Finding Beauty in the Familiar

Ben Rayner's work invites us to look at the world around us with fresh eyes, to find the beauty in the ordinary and the familiar. From water to shadows to sand dunes, he captures moments of idyllic calm.

Rayner's journey as a photographer began at the age of 15, and has taken him around the world with a film camera. Meeting his partner Marianne in Portugal would become a turning point in his career trajectory. “She had done a little bit of modelling before, so I naturally wanted to take photos of her and from then on my photography career really took off.”

On the benefits of shooting on film, he shares “I love film, because I feel so much more mindful and present with wherever and whomever I'm creating with.” Seeing photography as a balance between the big picture and the close-up “the camera allows us to capture a moment in time within the timeless.”

For Rayner, art has the power to drive positive change by connecting us to the “universe's energy and imagination, as well as to our own bodies and the earth's elements.” In his latest work, Rayner finds inspiration in the idea that “everything in life is inspiring depending on how you perceive it.”

As he explains it, his throughline as a photographer is a spiral of connection through past, present, and future. Through his lens, he captures moments of connection between people and the natural world, creating a visual narrative that spans time and space.

In a world that can be divisive and chaotic, Ben Rayner's photography offers a sense of calm and perspective. In capturing the beauty in the familiar, he reminds us that there’s always something to marvel at and that even in the most ordinary moments, there is magic to be found. His photography is a reminder of the beauty that exists all around us, if we only take the time to look for it.