Rewriting Women into Maritime History is an international initiative developed in partnership with Lloyd’s Register Foundation, with Emilie appointed as Creative Lead for the entire project and Photographer for the contemporary strand. The project brings together material dispersed across archives—beginning in the UK and Ireland and expanding internationally from 2024—to identify, document, and place women’s contributions to the shipping industry into the public domain for the first time.

The project aims to raise the profile of women’s expertise, experience, and leadership within maritime history; to challenge and reframe long-standing narratives around women in maritime; and to actively support gender equality, diversity, and inclusion across the sector.

The project is led by Sama Creatives, the creative studio founded by Emilie and Karl, working from concept through to delivery. Sama Creatives specialise in shoot-to-exhibition projects—combining photography, film, design, spatial storytelling, and interpretation to create immersive public-facing exhibitions that engage diverse audiences and bring underrepresented stories into view.

SHE_SEES is the public showcase for Rewriting Women into Maritime History, structured around the themes Then, Now and Onward. In 2023, Emilie travelled across the UK to photograph twenty-three professional women working across a wide range of maritime roles, creating a contemporary visual record of women shaping the industry today.

Phase two is now underway and will expand the project internationally, working with women across global maritime communities.

Watch this space.

A Film by Emilie Sandy

Edited by Katherine Glynne-Jones

Soundscape by Tom Crawford

This film features all the modern-day maritime women from the SHE_SEES project. They were asked to describe the essence of their role in three words; these words - or sometimes sentences - are presented alongside their moving portrait.

The film aims to connect the viewer with each of the maritime women of SHE_SEES - spending a moment with them, peacefully reflecting on past stories shared, and new horizons to be had.

SHE_SEES: Promotional Film

SHE_SEES: Exhibition Film at IMO (International Maritime Organization)

SHE_SEES: Promotional Film for Boathouse 4, Portsmouth Historic Quarter

SHE_SEES: Exhibition Film at Boathouse 4, Portsmouth Historic Quarter

SHE_SEES X SAILGP