Photographer: Maggie Higgins
Surf Photographer Stories
Marina Emerald
“I love the style of female surf and underwater photographers, maybe because you can tell when a woman is behind the lens, can be the colours, the framing, the details…or the story behind. I don’t like to hear that we are weak or not strong enough to get out there… We are strong, we are capable, and if you love it just do it, but remember always to respect the ocean.”
Amanda Prifti
“If I knew that my surf photography, or my perseverance out in the waves, was able to inspire other women to hold their own in the male-dominated surf / surf photography scene, that would make me so happy. It really comes down to connecting with like-minded people and sharing the stoke. I truly believe that we’re each stronger together, and should be spreading love and support rather than negativity and competition.”
Clare James
“I love the early mornings when there are few people in the water and the light is diffused, throughout the season the light changes. I love an autumnal, slightly misty beautiful sunrise morning, shooting or surfing is one of the best ways to start the day. However, for underwater photography shots it is better if the sun is high in the sky. in order to make sure that you get most light underwater. One of my favourite things about shooting in the ocean is the way that light plays and dances underwater and on the surface, it is so magical. Whilst shooting in the ocean, I feel as if time stands still, it is my escape from the real world and helps me to relax and destress.”
Tarish Zamora
“I was honestly interested in surf photography first before I got into surfing. I would stalk different Instagram accounts of surf photographers and would think, ‘Man, I wanna be able to shoot surf as well.’ I even ended up tearing up sometimes, that’s how much I wanted it. And I figured, to be able to capture the most crucial parts of surfing, to know where I needed to position myself in the water, I needed to learn the sport as well. That’s when I started taking surfing seriously. I’d drive up to different spots every week, wherever it’s working, to understand, study & practice – little did I know that I’d end up falling in love to the sport as well. So here I am, addicted not only to shooting surf, but also to the sport itself. The lifestyle, the stoke, and everything else about surfing.”
Cate Brown
“I love the immediate camaraderie I’ve experienced with so many women in the lineup, whether it’s women surfing or women wanting to learn to shoot too. You can immediately tell a female in the water, whether we’re in 5mm neoprene or not! There’s much less intimidation or ego from any of the women, and it brings the whole level of tension down. I have yet to have one of my surf girls carry a sub-par session with them once we’ve reached dry land, quite unlike the boys who will let their bad sessions haunt them forever with thoughts about “shoulda woulda coulda” hahaha. For the girls it’s all about just hanging with friends, catching a few good waves if the opportunity presents, and if not then it’s just onto the next.”
Alexandra Uzik
“The thing is, if you know what you want and what your passion is, no one can stop you. I am from a landlocked and former communist country. We couldn’t travel growing up so I was literally locked in. There are zero female surf photographers from my country and I don’t have any roadmap to follow. But I don’t look at it this way. How I see it is that I have this urge inside me that I have to follow. And anything is possible. Just stay true to yourselves, work on developing your own gifts and talents, be patient and practice practice practice.”
Cristina Gareau
“I was definitely inspired by all the different women living in Tofino. There are so many inspiring women in Tofino. Entrepreneurs, artists, surfers, photographers, they all seem to follow their dreams without fear and definitely help each other pursue their own. Photography had been a dream of mine for a while but I was injured back then and swimming was the activity suggested to me for healing. It all came together at this point and I fell in love. The ocean healed me but also taught me my greatest passion, photography.”
Chelsea Mandes
“My favorite time of day to take photos is the early morning just after the sun has risen, when the world is quiet and the wind is down. On sunny days, at the right time, the light gets white and super dreamy and it feels like you’re drifting weightless through this endless sparkly world.”
Rita Goldfarb
“I was inspired by the local surf photographers in Tofino, while living on Vancouver Island. There’s a handful of amazing artists and they all portray the same area and surfers so uniquely. I just saw what they were doing and fell in love with it. You can’t capture movement and the angles like that without being in the water. So I just kept practicing and dreaming until shooting from in the water became a reality for me.”
Maggie Higgins
“Favorite story would have to be when @space_bat_killer invited me out to shoot on November 25, 2018. The waves weren’t that great and the current kept pulling me out of position. Luckily his friend Danny offered to tow me into the right spot by holding onto his leash. After that he invited me out for pizza and 9 months later he’s now my boyfriend. Very romantic, it will always be my favorite story.”
Alexa Liccardi
“Pursuing ocean photography has completely changed the course of my life on land. It gave me direction that I never knew I needed but subconsciously have always been seeking. It’s been so much fun to find a community of people who love photography, surfing, creativity, environmentalism and so many other traits connected to the ocean. It’s definitely brought me closer to people who I would not have found otherwise. And of course, being able to find a medium that brings people together who share love for one thing is insanely special and rewarding.”