Articles

A lion’s mane jellyfish under an old navy pier in Scotland
 

If you’re a certain age—and let’s not get into specifics—there was one man who was a central inspiration in your boyhood or girlhood dreams of becoming a great adventurer sailing the seven seas: Jacques Cousteau. After all, when it came to the silent world beneath the waves, there wasn’t too much he didn’t pioneer, from dive tech to underwater cinematography.

As a little boy, Marc Hillesheim, too, was smitten with Cousteau and—as our Photographer of the Week puts it—his life of sailing, catching fresh lobsters, and drinking enormous quantities of French wine! We can’t say whether this talented German shooter prefers Cabernet Sauvignon over a nice tall glass of Kölsch, but from his achievements, we’re sure that he’s done a pretty good job of living the Captain Cousteau lifestyle.

Along the way, Marc has found his own unique photographic style that often incorporates his love of fashion photography, creating images that are sometimes whimsical and sometimes otherworldly, but always meticulously composed. It’s no surprise that his images have found their way into campaigns by brands like L’Oréal as well as news and lifestyle magazines such as Playboy, GQ and Stern—in addition to a host of international dive publications.
 

An unusual perspective through a shipwreck’s steam boiler, Banco Chinchorro, Mexico
 

Moray eels show some attitude, Mirbat, Oman
 

Jellyfish still life, Verdens Ende, Norway
 

A promo shot for an underwater scooter, Bahamas
 

A diver in the “El Pit” cenote, Mexico
 

An eagle ray with companions, Kandooma, Maldives
 

A hammerhead shark in the deep, Daedalus Reef, Egypt
 

“Dream”—shot in a lake close to Cologne, Germany
 

“The Sea Inside”—photographed in the same lake near Cologne, Germany
 

“Skyfall”—from a fashion series for Playboy magazine, Tikehau, French Polynesia
 

“The Plane”—from the same series for Playboy, Tahiti, French Polynesia
 

A honeycomb moray, Mirbat, Oman
 

A jellyfish with kelp, Scotland
 

Marc at work
 

See more of Marc’s wonderful images at www.liquidnation.de. You can also follow him on Instagram.