Exploring the lives of some of the fisherman of Java, Indonesia. Shot mostly around Pangandaran and the Karimanjawa islands. I was interested in the complex relationship that the fisherman have with the sea – which they are so reliant on – but also can easily take away life as it has done in the past.
In 2006 an earthquake off the South coast of Java triggered a huge tsunami that claimed the lives of hundreds of people in Pangandaran. I spoke to many that had lost family members, and heard first hand accounts of people climbing palm trees to escape the ever enveloping sea.
Seeing the families working together to bring in boats and nets, carry their catch and sort the fish showed their impressive strength as a community. A ritualistic feeling is resembled in their activities, all beautifully lit in the morning sunlight.
