Shooting in the UK’s cold waters is no easy task — and female surf photographers have long been a rare sight in a male-dominated world.
While more women are now shooting from the water, including talented photographer Bella Bunce, it’s still far from common.
One photographer helping to change that is Georgie from Wholegrain Frames. She made a strong impression on our SurfGirl shoot last year, so if you see her in the line-up, be sure to say hi.
SG: Georgie, tell us a bit about yourself and where you grew up?
G: grew up in rural Suffolk, which is where my love for the outdoors started. Although I probably rejected the country bumpkin part of me at first I quickly realised I could not shake it as easily as I would have liked.
SG: What first drew you to Cornwall and surf photography?
G: We moved to Cornwall for work, and looking for a slower paced and outdoorsy lifestyle. We didn’t realise how much surfing would take over. We can find it very hard to leave Cornwall now, especially as you never know what the surf report will be like when you’re committing to things.
I always enjoyed photography, especially when hiking. We ended up taking photos of surfers from the beach on walks which started it all off, but having the luxury of a partner who also enjoys it we could combine funds to get an underwater housing. I am very lucky as I know it’s a privilege to be able to buy these things. The housing was a game changer, and the dopamine hit you get from a good wave in the water is amazing as you can cheer alongside the surfer – it is unmatched.
SG: What has your experience been like working in a space that’s traditionally male-dominated?
G: I started the account as an anonymous place to post photos so I wouldn’t have to worry what people thought. After a while my partner got involved as he is a photographer and didn’t share his work either so I said he should just post it there too! This was difficult when it started to get some attention, a lot of people just assumed I was a man, or all the shots were Dan, which was infuriating. But the community down here is so amazing and when people realise you aren’t a seal bobbing around they do come over and say hi, which I love.
It is really fun to shoot with other surf photographers too, as you have company whilst sitting on the inside between sets. I take a lot of inspiration from women who shoot, especially in big conditions, as this seems very far away for me at the moment but something I want to work on.
G: When I have my hood on I honestly don’t know if people can tell I am a woman! I think most surfers I have encountered are always really lovely in the water, and I have luckily had very positive interactions. More so when I have the camera!.If anything I have found shooting a safe place, as when it is getting a bit intense in the line up, I don’t enjoy surfing, so I can grab a camera and take photos of it all instead.
Shooting generally, has probably slowed my surf progression as you do sacrifice surfs to shoot, but it doesn’t feel like you miss out, as you just get to live vicariously through the surfers you shoot. I also think I can pick up things from the people by watching them, and everyone has their own unique style.
SG: What keeps you motivated — especially in wintery, harsh conditions?
G: It is hard as the best light is usually in the morning, which is the coldest part of the day. I think accountability really helps in the winter time. Agreeing to a plan or arranging a shoot that I can’t back out of! It is good to shoot with my partner Dan as we can swap around the camera and a board, so you can get warmed up by paddling pretty quick. I also think winter really captures the beauty of the Cornish coast line, and the surf community so it is good to make the most of the dramatic conditions whilst we can!
G: It is fun to shoot in the water in winter as it’s quieter and I’m less worried someone will surf into me. You also feel so much more a part of it when you shoot from water. I like to think I have a good respect for the sea, and I don’t shoot from the water on days I wouldn’t surf. For me its a fun hobby, so I don’t need to go out there scaring my self! When the swell is big and angry you can feel very exposed in the water without a board and people can’t see you as easily if you get swept away! I do want to challenge myself this year with making land shots feel more interesting and intentional.
SG: What are the biggest challenges you face when conditions are heavy, cold, and unpredictable?
G: Brain freeze! When you take a few waves on the head and can’t shake it until the next wave. It feels awful and you can’t think. It can also make it really hard to hold the camera and actually press the right button. Nothing worse than seeing an amazing wave with your eyes, thinking you captured it , but you pressed the wrong thing.
I always tell surfers to get as close to me as they can for the shot, but it can get a bit scary in winter conditions in case they make a mistake and hit me – or worse the camera. We also like to shoot with manual lenses, some vintage ones, or an anamorphic cinema lens, and its almost impossible to focus the lens with cold hands. We do this as it can add a film-like feel to the image, and nice lens flares, but it does mean a lot of it isn’t in focus.. it’s just part of the brand now!
SG: How do you protect and maintain your equipment in cold, wet, salty conditions?
G: We are really good with our housing. We wash it as soon as we get back home before we are allowed to do anything else. But we are less good with our land equipment. When it starts to drizzle or rain with a long lens, but the surf looks really good its hard to put the camera away and go back in. We have invested in “hoods” for the cameras but they aren’t perfect.
G: Luckily not yet – but I don’t want to jinx it! The cold kills the batteries a lot quicker which is annoying, but sometimes good to have an excuse to get out and warm up. We have had a clasp on the housing come off in the water but luckily it was all locked in. We get all our stuff second hand, from a lot of hours on ebay, but even then it is not cheap! If anything happened I think we would get cheaper cameras. Recently I have been using a digicam from the naughties stuffed in my wetsuit, and it gets some fun photos! Maybe less is more? It also means you need to be more intentional and rely less on gear. Maybe I am just trying to make myself feel better if anything breaks!
SG: Which photographers work do you admire and why?
G: I mean Bella Bunce is such an inspiration. She captures the surfers and the stories so well, and has done so much for women surfing and photography. I also love RTshots as his framing is always flawless, and he doesn’t just get the surfers, he places them perfectly in the landscape.
SG: What are you hoping to explore next with your photography?
G: I have really been enjoying the video at the moment, it’s really addictive! Although nothing will beat a perfectly timed still image. I would like to get back into film photography again and take that to the water! I also want to make more of an effort to shoot more women surfers. I think reaching out to them to arrange things might be better, as they may be less likely to reach out to ask!
