A young man wearing yellow rubber boots, yellow gloves, white shirt, and red harness stands in a parking lot in front of a university hospital building. He is holding a green helmet and has sunglasses on. Behind him, there is a university training ambulance and the hospital entrance with a sign that reads "Main Entrance." The building has brick and stone walls and multiple windows.

Degree Show Exhibition

June 2026

As part of my final major photography project for my BA (Hons) Photography, Video and Digital Imaging degree, my work will be exhibited at the University of Sunderland Degree Show.

Location
Priestman Building
City Campus, University of Sunderland

Exhibition Dates
Preview Evening: Friday 5th June, 6pm–8pm
Public Opening: Saturday 6th June
Closed: Sunday 7th June
Open: 8th–12th June 2026

The Degree Show celebrates an incredible range of final works across multiple creative disciplines, including photography, animation, illustration, fashion, fine art and graphic design. Spanning three floors, the exhibition offers visitors the opportunity to experience diverse and innovative creative practices, with refreshments available throughout the event.

About the Project

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Between Shouts

Exploring the lives of Sunderland RNLI volunteers beyond emergency callouts, Between Shouts focuses on the individuals behind the various crew roles, capturing them in the places that shape their lives outside the lifeboat station. The series reveals personal narratives often unseen in documentary representations of rescues, emphasising how extraordinary responsibility intersects with everyday life. Through environmental portraiture, Between Shouts conveys the demands, challenges and human experience of volunteering.

Acknowledgements

This project would not have been possible without the generosity, trust, and openness of the volunteers at the Royal National Lifeboat Institute, who allowed me into their lives to document their stories beyond the lifeboat station. I am deeply grateful for their time, honesty, and willingness to share moments of their everyday lives alongside the responsibilities they carry.

With sincere thanks to: Simon, Sonia, Lloyd, Chris, Ash, Anne, Liz, Craig, Lee, Harry, and Joanne.‍‍

Biography

Claire Louise is a photographer based in Sunderland, UK, who specialises in environmental portraiture and documentary photography. With a strong passion for capturing genuine lived moments, her work focuses on local creatives, live events, and everyday life.

Claire's debut solo exhibition, Behind the Art (2025), highlighted emerging working-class artists and was presented in collaboration with Pink Collar Gallery. Her photography of events and theatre is permanently exhibited at The Fire Station, Sunderland and at the University of Sunderland. 

In addition to her creative work, Claire volunteers with the RNLI as their Lifeboat Press Officer.

A woman standing on a marina dock, holding a camera, smiling, wearing a beanie, dark hoodie, jeans, and sneakers, with boats and buildings in the background.
A man in a yellow and black jacket with 'RNLI' written on it and yellow waterproof boots stands in front of wind turbines. The sky is cloudy and the ground is gravelly with grass on the sides.

Accompanying the photographic series is a published book featuring interviews with those who participated in the project, offering further insight into their experiences as RNLI volunteers alongside their everyday lives.

Expanding on the themes explored within the portraits, the book provides a deeper understanding of the commitment, balance and personal stories behind the crew members involved.

The publication is available to purchase in paperback format, with profits donated to support the incredible lifesaving work of Sunderland RNLI.

Purchase your copy
Man fishing by a riverbank, wearing yellow RNLI waterproof boots, standing behind a metal railing, holding a fishing rod, with houses and trees in the background.
A smiling man on a red rescue boat in the water, wearing an orange life jacket and a dark jacket, with equipment and flags on the boat.
A smiling woman with short brown hair and sunglasses sitting on garden steps in front of a yellow flowering shrub. She is wearing a beige fleece jacket, blue jeans, and polka-dotted rain boots, holding a walking stick, in a sunny garden with colorful
A young man wearing yellow rain boots, yellow rubber gloves, sunglasses, and a backpack standing in a parking lot outside a building labeled Helen McArdle House at the University of Sunderland. He is holding a green helmet in his left hand, and there
A woman with red hair wearing yellow RNLI rain boots, black pants, a black and white jacket, and a smartwatch, is picking up trash on a pebbled beach next to the ocean. A lighthouse is visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.
Man on a boat docked at marina, wearing yellow rain boots and a life jacket, smiling at camera.
A man in safety gear standing in front of a building with a lifeboat on a wheeled cart and a white car, wearing yellow wellington boots, a reflective vest, and holding a helmet.
A man in Masonic regalia standing inside a church or hall with high vaulted ceiling, stained glass windows, chandeliers, red curtains, and wooden pews, wearing yellow rubber rain boots.
A man wearing a safety helmet, safety glasses, a high-visibility vest, and yellow rubber boots standing on a dirt road in front of wind turbines.
A woman with short brown hair, wearing a pink jacket and gray pants, holding a white mug with
A woman sitting on a green chair on a balcony with a view of the beach, water, and buildings. She is holding a drink and smiling, with a RNLI jacket hanging on the chair.