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"You're
out there and you have to deal with the ocean; the fear, the survival,
the achievements, the challenges, and the feeling of ecstasy"
Adventures in Good Company; The Complete Guide to Women's Tours and Outdoor Trips by Thalia Zepatos WATERWOMEN:
A LOOK AT WOMEN'S Surfing is the fastest growing sport for women in the United States, after golf, and women make up more than twenty five percent of all surfers around the world, according to a recent study done by a leading sports industry association. Unfortunately, the young, non-surfing models that are still often used to illustrate articles or sell products in surf magazines do not reflect the diverse group of women and girls I see taking to the waves. In an attempt to show people a more realistic image of women surfers, I decided to embark upon a series of photographs capturing the emerging scene. In 1997, I began bringing my 35mm camera to the beach and would shoot photos after I surfed. At the time, there were no surf magazines devoted to women, and it was extremely rare to see a woman pro amongst the male-dominated pages of traditional surf magazines. Inspired by early surf photographers Ron Church, LeRoy Grannis, and Doc Ball, my unique photos tend to stray away from photographic styles usually seen in surf magazines. I often experiment with various film stocks and photographic techniques, sometimes pushing the look to the point of being abstract. I combine portraits and documentary style photos with action shots taken with a long lens from the beach, and with a water housing in the lineup. I feel that if my photos were like the typical surf shots seen in magazines, people would not look at them as carefully. Instead, my photos emphasizes the strong, beautiful waterwomen I meet on the beach and in the water. The women in my photos come from many different backgrounds and are of all shapes, sizes, ages and surfing abilities. I'm just as interested in photographing a teenage girl learning to ride her first board or mother with small children who carves out one day a week to get out into the water, as I am capturing the action of a seasoned pro. I am constantly fascinated by the coast and the people who are attracted to it, which is reflected in my films and photographs. The ever changing light and mood of the water, the unique connection people have to the ocean, the challenges of shooting in such an environment; I could film and photograph at the coast every day for the rest of my life and be very happy. My photographs have appeared in galleries, museums, newspapers, magazines, and in four books on women's surfing. The main objective of my photographs is to make women; both surfers and non-surfers alike feel better about themselves, and to acknowledge them in a positive way as athletes and enthusiasts. I hope to act as an agent of positive change, dispelling myths and altering the way all women are portrayed in the media.
Contact Elizabeth
at: photosf@hotmail.com |