Our mission is to give a voice to our ocean

By promoting the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural marine environment by widening and deepening public understanding of the ocean's issues and challenges. By sharing stories of those dedicated to the ocean and its conservation, we can inspire others to take action and join the movement to protect our oceans.

OUR APPROACH

Through immersive educational workshops, we enlighten young minds about marine ecosystems, plastic pollution, and sustainability, fostering a deep connection to our oceans.

Our impactful grant programme amplifies the voices of Ocean Guardians worldwide, providing resources for vital conservation initiatives. Our public events, showcasing the beauty and challenges of the ocean, unite communities in the shared cause of conservation.

OCL's impact resonates globally, empowering countless individuals to become Ocean Guardians and bridging the critical gap between science and communication in the ocean conservation movement.

Read our 2022/2023 annual review here.

  • STORYTELLING GRANTS

    Spending their time inspiring, educating and protecting our most undervalued asset, we host a community of like-minded individuals filled with passion. However, passion doesn’t pay the bills. That’s why we offer storytelling grants, enabling our community to document untold stories that need to be shared.

  • EDUCATIONAL WORKSHOPS

    WHILST WE DO THE GROUNDWORK, FUTURE GENERATIONS WILL BE THE ONES TO REAP THE SEEDS WE SEW. WE BELIEVE IT IS ESSENTIAL TO EDUCATE YOUNG PEOPLE IN CONSERVATION AND COMMUNICATIVE STORYTELLING. YOUR DONATION CAN HELP US EXPAND CHILDREN'S MINDS AND SECURE A BRIGHT FUTURE.

  • COMMUNITY AWARENESS

    OUR COMMUNITY IS ABOUT GIVING A VOICE TO THE OCEAN THROUGH THE POWER OF CREATIVE STORYTELLING.

    OUR AWARENESS EVENTS BROADCAST THESE UNTOLD STORIES TO THE PUBLIC TO INFORM AND EMPOWER PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION AND INSPIRE THEM TO CREATE A DEEPER CONNECTION WITH THE OCEAN AND ITS LIFE.

  • GUARDIAN COLLABORATION

    WE WORK WITH INSPIRING ORGANISATIONS AND COMMUNITIES, SUPPORTING WORK IN CONSERVATION AND STORYTELLING AND WORKING TOGETHER TO SAVE OUR PLANET.

    AS ONE OCEAN-LOVING COMMUNITY, WE CAN TAKE STRIDES TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE AND A HEALTHIER MARINE ENVIRONMENT. OUR ABILITY TO COLLABORATE ON A BUSINESS LEVEL AMPLIFIES OUR VOICES AND GIVES US A WIDER REACH.

meet the team

  • Environmental Portrait and Celebrated Royal Family Photographer

    As the founder of Ocean Culture Life, Matt Porteous embarked on a mission fueled by his fascination with the stories of others. Driven by his passion for life, travel, nature, and humanity, Matt sought to forge a global community dedicated to amplifying the positive narrative surrounding the oceans and their inhabitants.

    Matt's compelling attraction to storytelling is evident in his ability to craft visual tales of extraordinary depth. His work, ranging from intimate captures to epic journeys, seeks the profound emotions hidden within. With a deep respect for the Earth and its oceans, Matt focuses on narratives that carry a significant impact, stories that bridge the gap between individual experiences and universal truths. His work is not just seen; it's felt, marked by a transformative energy and a genuine perspective that renders each photograph not only a moment in time but a piece of art that speaks to the soul.

  • BEING A LIFELONG OCEAN LOVER, TAMSIN HAS SPENT MOST OF HER LIFE ON OR CLOSE TO THE SEA.

    INSPIRED BY THE OCEAN FROM A YOUNG AGE, TAMSIN SET OUT ON A JOURNEY LEARNING HOW TO COMMUNICATE TO THE MASSES WITH THE AIM TO DO IT FOR A GOOD CAUSE. AFTER GRADUATING WITH A FIRST CLASS HONOURS IN ADVERTISING & MARKETING SHE SPENT YEARS AGENCY SIDE MANAGING NATIONAL CAMPAIGNS FOR MARKET LEADING BRANDS. IT DIDN’T TAKE LONG FOR HER TO REALISE THE MISSING LINK - HER PASSION FOR THE SEA.

    TAMSIN BELIEVES THAT OUR EMOTIONAL BOND WITH THE OCEAN IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES TO MARINE SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT, BY BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN CULTURE, SCIENCE AND COMMUNICATION THROUGH CREATIVE PRACTICES WE CAN PROMOTE COLLABORATION BETWEEN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, HERITAGE AND OCEAN STEWARDSHIP.

    TAMSIN@OCEANCULTURE.LIFE

Meet the Team

Advisory Board

  • John Stares

    A seasoned professional and valued advisor to our charity. With over two decades of experience leading diverse business consulting projects globally, John brings a wealth of expertise to our team. His extensive involvement in the voluntary sector reflects his commitment to making a positive impact.

JOIN THE TEAM

Thank you for your interest in joining OCL.

Current Vacancies Include

Please email info@oceanculture.life.

Ride the Wave of Transformation with Us.

Join the tide of change and be at the forefront of a revolutionary movement. At Ocean Culture Life, we're building a charity and cultivating a global community. As part of the OCL team, you'll stand alongside passionate storytellers and dedicated guardians, all working in unison towards a sustainable and vibrant oceanic future. We're searching for dynamic individuals to help us craft the most exhilarating global ocean charity ever envisioned. Seize the opportunity, make a splash, and let's co-create a legacy that will echo across the deep blue for generations to come.

Every once in a while, perhaps only once in a generation, profound shifts ripple through the world’s conscience: attitudes change, knowledge broadens, and the way we live our lives is redrawn.⁠

Ocean Culture Life is a community that has grown out of this new era of awareness and tapped into a worldwide network of storytellers and guardians. ⁠

OCL’s storytellers are united by a love of the water and an intuitive ability to capture emotion and change through the lens. Across the world, we support and connect these talented creators so that they can tell their stories in captivating photography and film.⁠

Through the fog of media that bombards us daily, these stories of progress, incremental improvement and endeavour in the face of persistent and unrelenting pushback are the ones that stay with us. ⁠

Together we continue to support ocean-related community projects, research and conservation efforts worldwide, creating compelling content that catalyses positive change.⁠

Building a community

OCL’s storytellers are united by a love of the water and an instinctive ability to capture emotion and change through the lens. Across the world, we connect these talented creators with our Ocean Guardians, so that they can tell their stories in captivating photography and film.

Through the fog of media that bombards us every day, these stories of progress, of incremental improvement and endeavour in the face of persistent and unrelenting pushback, are the ones that stay with us. In a matter of months, community projects, scientific research and conservation efforts across the world were soon brought to life by our storytellers, creating compelling content which catalysed positive change.

why?

We believe a holistic appreciation of the sea is crucial to ensure that people and the planet flourish. 

Our emotional bond with the ocean is often overlooked in conventional marine science and management approaches. By bridging the gap between culture, science and communication through creative practices, we can promote collaboration between sustainable development, heritage and ocean stewardship. 

We truly believe in the power of storytelling and organic collaboration in order to encourage support, recognition and ultimately action.

We all know the ocean is the life support of our planet, and we're becoming more aware of the crisis it faces.

Together, we can use the power of storytelling to restore health to our oceans.