HI, I'M LEONIE!

Surfgirlnz was founded when I bought my first digital water housing in the beginning of 2022. I started capturing women in the surf in Whaingaroa (Raglan), a small beach town on the west coast of Aotearoa New Zealand, and shared these pictures on social media. The response was overwhelming. I quickly realised how under-represented women in the water are (still). I received so many messages from women all over the world saying that they were looking for something I found in Whaingaroa: a surf girl community of like-minded women. I knew I had to create a platform to bring more women together. That's how Surfgirlnz was born.

CREDENTIALS

My background is in design (flooring design). I grew up in the Netherlands, finished an allround styling study where I first discovered my love for photography. After visiting New Zealand for a holiday I decided to quit my job and move to Whaingaroa (Raglan). I learned how to surf, take photos in the water and spend most of my time in the ocean whilst being surrounded by a beautiful community of women.

I have now captured over 400 women in the surf, taken photos and videos at NZ surf events (Single Fin Mingle, West End Wiggle). My work has been featured in several magazines (Bettyzine, Surfgirlmag, HONEY magazine, SeaTogether Magazine) and I have done interviews with Sony Alpha and my work has been featured on big surf platforms such as Surfline.