Scotland’s surf story is written in its waves, but it is brought to life by the people who paddle out.
During the first months of 2026, photographer and keen amateur surfer Dylan Budge has been documenting the women and girls at the heart of that story, helping Scottish Surfing celebrate the women and girls shaping surf culture across the country.
The project grew from Dylan’s 2025 work exploring surf culture in California. Looking to develop a Scottish project for his third-year placement at Edinburgh Napier University. Scottish Surfing strongly support initiatives that promote inclusivity, representation and positive storytelling. Dylan’s project aligned well with these values and our ongoing commitment to supporting Women and Girls’ participation and development across Scotland.
The result was a documentary photography brief focused on participation, culture and progression among women and girls in Scottish surfing.
Along the way, he photographed surfers who have represented their country in international competition, capturing the commitment required to train through Scotland’s cold winter months. He also joined sessions with Groundswell Scotland, a charity creating a safe, women-centred environment in which to learn and enjoy surfing. Together, those experiences reveal both high-performance ambition and the simple joy of finding confidence and connection in the water.
For Scottish Surfing, the project is about visibility of our community as well as photography. Showing women and girls across different places, experiences and stages of their surfing journey helps broaden the picture of who belongs in the sport and where surfing can lead.
We are delighted to share a selection of Dylan’s images and to celebrate the surfers and organisations who welcomed him into their communities. Their stories are part of a vibrant and evolving Scottish surf culture – one built on dedication, inclusion and a shared love of the sea.
Photography: Dylan Budge
