A wash ashore from the Big Apple, photographer Lauren Marttila fell in love with Nantucket’s bustling salty summers, its hazy rainy days, and the quiet winter moments found along its vacant beaches. It’s no surprise that her work is firmly rooted in the place she holds most dear, as she draws endless inspiration from the island’s landscape and vibrant community. 

“I grew up coming to Nantucket every summer with my family,” explains Marttila. “Every September when I had to head back to New York City to go to school, I would just sob on the ferry ride back to the mainland—so the first chance I got I moved back to the Island as a year-round resident.” When she made the move 15 years ago, Marttila made sure to take full advantage of her surroundings, spending as much time as she could outdoors, taking in everything the island’s landscape has to offer. “I started taking photos on my walks along the beach, of surfers and the waves, and posting them on Instagram,” she shares. To her surprise, people started reaching out asking how they could purchase her work, and with the encouragement of one of her best friends she built her website as a place to showcase and sell her fine art photography.