of movement to his work.

Working predominantly with Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), Paul creates contemporary, painterly photography in which light, colour, movement and atmosphere converge. Rather than simply recording the landscape before him, he seeks to interpret how a place feels — capturing the energy of breaking waves, the quietness of still water and the fleeting transitions of light along the shoreline.

Paul’s developing fine art practice has received growing international recognition. He has been longlisted three times in the Visual Art Open International competition and was shortlisted for the VAA Art100 International 2026. He has also been awarded VAA Preferred Artist Status, further recognising the quality and continuing development of his artistic practice.

Born in Nottingham and raised by the sea in Portsmouth, Paul’s life has long been intertwined with the coast. His journey has taken him from service in the Armed Forces through education, leadership and coaching, yet photography and creativity have remained enduring threads throughout his life.

His relationship with the visual world also carries a deeply personal significance. Following sudden sight loss in 2015, Paul spent approximately eight years registered blind. His subsequent return to photography became part of a profound reconnection with colour, light and landscape, giving renewed meaning to both seeing and creating.

Now based in the seaside town of Exmouth, Devon, Paul works from his studio developing a practice centred around what he describes simply as “Coastal Life.” His fine art photography explores the contrasts inherent in the sea — dynamic yet calming, powerful yet peaceful, constantly changing yet timeless.

Each artwork offers more than a representation of the coast. It is an invitation to experience a moment: the movement of water, the fading of light, the suggestion of a horizon or the quiet pause between waves.

Through his work, Paul seeks to create a sense of connection — between viewer and landscape, memory and place, movement and stillness — offering a contemporary and deeply personal interpretation of our enduring relationship with the sea.