UPY 2025

UPY  Portrait - Third
'Marilyn bubble 2.0'
Thomas Heckmann

We had tried to recreate the most famous scene of Marilyn underwater instead of on land. Normally in pool photography you have plenty of time . Here, however, it came down to a fraction of a second to catch the right moment where the bubbles produced the desired effect. Weights were attached to the model so that the bubbles would not blow the model upwards. The backlight was remotely ignited via two RSU. The bubbles come from a wifi controlled self-built bubble board that I had turned on underwater myself just before the shot.

Judge's comment: To recreate the iconic Marilyn shot, anywhere, is like trying to improve on perfection. To try and do it underwater? Impossible. But not when you see this image which provides a version that I think provides an even more exciting interpretation with the reflection. This is vision and achievement of the highest order.
Peter Rowlands