Lia has run a diving school with John since 1989. Working with the diving school at the Mathijssen family's Dive-Inn de Kabbelaar, they meet many people including many photographers. That is also where Lia won her first photo competition.

Diving with a camera has changed over the years to taking pictures for the students as a reminder or recognition of underwater life. Then when divers come her way they teach her structure and talk about a plan to start taking better photos. That was the turning point for Lia. From then on, photographing underwater with a purpose and during competitions working with a clear plan.

With that plan A or B or even no plan at all, Lia has been diving with Marloes Otten in recent years. Together, they come up with ideas, develop them into a plan and together they find the creative category the biggest challenge. In creativity, they have found each other and this often results in hilarious underwater moments, where the slack-jawed laughter does not make for a great photo, but does bring the pleasure of continuing.

Her first camera was the Sea&Sea Motormarine II with the photo rolls, in the digital age she now uses the Olympus OM-D M5 with 2 YS-01 flash units from Sea&Sea. Lenses 45mm and 60mm macro. Wide-angle 8mm with Fish-Eye port. The 14-42 and 9-18 with matching ports.