The ocean is often imagined as a space of freedom. Yet for many girls, access to that freedom is shaped by expectations, stereotypes, and social norms long before they enter the water.
Along the Chilean coast, surfing is becoming increasingly visible among young women and girls, but the sport continues to exist within a culture that has historically been dominated by men. Questions of confidence, belonging, and visibility remain part of everyday experience. Learning to surf is often not only about learning to read waves, but also about learning to take up space.
For many girls, the relationship with the ocean is inseparable from the relationship with their own bodies. Adolescence brings new forms of self-awareness and vulnerability. Concerns about appearance, changing bodies, and being observed by others can shape how girls experience public spaces, especially spaces where the body is constantly visible. In many parts of Latin America, beauty standards continue to influence how young women see themselves and how they are seen by others, creating additional pressures during an already transformative period of life.
Menstruation remains another subject that is often surrounded by silence. For some girls, a lack of information, confidence, or support can become a barrier to participating in sport and outdoor activities. Experiences that should feel natural and empowering are frequently accompanied by uncertainty, embarrassment, or the feeling that certain conversations are not meant to happen in public.
This project follows girls growing up beside the Pacific Ocean as they navigate these realities through surfing. It is not a story about sport alone. It is a story about confidence, identity, friendship, and the gradual process of feeling at home in one’s own body. Through photography and film, the project explores how the ocean can become a place where girls challenge expectations, discover new forms of self-expression, and imagine different futures for themselves.
Photography, film and direction by Galina Orlenko for
Valpo Surf Project
