Tender Tides
Grey Seal Pups of the
Norfolk Coast
Beach Wave
A grey seal pup tumbles onto their side with curiosity and momentum, meeting the photographer’s gaze. At one to two weeks old, pups can confidently use their upper body to roll, lift upright on their flippers, and propel forward. These playful motions build upper-body strength, balance, and coordination, early skills that prepare them for swimming and independent movement.
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Curiosity, comfort,
& coastal life
Each winter, the windswept shores of Norfolk’s Horsey Gap transform into a quiet nursery, as hundreds of grey seal pups arrive with the tide. Photographed in their natural habitat, this series captures the first days of life—moments of maternal tenderness, playful discovery, and peaceful rest—rendered in soft natural light and with deep reverence for the animals’ space and safety.
This curated collection offers an intimate glimpse into the early lives of one of the UK’s most beloved marine mammals. Through gentle compositions and expressive detail, the series invites viewers into a world of coastal stillness and connection. These portraits serve as both a celebration of Norfolk’s wild beauty and a reminder of the fragile harmony that sustains it.
Each image in the Tender Tides series is offered as a limited-edition fine art print or under exclusive licensing, with no more than 15 editions available worldwide. All purchases are made to order with custom quotes provided based on preferred materials, finishes, and framing options. These works are designed for collectors, galleries, and thoughtfully curated spaces in luxury hospitality or interior design. To bring this work into your collection or gallery, use the button just beneath this text.
Revelry in Sand
A grey seal pup plays freely in the sand, rolling and tossing grains across their body as movement becomes confident and unrestrained. These tactile interactions build body awareness and comfort in place, capturing a moment of ease and confidence made possible by the safety of the nursery shore. Tender Tides 2 of 17.
Flipper Moon
A grey seal pup lifts a back flipper into the air, holding it with growing control and ease. Their fluffy white lanugo coat of infancy is rapidly being replaced by dark adult fur emerging around the face, flippers, and tail. As tufts of shed white fur gather and blow across the beach like cotton tumbleweeds, the developing adult coat provides the waterproof insulation needed to enter the cold sea, marking the final weeks on land before independent life begins.
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An intimate portrait of a young pup, its face dusted with fine grains of sand and eyes reflecting a quiet softness.
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Face to Face
Tucked & Watching
Tucked gently into the windswept sand, this young pup offers a watchful glance—half-hidden, wholly aware.
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A grey seal pup meets the photographer’s gaze, alert and attentive, sand clinging to their fur as they explore the beach. Highly sensitive whiskers allow seals to sense texture and movement, including the minute water trails left by swimming prey, forming an early foundation for the awareness and intelligence they rely on throughout life.
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Sand & Whiskers
A gentle head tilt and expressive gaze give this young pup an irresistible charm—curious, alert, and quietly endearing.
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Tilted Curiosity
Poise in Profile
In quiet profile, the pup’s features come into focus—soft, serene, and full of emerging presence.
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Coastal Light
A newborn grey seal pup opens their eyes to glimpse the world for the first time, silver tears protecting them from wind and sand. In the open coastal sunlight, their coat appears luminous and silky, with a faint yellow tint indicating birth just hours earlier. Tender Tides 9 of 11.
Eyes like ink wells draw the viewer into this soulful portrait—still, searching, and full of curious depth.
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Deep Eyes
Nuzzle
A tender moment of connection between mother and pup—soft, instinctive, and full of quiet devotion.
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Tide & Time
A grey seal mother anchors her young pup with a flipper, stabilising them on shifting sand and creating a partial shield from wind and disturbance. The pair have a matching gaze as seal pups, born on land and unable to swim, are highly attentive to their mothers and rely on close proximity for protection and orientation.
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Quiet Bond
A moment of calm and closeness—mother and pup resting in quiet tandem, their connection as natural as the tide.
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Velvet & Grain
A close study in texture and light—sand-dusted whiskers, velvet-dark eyes, and the quiet presence of new life.
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Newborn seal pups are born with a golden tint to their fur, which fades to white within days. Likely just a few days old, this pup rests in the dunes—its coat aglow in the warmth of the setting sun.
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Golden Hour, Golden Pup
A grey seal mother and her pup nap cheek-to-cheek on a cold coastal beach, their nuzzle creating warmth and stability. Without insulating blubber, newborn pups depend on close physical contact to conserve heat and energy, making rest and comfort essential to survival.
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Shared Warmth
Beach Wave
In the middle of a sandy tumble, this playful pup curves into a perfect arc—equal parts mischief and momentum.
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As the young pup gazes outward, ready to explore, its mother keeps a steady, protective watch—a quiet balance of curiosity and care.
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Ready to Roam