Exposure: Lives at Sea

Free

Essential Information

Type	Exhibitions
Location	National Maritime Museum
Date and Times	Exhibition now closed
Prices	Free

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Exposure: Lives at Sea is a photography exhibition at the National Maritime Museum exploring what life is really like for those who work at sea today.

Through a series of photographs taken by those working in the maritime industry, the exhibition shines a light on this often forgotten but integral work.

We rely on our oceans for food, ecosystem services, energy and transportation, yet it is a world rarely seen. Bringing together photography taken around the world, from the reefs of Mexico to the isolation of Antarctica, the exhibition shows us the myriad ways life can be spent at sea.

The exhibition is now closed, but there's so much more to explore in Greenwich in 2023. Check our what's on listings to see upcoming exhibitions and events, and subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from Royal Museums Greenwich.

This exhibition was generously supported by John and Josephine Morrow

Meet the photographers

Facing winds and waves

Commercial fisherman Corey Arnold documents Alaskan seas and the people who work on its waters.

The power of conservation photography

Octavio Aburto reveals the stories behind his remarkable wildlife photographs.

Life beneath the waves

Conservation photographer Jennifer Adler reveals the photos, dives and projects that give her hope for the future of our ocean.

Life on a North Sea oil rig

Peter Iain Campbell talks about the the importance of camaraderie for seafarers' wellbeing.

A modern crisis at sea

Chief engineer Cezar Gabriel explores life at sea during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Surviving the Antarctic

Michał Krzysztofowicz, Data Manager at the British Antarctic Survey's Halley IV Research Station talks about his lived experience in one of our planets most challenging environments

A man climbs down a hatch on board an oil tanker in heavy protection equipment, including a gas mask and visor

Cezar Gabriel

Chief engineer and photographer Cezar Gabriel has worked at sea for over 20 years, living on remote oil tankers. He began taking photos of life on board to raise awareness of the physical and mental challenges faced by seafarers.

Follow Cezar on Instagram

A diver carries a plastic box over a coral reef

Jennifer Adler

Dr Jennifer Adler is a conservation photographer and underwater journalist, who dives deep into an uncharted world beneath the surface to communicate conservation and science.

Find out more about Jennifer's work

A man stacks lobster pots at night on board a commercial fishing vessel in Alaska

Corey Arnold

A photographer and commercial fisher, Corey Arnold documents the Alaskan sea and the people who work on its waters.

Follow Corey on Instagram

Image shows a base in snow, with the sun rising behind it

Michał Krzysztofowicz

Working for 15 months as a Data Manager at the British Antarctic Survey's Halley IV Research Station, Michal documented his experience by taking a photo every day for a year. His work captures the isolation of working in one of the most remote workplaces on Earth, inaccessible by sea, land or air.

See more of Michal's work

A black and white photo of an oil worker. She wears glasses and overalls, and stands looking at the camera in front of rig pipes

Peter Iain Campbell

Peter Iain Campbell is a commercial photographer who, in order to document life in the offshore oil and gas industry, specifically trained to work as a drilling rig worker in the North Sea.

Follow Peter on Instagram

A seal plays underwater with drifts of green and yellow seaweed around

Octavio Aburto

A marine ecologist and National Geographic explorer and photographer, Octavio Aburto has been photographing marine ecosystems off the coastal waters of Mexico since 1994.

Find out more about Octavio's work