Kirsty describes herself as a “small-wave surf photographer,” working both digitally and with old-school film.
Photographing surfing in the UK’s cold waters is no easy feat — and female surf photographers have long been a rarity in a male-dominated industry. This month, we’re talking to Kirsty Hill.
As Kirsty begins her journey into water photography, we catch up with her to hear what it’s really like shooting in the UK’s challenging conditions.
Kirsty, tell us a bit about yourself, where you’re from, where you grew up?
I grew up in landlocked Wolverhampton and had zero exposure to the sea, until I had a surf lesson in Cornwall one summer and that was it, I was hooked! I moved to Cornwall 10 years ago to chase the waves and live a slower pace of life.
What first drew you to surf photography?
I got frustrated seeing the same surfers represented on social media and in the surf industry. I wanted to capture my friends and the more typical surfers who you see in the line up. The ones who aren’t sponsored or competing – the surfers who never get shots of themselves surfing.
There’s so much joy and fun in surfing and I wanted to capture that side of it. I wanted people to be able to approach me and ask me to shoot for them without them feeling like they weren’t good enough. I never felt I was a good enough surfer to approach surf photographers and I wanted to break down that barrier for others.
Describe the best thing about surfing and photography?
The freedom of being totally immersed in the ocean and completely in the moment. Whether that’s flowing down the line on a surfboard (or handplane), or seeing someone perfectly in frame then pressing the shutter and getting the shot. Both are very mindful experiences.
Water photography is just on another level and has taken over surfing for me recently. It fuels my creativity, challenges me and blends so well with my love of swimming and surfing. I’ve recently taken up bodysurfing with a handplane which I love and is the perfect workout for swimming out with a camera.
What’s in your camera bag, describe the contents of it and how easy / hard is it to keep your equipment safe when you’re shooting?
Swim fins, camera and waterhousing (both second hand), helmet (for when it’s crowded) microfibre cloths and my magic potion for keeping water droplets off my lens port.
I always carry 1 or 2 film cameras with me as well, and spare rolls of film. I’ve got a ‘shoot from the shoreline’ film camera and a waterproof film camera from the 80s which I shoot with in the water as well as my digital set up. Having both film and digital allows me to mix it up and get different looks and perspectives.
My water housing is a robust and very rugged piece of kit which is why I opted for that particular one. It’s attached to me at all times with a secure leash. Any water leaks are generally down to user error (which I have done!), and I don’t go out in heavy pounding surf.
I will sit right in the firing line of the surfers to get the shot but unlike lugging a longboard around, I can easily duckdive to get out of the way. And I wear a helmet when it’s crowded. As a water photographer your own safety always comes first.
How do you feel when you’re out in the line up and how do you control the situation to get the perfect shot?
It’s my happy place. I get such a buzz from seeing surfers enjoying themselves, getting great waves and a real high when I get a shot that perfectly captures their moment. 1-2ft days are brilliant because it’s so small, everyone’s just having a blast. It’s more playful, sometimes the silly moves come out, the vibes are fun and there’s no seriousness! That’s surfing for me.
I also trust my instincts. If I’m not feeling it or something feels off, I won’t push myself to shoot because I’ve done that and it’s resulted in a mishap.
I only go out in small surf (3ft max) for several reasons. It’s more fun and it’s less about survival mode (for them in some cases and me). I just find in anything above 3ft, people look more serious, maybe because they’re constantly dodging sets or focusing harder on nailing a turn or something. Smaller surf just hits differently!
How has the surf community interacted with you?
Brilliantly! I love meeting new surfers in the line-up, having a chat and discovering more about them. The shot is just one part of their surf story.
Surfers are often curious about what I’m doing and when they ask me how they can get hold of their shots, that just makes my day and puts the biggest smile on my face, especially when they say ‘I never get shots of myself surfing’. That’s my mission well and truly accomplished!
What keeps you motivated — especially in our harsh conditions?
It’s hard, I’m not going to sugar coat it! I had every intention of shooting regularly throughout this winter (which would’ve been my first winter shooting in water). But with relentless storms, bad light and chunky groundswell that I won’t go out in (plus my day job), I haven’t been out as much as I hoped. And I’m human – sometimes even on a sunny day and it’s cold, I don’t always feel like it. But I think acknowledging that, and being ok with it is half the battle.
It definitely helps if I’ve arranged to shoot for friends or there will be people I know already in the surf. And I always carry my film camera around with me so I can shoot from the shoreline or perch on the cliff. Film photography is a big love of mine and it’s really helped a lot this winter. From experimenting with different film types to getting impactful drawn back shots and new perspectives, it’s kept the love of surf photography alive and interesting on the days when I don’t feel like getting in the water.
As a photographer, what are the biggest challenges you face?
Apart from harsh winters in Cornwall, definitely imposter syndrome! I’m right at the start of my surf photography journey – I only started shooting in the water regularly in 2025, despite having my set up for a couple of years before that, so I’ve still got heaps to learn. And it’s easy to look at people who have been doing it for years and fall into the comparison trap. Sometimes I get self-conscious out in the surf, especially when there are other surf photographers out there which is something that I need to work through.
I always come back to my ‘why.’ I never had great ambitions to do brand shoots or make a living from being a photographer. I feel like I’m developing my own style and I never wanted to just do what everyone else’s doing. If I stay true to myself and the reasons why I started surf photography, I think this will help me overcome my challenges.
Which photographers work do you admire and why?
Megan Hemsworth inspired me to get into surf photography. She was the only female shooting in the water in Cornwall for a long time and I love her style, her colours and use of light! I’d often see her out in the line-up and think how incredible it must be to do what she was doing. She’s also a fantastic swimmer and I really saw the merits of improving my swimming so I could zip around the line-up like she does!
I’ve also been a fan of Karl Mackie’s work for a long time. Like Meg, he also shoots on film and his ability to capture a surf landscape from the shoreline makes me go ‘wow.’ I also love his portrait, travel and lifestyle work.
What are you hoping to explore next with your photography?
I’ve got a dome port which I’ve never used so over the summer I want to try some split shots (above and below the water). The water in Cornwall is usually really clear at that time so it’s a perfect time to try it.
I’d also love to take the camera and housing outside of Cornwall. I love exploring new surf spots, studying the surroundings and seeing what type of shots I can get with different backdrops.
Other than that, just keep doing what I’m doing. More learning, shoot with the film camera in the surf more, meet new people and enjoy the journey!
Check out more of Kirsty’s work below:
