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/ Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones
The origin of Project Hāpu
What happens when your whole identity is woven in and around the water and it could suddenly be taken away from you? When the ocean is your place of exercise, your work, your playground and your supermarket. What if it’s where you and your partner met and got engaged, where your holidays revolve around and where you feel most at home.
For Amber Jones, as an underwater photographer, spear fisherwoman and surfer these questions whirled around her head when she became pregnant for the first time. Would she have to sacrifice everything that makes up her existence to bring the miracle of new life into the world or can she have it both ways?
Winning the Canon Professional Grant allowed Amber to develop this idea into something more than just a passion project, especially when she miscarried twice in that year. Although it was a hard and confusing time to be going through loss, being able to celebrate and photograph life that other women had brought into the world allowed Amber to gain a much deeper understanding of what motherhood really means.
This identity “crisis” like most art projects, spurred curiosity and lead to an in-depth exploration with her camera, capturing women she admired in the same position she found herself in. Once she had interviewed and photographed her first two women, she knew this was a much deeper project that deserved an entire body of work and one day, a printed version to share with other wāhine of Aotearoa.
She reached out to a few wāhine around her in similar circles who had, or were going through, pregnancy and motherhood and the findings/stories stirred something inside me to pursue this as a personal project to explore, not only for Amber but to perhaps give back to these women and provide a safe space and platform to look to one another for advice, a shoulder and reflection.

Sophie Hamilton; competitive spear fisherwoman & free-diver | 36 weeks Hapū at time of capture.
It took Sophie a while to truly process her pregnancy. She waited for all the confirmations from the doctor, the health checks, and the end of the first trimester before really believing and embracing it. Early on, there were many tears of frustration and grief as she came to grips with her changing world.
The reality for Sophie was that motherhood was always going to be a hard adjustment even though she truly wanted it. She had lived a lovely, self-focused life in the water up to that point, with so many aspirations on the horizon. Sophie couldn't help but feel she was losing an important part of herself—the driven, competitive, adventurous, and independent person she had become, traits she took great pride in.

“Diving through my pregnancy was so important to me, I needed to do it for me and to show others what was possible. You do get judgment from friends and family but my midwife had no concerns so this was enough for me. Staying healthy and being able to pursue my passions is so important to me and one day I will be able to tell my son about how we used to dive together while he was in utero!”Sophie Hamilton

Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones Gallery
    Image of Sophie Hamilton catching a fish
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    Up close image of Sophie Hamilton with the fish she caught
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    Silhouette image of Sophie Hamilton in the ocean
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Evita Toala; ocean gatherer & surfer. | Post Partum.
Growing up, Evita always had a deep love and respect for the moana. She was inspired by her papa, who taught her how to swim, surf, and fish from a very young age. Despite her parenting responsibilities, she gets out onto the water as much as she can, finding joy in paddle boarding and long boarding recreationally. Sharing these experiences with her own whānau is the most rewarding part for Evita.

“I think it can be quite daunting the thought of getting back into the water and gaining that courage again. So many factors can come into play for our wahine these days and the pressure of “bouncing back” is crazy.”Evita Toala

Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones Gallery
    Image of Evita Toala and her child
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    Image of Evita Toala in the water
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    Image of Evita Toala and her child on the shore
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    Image of Evita Toala and her baby
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Lucy Van Oosterom; scientific diver | 37 weeks Hapū at the time of capture
Lucy is a scientific diver who, before becoming a māmā, worked full-time with scuba diving as a major component of her job for about seven years. She is a skilled diver and has collaborated with some amazing teams in science and media, often in challenging situations and remote locations. Being confident and competent in the water was a significant part of her professional identity, something she was, and still is, very proud of.

“I was terrified, not for motherhood or birth or my relationship with the ocean personally, but for my job and my career. If your job requires you to dive and you physically can’t - what use are you?”Lucy Van Oosterom

The biggest change for Lucy has been her ability to be in the ocean whenever and wherever she pleases, for as long as she wants. Now, she can only do that on rare occasions, and even when she can, she often finds that once she’s there, she doesn’t want to be. It’s the strangest feeling for her—to absolutely crave time to herself doing what she loves, only to find that once she has the opportunity, she craves being back home with her baby in her arms.
Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones Gallery
    Image of Lucy Van Oosterom and her child
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    Image of Lucy Van Oosterom with her surfboard on the water
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    Image of Lucy Van Oosterom with her surfboard and goggles
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Magenta Hyde; underwater photographer, whale guide & mother of twins | 35 weeks Hapū at the time of capture.
Magenta worked for a tourism company in Tonga, where she guided groups of people swimming with humpback whales every winter. This job introduced her to the incredible world of underwater photography where she began capturing underwater images whenever possible, selling prints, holding a small exhibition, and continually refining her skills.
When Magenta found out she was pregnant, she felt a whirlwind of mixed emotions and discovering she was pregnant with twins presented even bigger challenges than she had anticipated.
With a baby on each breast, feeling like a constant milking cow, her heart ached to be in the ocean.

“It’s not what I wanted but the overwhelm of becoming a first-time mum took over and I lost my mojo”Magenta Hyde

Despite these challenges, Magenta found immense joy in facilitating a connection between her children and the natural world. One of her most joyful memories of the twins was when they finally allowed her to put a dive mask on their faces, letting them see what lay beneath the surface for the first time. Their awe and excitement were so raw and real, and they were instantly hooked. By age three, they were swimming with whales. That experience was, hands down, the most magical one Magenta had ever had in the water.
Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones Gallery
    Image of Magenta Hyde with her snorkeling gear and underwater camera
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    Image of Magenta Hyde with her snorkeling gear and underwater camera
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    Image of Magenta Hyde with her snorkeling gear and underwater camera
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    Image of Magenta Hyde with her snorkeling gear and underwater camera
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Stephanie Brooks; surfer and editor of NZ Women’s surf mag, Betty Zine | 25 weeks Hapū at the time of capture.
Steph surfed right up until 7 months with her first baby. Her current pregnancy has been a mix of being very sick for the first 3 months and surfing sporadically when conditions and time allows - a polar opposite of her first pregnancy. This time she felt she didn’t have to prove to anyone that she could still surf and instead opted for a more gentle approach of surfing with a long-board, twin fin, or a hand-plane to body surf.
She is grateful to be living right beside the ocean and believes any time spent at the shore or in the ocean is a gift no matter how fleeting it is.

“We never know how long we will continue stepping on this earth for, and to do it alongside little people is magical. To see things through fresh eyes, and to experience childhood again is the ultimate richness of life, everything else is just a bonus. You may not wish to embark on the motherhood journey, or you may believe motherhood is your purpose in life. Either way, being a woman and having the divine feminine within you means you have that choice.”Stephanie Brooks

Being ensconced in a male-dominated industry for her work and side hustle surf magazine, Steph believes you have to embrace your femininity and be true to who you are regardless of how others (or industries) perceive you.
Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones Gallery
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    Image of Stephanie Brooks surfing
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    Image of Stephanie Brooks in the water
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    Image of Stephanie Brooks with her surfboard
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Tash Loo; freediver & scuba diver | Post Partum.
Before Tash got pregnant, she was diving often. She had a boat and tried to go out as many weekends as possible. Her friends would go spearfishing or dive for scallops and crayfish, and she would jump in with them just to be among Tangaroa, feeling the crisp water on her skin surrounding her. That connection with the ocean grounded her and made her feel whole.

“Still being connected to the ocean in some way pretty much daily throughout my pregnancy and post baby I reckon it has helped not only my wellbeing but Kainoa’s wellbeing too.”Tash Loo

When Tash found out she was pregnant, she continued going to the beach most days, whether for a walk or a swim. She always went barefoot to feel the ocean and the wet sand beneath her feet. Breathing in the salty ocean air and feeling the water on her skin became a daily ritual that was crucial to her hauora (well-being) and spirit. This practice continued throughout her pregnancy and after. A couple of days after giving birth, she took her new pēpi to the beach and remaining connected to the ocean in some way almost daily throughout her pregnancy and post-baby has positively impacted both her well-being and Kainoa’s.
Image of Tash Loo with her child

Mischa Davis; professional surf champion | Mother and 34 weeks Hapū at the time of capture.
For Mischa, the reality of pregnancy was more about a natural surrendering, which carried through the pregnancy, birth, and the first year or two of caring for a small child. With the pregnancy specifically, it was a surrendering to her body, the natural process, the beauty and mystique of it all, and the honor and privilege of growing a human inside her body.
Mischa absolutely loved all her time in the water while pregnant. Living on the east coast with small and gentle waves allowed her to surf throughout her pregnancy. She felt incredibly proud to be surfing with her baby. It gave her a new reverence for her body, empowering her. Surfing was something she had been doing for so long that it was ingrained in her. By choosing to surf right through her pregnancy, she felt it was the highest form of bodily sovereignty. Sharing this passion with her baby was profoundly special.

“What changed in that respect was just having gratitude for whatever ocean time I did get. If anything it’s strengthened my relationship with the ocean as you realise how much it means to you.”Tash Loo

Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones Gallery
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    Image of Mischa Davis surfing
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    Image of Mischa Davis surfing waves
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Behind the scenes
Project Hāpu | Captured by Amber Jones Gallery
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    Image of women holding surfboards
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    Image of Amber Jones with a backpack on photographing something
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    Image of a woman holding her child by the beach
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    Up close image of a mother and daughter's faces
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    Image of a woman and her surfboard
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    Image of a pregnant woman on a boat
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    Image of a pregnant lady laughing on a boat
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Amber Jones

Amber is a versatile photographer, videographer, and storyteller, renowned for capturing the raw, unrehearsed beauty of life in the wild. With a deep connection to the ocean and a passion for action sports, her work has evolved into a dynamic commercial career spanning tourism, lifestyle, and underwater campaigns. Amber collaborates with agencies globally, excelling not only in photography but also in directing. Her evocative imagery and film direction invite viewers to explore uncharted territories, bridging the gap between large-scale advertising and conscious consumerism. Amber will be hosting an exhibition in celebration of Project Hāpu, exploring the profound journey of waterwomen through pregnancy and motherhood, catalysed by the artist's own struggles to conceive. Opening day Saturday 27 July 3-5pm and showing daily 10am-6pm until Sunday 4 August, presented at Studio One Toi Tū

Explore more of Amber Jones's story and work
Image of Amber Jones
The Canon gear Amber used