"Queenie" ~ Edition 1 of 7 Photograph

Gisèle Lubsen is a critically acclaimed photographer whose work has been exhibited and published in France, Greece, Dubai, Italy, The Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia and the United States. Her work is created underwater, conjuring the intense, provoking imagery of a Caravaggio painting, but captured in live motion, with living, vibrant models. Gisèle says: “When working underwater, there is something magical taking place. The photography transforms into an intimate poem shared between models and camerawoman during this unique collaboration process. Working in water is fascinating to me, it’s wonderful how our shared experiences take over. Most importantly, the process is emotional and connects everyone together in pure positivity. Somehow the energy of our exchange radiates out of the final piece.” "Imagine a world where we are limitless and anything is possible... that is water to me" Gisèle first started experimenting with underwater photography ten years ago. She developed a one-of-a-kind lighting technique designed to mimic the feel of renaissance painters, and this gives her pieces a truly unique feel that is simply not available anywhere else on the planet. This one off approach comes from her background studying art history in Paris at The American University, then the Parsons School of Art & Design, after which she worked at the John Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles before completing her MFA at Otis School of Art & Design Los Angeles in 2006. All these factors combine to make her work truly individual, giving it the ability to resonate deep within one’s soul. Gisèle’s aim is to create both a photographic studio experience and a spiritual transformational experience simultaneously. Her approach is the same no matter whether she is creating a fine art production for a gallery exhibition, or a branding project for a major hotel chain – the goal is to create iconic, timeless images that will touch everyone and have beauty and meaning for all. You may think that Gisèle uses complex scuba equipment to get such high quality and provocative shots… … but if you were to watch her, you’d see her free diving with nothing but a camera and a team of assistants to help with lighting, props and set design. Gisèle free dives because she believes in creating a symbiotic relationship between model and photographer. She does not exist without the model, and vice versa.