The photographs showcase a range of activities, from children digging in the sand and teenagers wading into the cold sea to families sheltering under makeshift windbreaks. Konttinen’s images highlight the simple pleasures of the seaside, portraying moments of play, relaxation, and escape from daily routines. Her approach is observational, allowing the subjects to interact naturally with their surroundings. The result is an intimate yet unsentimental record of a shared social space, shaped by both tradition and personal experience.

As a long-term project, Writing in the Sand captures subtle changes in seaside culture over time, from shifts in clothing and beach equipment to evolving social behaviours. Despite these changes, the photographs reveal a continuity in the way people use and enjoy the beach, reinforcing its role as a space of freedom and togetherness. Konttinen’s work provides a valuable historical and cultural document, offering insight into the enduring appeal of the North East’s coastline and the communities that gather there.

Sirkka-Liisa Konttinen is a Finnish-born documentary photographer who has chronicled working-class life in North East England since the late 1960s.

A co-founder of the Amber Film and Photography Collective, her acclaimed work, including Byker and Step by Step, offer significant portrayals of the lives of everyday people in the North East. In 2011 her photography was inscribed onto the UNESCO Memory of the World Register as of national significance to the UK due to her embedded practice and historically vital portrayals of local communities. In 2025 Konttinen was awarded an MBE in the 2025 New Year’s Honours list for her services to photography.