Always a keen amateur, his photography journey really took off when he was coaching the British Surf Team and they required PR photos, both action and portraits, of the team members. This began a fifteen year career as a freelance professional surfing photographer, working for famous surf companies and magazines, shooting mainly film, both positive and negative.

The advent of digital, combined with the global collapse of the economy led to the decline in surf brands, and magazines slashed their budgets. This led Ester to start a fresh career with another passion of his; gardening. He still continued to take photos finding inspiration in the dramatic seascapes, sweeping moorlands, and rich wildlife around his home. These projects are documented in his personal blog stretching back over a decade.

Ester often focuses his lens on Lundy Island, a remote island 12 miles off the North Devon coast that rises sharply from the Bristol Channel. This isolated granite outcrop with its resident population of around 20 people has become Spears' muse. He captures the island shrouded in mist, battered by storms, and bathed in golden light. His photos evoke the timeless, otherworldly feel of Lundy. Likewise with nearby Exmoor National Park.  Through his atmospheric shots of North Devon's rugged coastline and lonely vistas, Ester Spears shares his personal vision of this lesser known corner of England. His work celebrates the windswept beauty and isolation that first drew him to make this his home.