For In The Studio, Siargao-based French photographer Camille Robiou du Pont talks about capturing the beauty of women surfers, training her senses through Muay Thai, and finding her identity on an island she calls home.
It’s a clear morning in Siargao, the beach is at low-tide, and Camille Robiou du Pont is sitting cross-legged in the sand, sans her usual equipment. For her shoot with Vogue Philippines, the photographer finds herself on the other end of the lens, recounting her journey to the island and the shoots that happen along rivers and coastlines, beyond a single room.
“When you ask me what is my studio, this is definitely near the ocean and on the beach, because this is where I discover myself the most,” she says.
In this episode of In The Studio, a series that meets creatives in their own spaces, Camille tells us about her growth as an artist outside her birthplace of Nantes, France. Shifting from advertising and graphic design in Shanghai, to surf and underwater photography in the Philippines, the move has also led her to exhibit in Manila and New York, and pursue a wider range of editorial projects that include the November 2025 cover of Vogue Philippines.
On putting down roots in Siargao in 2016, Camille expresses feeling welcomed by the community and free to explore a different side of her craft. This, by turning her gaze toward the women athletes around her, making waves in a male-dominated sport. In particular, she recalls meeting local surf instructors Ikit and Aping Agudo, sisters whose strength, grace, and bond continue to amaze her.
Their confidence in the water inspires her to spend the bulk of her time outdoors, where she aims to capture not only the beauty of Filipinas, but a sort of inner mantra that flows between them and the ocean. “Surf is mostly a sport of men,” she observes, “but as a woman, I can make it, and I will make it my own way, and I will make it beautiful.”
As Camille takes the team through the motions of her daily routine, she mentions the physical activities that sharpen her senses, such as freediving and Muay Thai, a form of boxing. “As an artist, your muscle is your eye, and it’s your brain. Same as when I train Muay Thai, I train for my body,” she shares. It’s these physical exercises that shape her attention to movement, her ability to time and take images amid strong currents.
Reflecting on her career growth over the past ten years, Camille opens up about the struggle to define her identity and the perspective she’s gained from living in Southeast Asia, where her exposure to different cultures has translated into a deeper understanding of herself, as well as a clearer path forward.
“You’re much more than where you’re born,” she says. “The more you are willing to explore, the more you’re willing to go deeper in the culture, then you see the world with new eyes.”
Watch the full episode of “In The Studio with Camille Robiou du Pont” below.
Director: Anz Hizon. Interviewer: Chelsea Sarabia. Cinematographer: MV Isip. Camera Operator: Rain Ornada. Offline & Online Video editor: Angelo Tantuico. Media Channels Video Lead: Wainah Joson. Introduction by Aylli Cortez.
Frequently Asked Questions
Camille Robiou du Pont is a French photographer and visual artist based in Siargao. Through her work, she aims to highlight the natural beauty of women and their relationship with the ocean.
Camille is known for her editorial, underwater, and surfing photography, featured in publications such as Vogue Philippines and MEGA Magazine.
Camille’s images can be viewed on her website. Her most recent solo exhibition was ECHOES at Altro Mondo in Makati. She has previously exhibited in New York and Paris.
Camille decided to relocate after visiting the Philippines in 2016 and falling in love with Siargao’s island community and nature. She previously lived, studied, and worked in Shanghai.
Known as “the Surfing Capital of the Philippines,” the island of Siargao is located in the province of Surigao del Norte, on the northeastern tip of Mindanao.
