ION Amaze Tales of the Waterwomen Virginie Martinez Serrano @BramVanVooren1

team

In symphony with nature

Surf photography, film-making & empowerment

With Virginie Martinez Serrano

Virginie Martinez Serrano knows her way around the water. Surfing, wakeboarding, diving, swimming, kiting—even the occasional wing foil session—she’s all in. For her, it’s not about picking one discipline, it’s about staying close to the ocean & having fun in any way she can.

While studying Fine Art, she discovered a love for analog photography. That quickly turned into a focus on capturing women in the water—bringing together her creative eye and her connection to the sea to tell stories that empower and inspire.

We sat down with Virginie to talk surf photography, female representation in water sports, and what keeps her coming back to the ocean.

ION Waterwomen Virginie Martinez @BramVanVooren2

Get to know Virginie

What does the ocean give you that nothing else can?

Presence. Connection. It’s like being in symphony with nature. I think nowadays we really miss that. We’re always thinking about the future or the past, always on our phones. But when I’m in the water, it’s peaceful. It’s like a gift I give myself.

Art as a form of female empowerment

Telling stories of women, community & inspiration

Usually I get inspired by people—and by music. Most of my ideas come while I’m traveling, like when I’m in a car, on a train or plane. I just imagine scenes or frames I want to create. Music plays a big part—it’s like the sound makes its own film in my head.

But it’s also really spontaneous. I see beauty everywhere. I’m a really sensitive person, so when I feel someone’s energy, I start to see how I want to tell their story. Mostly, I want to give voice to women—especially in sports—but in a creative way. I want to show how strong we are, but also show vulnerability. That side is often hidden. Like, what do we feel when we’re in sport? How do we deal with pressure? I think connecting with female athletes is powerful—because we’re only just starting to really be seen. That’s the story I want to tell. The more I work with different women, the more I learn about us. It’s like therapy. Last year I did a project bringing lots of women together, and it really connected me to my community. You start to see how we’re all so different, but also the same—and each of us has a completely unique story to tell. That’s empowering.

You’ve worked on projects around womanhood—how would you describe that in your own words?

I’ve learned that we judge ourselves too much. We need to be kinder to ourselves. We’ve spent so much of our history fighting for space—and maybe now it’s time to come together and support each other. To stop being jealous.

A lot of it has to do with body taboos, or how we deal with aesthetics and image. Projects like that really show you how beautiful and strong we all are. I became more confident through that project. Seeing all these women together, seeing beauty everywhere—it taught me not to judge myself so much. We all have our own characteristics. That’s what makes us human. That’s what makes us beautiful.

Has your relationship with the ocean evolved over time—as a woman?

It changed my life completely. Before, I wasn’t athletic at all. But since I was a kid, I always wanted to try surfing. My family was scared, so I never did. When I finally started, everything changed. I got super focused. I kept studying, kept everything else going—but I knew: I just wanted to do this. I wanted to shoot. I never expected to work in water sports—it started just for fun. But then there was this voice inside me saying: You have to do this. It made me strong. Determined.

»And every time I’m in the water, it’s like going through a fear, letting go of something. It’s like cleansing your soul. If I’m nervous, if I’m angry—once I get in the water, I’m happy again.«
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How do you stay creatively inspired—especially with such a rhythm-based lifestyle, so dependent on nature?

The most important thing is to embrace when you're not inspired. When you feel blocked, just accept it and let go. It always comes back. You can’t be creative 365 days a year.

Traveling inspires me a lot. Moving around gives me different stimulations all the time—seeing a new place, or even just coming back to one and feeling it differently. Even something small, like seeing a different tree, triggers something. Even though I tell other people’s stories, it’s also about me—about how I’m feeling. The colors I use, the way I shoot—it depends on that. Creativity comes in waves. When I’m blocked, I let my mind rest. And when it comes back—I explode.

How does nature’s unpredictability—the chaos of the ocean—affect your creative flow?

It inspires me a lot. Especially when we go to a new spot—or when there's a random day with 4–5 meter waves, and suddenly this perfect wave appears, all because of some storm on the other side of the world. That gives me goosebumps. It's magic. It's nature's power. And it’ll never happen again in the same way. The ocean is never the same twice. Seeing women surf those kinds of waves—it moves me. I cry, often. Because they’re so in tune with nature. We’ve come so far in the last 10–15 years—it’s wild.

Is there fear involved? As a water photographer, you’re also out there in tough conditions. Do you have to push yourself mentally too?

Yeah. A lot. I’m always scared when I get in the water. You never know what’s going to happen. Sometimes there’s more current than expected. The tides shift. It gets more powerful. But there's also this kind of magic. Usually, I breathe a lot before I go in—I calm myself down. When a huge set is coming, I look at it and say to myself: You’re going to be okay. And then I wait. I breathe. And usually, it’s not as bad as you thought. But fear is always present. If you don’t feel fear, you’re not conscious. It’s beautiful to play with the ocean, but it’s also dangerous. We have to respect that.

Do you ever feel torn between experiencing the moment and capturing it?

So many times. Every day, honestly. You see these perfect lines forming—and part of you just wants to surf them. But if I’m with good surfers or on a shoot, I have to capture it. It’s always a bit of a fight with yourself. I always enjoy it, though. Right now, I really love swimming and shooting from the water. It’s a newer thing for me, and I just want to be in it as much as I can. From the water, you see things differently. You’re on the front line, watching someone take a barrel or do a carve. It’s amazing. I love it

What advice would you give to women who want to start with photography—especially water photography?

Trust is super important. Shooting in the water is not easy. Train as much as you can. Be as fit as you can. Train your breath. Train your body. If you’re physically and mentally ready, you’ll have fun—and get good results. But it takes time. Be patient.