Photographer Caroline South is a beachcomber who stocks her finds in suave preparations that remember found objects and colors. Based in West Sussex, she and her family explore the southern shoreline and uncover hidden treasures, from plastic things to sea glass. Once these items are cleaned and prepared, she positions them in tidy compositions that assist you in respecting her discoveries. We’re left marveling at how even the most mundane objects can be made stunning while considered in the right layout.
Although found gadgets are a massive part of South’s whimsical photography, she also contains items that aren’t from the seashore but matches her aesthetic. Flowers, style, and meals are different elements of her paintings, and they abide through the same rainbow color palette and gradient arrangements, which can be appealing to the eye—a reality amplified. At the same time, you scroll through her popular Instagram feed.
We spoke with South about geography, her system, and her method for My Modern Met’s single interview.
Caroline South combs the beach and uses her discoveries as elements in her whimsical photography. Learn more about her work in our interview below.
When did you begin taking photos?
I initially started taking snapshots for my blog, wherein I shared an aggregate of photos of my family, my seashore collections, and various craft projects. When I joined Instagram about six years ago, it became my innovative outlet and an area to proportion my photographs.
You and your family explore the seaside and find things from there. How does a great deal of it finally end up in your pix?
I spend lots of time exploring the south coastline, amassing treasures, and cleaning the seaside. I maintain most of the bits I locate and have many ongoing collections prepared to use in Destiny photos. My portions are all organized in jars or tubs in either coloration order or using the themed collection.
What would you remember as your finest location while at the beach?
The Lego Lost at Sea is one of my favorite things to discover. These (ironically sea-themed) pieces have been within the ocean since 1997, while packing containers fell from the box ship, The Tokio Express, and they’re still washing up nowadays. I have observed many Lego flippers, scuba tanks, and spear weapons – though I have yet to discover an uncommon octopus or dragon! I also love finding unique and antique plastic gadgets consisting of military men, cracker toys, antique hairpins, and connecting beads.
What do you do to prep for a shoot?
When getting equipped for a shoot, I will first gather all the materials or colored portions to make up the picture. A picture such as the prepared plastics can take some days to complete, and I will frequently stick down the pieces, meaning I can return to it without demanding they’ll have moved position.
Do you know precisely how and what gadgets you’ll use for it?
Before beginning a picture, I generally have a great idea of the finished look, but I want to go with the glide and mess around, including portions, until I am glad about the final shape or gradient.
