Amid a field of surf industry legends, the action sports photography contest Illume selected a Beatriz Ryder shot as the best in the surf category. Ryder is a Portuguese photographer based in Australia who frequently shoots the WSL’s Championship Tour events and covered the Paris 2024 Olympics for the International Surfing Association.
The winning photo is a water shot of Hawaiian Shaley Mercado hanging five on an all-girls surf trip in the Solomon Islands. The photo stood out among submissions from photographers such as Brent Bielmann, Todd Glaser, and Tim McKenna.
“This award is for every woman out there — a surfing image of a woman, captured by a woman, during a women’s surf trip,” Ryder told The Inertia in a text message. “To be recognized among 19 other amazing finalists, and to be the only woman to take home an award, makes this moment even more meaningful. Here’s to more women being seen, celebrated and represented in the surf world.”
“Photography gave me purpose,” she added. “It helped me discover who I am, what inspires me, and the life I want to live.”
Formerly carrying a Red Bull title sponsor, the Illume is one of the most prestigious actions sports photo contests in the world. The surf judging panel included photographer Ben Thouard, Patagonia’s director of photography Heidi Volpe, big-wave surfer Nic von Rupp, Surfing Life Magazine publisher Ray Bisschop, and filmmaker Aaron Lieber.
“The longer you look, the more you appreciate the balance between the water, the jungle and the surfer, and how effortless she makes it all look,” von Rupp said.
“Everything is well balanced,” Thouard added. “The black and white tones also create a beautiful atmosphere that fits the action well.”
Chris Burkard and Mick Fanning were among those who congratulated Ryder on social media.
As the surf category winner, Ryder will receive photography equipment, surfing gear, and an assignment with the Patagonia surf team.
Ryder’s father was a photographer, and, as a teenager, she also picked up a passion for taking photos after watching a film by Morgan Maassen. Soon thereafter, her boyfriend (now husband) bought her a camera and a water housing.
“I decided to step outside my comfort zone and give (photography) a go,” Ryder said. “The first time I shot in the water, I absolutely loved it, everything about it: the connection with the subject and the environment, the unpredictability, the challenge. My favorite image is still from that very first session.”
“I didn’t grow up with any real connection to the ocean. So becoming a surf and ocean photographer meant stepping into something completely unfamiliar, physically and mentally,” she added. “My biggest challenge hasn’t just been learning how to use a camera in the water; it’s been learning how to be in the ocean.”
