"My purpose behind the work is to question and find understanding in the craziness, tragedy, vulnerability, beauty and power of humanity." CLR
A visual poet of light and shadow, Christy Lee Rogers harnesses the untamable force of water to create ethereal worlds, where human figures are suspended in a ballet of fluid motion and raw emotion. Rogers employs her original technique to a symphony of bodies submerged in water during the night, and creates her effects using the refraction of light. Through a fragile process of experimentation, she builds elaborate scenes of coalesced colors and entangled bodies that exalt the human character as one of vigor and warmth, while also capturing the beauty and vulnerability of the human condition. With a soul steeped in Baroque grandeur and a heart attuned to the angelic in classical art and mythology, Rogers transforms the depths of her underwater worlds into something supernatural—an exploration of both physicality and spirit, timelessness and transformation; wtih endless scenes of angels and muses adrift between worlds.
Commissioned by James Cameron and Disney, Rogers was chosen to capture the stars of Avatar: The Way of Water—Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, and Kate Winslet—for a special project supporting The Nature Conservancy and ocean conservation; and inspired by the vast, mysterious beauty of the oceans and the world of Pandora.
Rogers’ artistry has captivated some of the world’s most visionary creators, earning her other notable commissions that bridge the realms of film, technology, and fashion. She collaborated with Apple for its Shot on iPhone campaign, showcasing her contemporary underwater photography in a global platform that fused fine art and technology. Her talents were also recognized in the world of fashion and design, where she was chosen to create the cover of the Lavazza 2021 The New Humanity calendar, a celebration of human resilience, connection, and our shared future.
Her work has often been compared to Baroque painting masters like Caravaggio and Rubens, with dramatic chiaroscuro light; yet it pulses with its own celestial rhythm—where darkness surrenders to the soft radiance of light, and each image feels like a snapshot from a dream. Rogers’ passion for blending light, movement, and emotion has earned her numerous accolades, including the prestigious Sony World Photography Awards Open Photographer of the Year in 2019. She is also a two time finalist for the Contemporary Talents Award from the Fondation François Schneider in France. Her influence has extended into music as well, where her image Harmony was featured on the album cover for Wang Chung’s Orchesography, fusing her dreamlike visuals with the rhythm of sound. And her Odyssey images were selected for the 2013–2014 performance season of the Angers-Nantes Opera in France. One of Rogers’ most celebrated works, Reckless Unbound, now resides at Longleat House in the UK; the stately home, which is the seat of the Marquesses of Bath and also home to Renaissance gems of the Italian masters, like Titan’s "Rest on the Flight into Egypt."
Rogers’ underwater artworks have been exhibited in galleries and museums across the globe, from Paris to Shanghai, and have graced the covers of prominent publications. Her work has garnered critical acclaim for its otherworldly beauty and emotional depth, offering a meditative reflection on the nature of life itself.
More than mere images, her pieces are hymns to the human condition—its fragility, its resilience, its longing for connection, and its capacity for renewal. With every collection, Rogers pushes the boundaries of contemporary art and emotion, inviting us to pause, to submerge ourselves in the unknown, and to emerge rejuvenated.
The Independent, London - Jan 6, 2013 - Adam Jacques "The ethereal payoff is indeed redolent of a mix of Masters – the vivid hues of Titian, the straining bodies of Rubens, the sun-dappling chiaroscuro of Caravaggio, but also the loose brushstrokes and fluid movement of Delacroix; hints, too, of the Tiepolo-esque heavenly ascents adorning many an 18th-century Venetian chapel.
Yet, for all these highfalutin qualities, Rogers' subjects were no gods, kings or mythical beasts, but rather her friends, whom she coaxed to writhe around in a local swimming pool – a simplicity that reflects both her method (the pictures are entirely undoctored) and the purity of Rogers' lifelong love of the water.”
Photo Technique Magazine, US - 2011 - Duncan Beebe In an art world seemingly saturated with post-modern, self-aware, or process-based work, it is refreshing to meet an artist who believes in art’s power to penetrate reality and inspire us, a Classical idea, which is at the core of the work. Rogers firmly and wonderfully believes that beauty can change man. In order to achieve a sort of photographic mise-en- scène, she had to find a new way to create her images. They couldn’t be fictitious, as that would undermine her intent to demonstrate that there are still mysterious, impossibly beautiful things on Earth—not solely in our imaginations. The work of a true artist lies in manifesting their inner world externally. To accomplish this she turned to water. “It became an obsession of mine to communicate through my art that there was more to man than a body controlled by the peculiar nature of the physical universe; that he or she was more capable than ever imagined. I dedicated most of my time to conceptualizing and planning how to communicate that message.”
ArtCentron - 2023 - Kazeem Adeleke “Throughout her career, Christy Lee Rogers has consistently conveyed messages of freedom, hope, and resilience through her art. Her captivating images transcend mere aesthetics and inspire viewers to reflect upon their own journey and the world around them.
By exploring the interplay of light, water, and the human form, Rogers invites us to contemplate our place in the universe and the power we possess to create positive change. Her art serves as a beacon of light, reminding us of our shared humanity and the limitless potential that lies within each of us.”
"What I want more than ever is to express and inspire hope and freedom, a sense of wonder and tranquility, to create a safe place to dream wildly, and most importantly to inspire the idea that there are still mysterious, impossibly beautiful things on Earth—not solely in our imaginations." CLR
"It can be dangerous at times because the water is unforgiving; it seeps in the nostrils, it’s cold and has a life of it’s own. You move where it wants you to move, and the fabrics dance at their own pace. For the models, being under water shuts off the excessive thought process that we all have going on in our heads, which is wonderful because it allows them to really be themselves completely. “ CLR
AWARDS AND HONORS
2024
Honorable Mention, Van Gogh Tribute Award, “Reflection”, 2024
Gold, 9th Annual International Imaging Competition, Top 100 Images, #29, “Sea of Tranquility”, 2024
Gold, European Photography Awards, Fine Art - Open Theme, “Muses of Avatar”, 2024
Honorable Mention, European Photography Awards, Fine Art - Open Theme, “Luminescence”, 2024
Gold, Master Photographers Intl., 9th Annual International Imaging Competition, Fine Art, “Sea of Tranquility”, 2024
Future of Art Global Masterpiece Award, Contemporary Art Curator Magazine and Contemporary Art Collectors, 2024
Honorable Mention, London Photography Awards, Fine Art - Open Theme, “Luminescence”, 2024
2023
Motiva Photo Art Circuit, Experimental and General Color, “Love Live, Bright Star, Luminescence”, 2023
Silver, New York Photography Awards, Fine Art Photography, “Sea of Tranquility”, 2023
Honorable Mention, Chromatic Photography Awards, Fine Art, “Sea of Tranquility”, 2023
2022
Bronze, One Eyeland Photography Award 2021, Fine Art, “Into the Unknown”, 2022
Best of Show, Trierenberg Super Circuit, Experimental Photography “Mercy, Wisdom and Insight”, 2022
2021
Honorable Mention, 17th Julia Margaret Cameron Award for Women Photographers, Fine Art Series “Human” Collection, 2021
Shortlist, World Water Day Photo Contest, Storytelling, Mankind and Water A Long Love Story, Italy, “Human” Collection, 2021
2nd Place, Moscow International Foto Awards, Portfolio, “Human Collection, 2021
Gold, Moscow International Foto Awards, Portfolio/Fine Art, “Human Collection, 2021
Platinum Winner, Muse Photography Awards, Fine Art Photography Category, “Human” Collection, 2021
Official Selection, AwareNow, for Cause Conscious Art, May 2021
2020
Finalist, London International Creative Competition 2020, Create (Art), “Human Collection”, 2020
Best of Best Winner, Creative Communication Award, Photography Category, “Muses”, 2020
Honorable Mention, International Photography Awards, Fine Art Category, “Human” Collection, 2020
Winner Abstract Category, Malta International Photo Award,,2019/2020 Edition, “A Dream Dreamed in the Presence of Reason”
Cube Award, ADC 99th Annual Awards, Fine Art/ Conceptual Series “Muses”, 2020
Finalist, World Water Day Photo Contest, Climate Change,, “Storytelling” Muses, Italy 2020
Lurzer’s Archive. 200 Best Ad Photographers Worldwide, 2020
Finalist, COCA Center of Contemporary Artists 2020, Rome, Barcelona, Ability of the Artist - Photography, Video Art, “Muses”
2019
Open Photographer of the Year, Sony World Photography Awards 2018, The World Photography Organization “Harmony”
Honorable Mention, Le Prix de la Photographie de Paris 2019, Fine Art “Muses”
Silver Award, Moscow International Foto Awards 2019, Portfolio Fine Art “Muses”
Honorable Mention, London International Creative Competition 2018, Video & Film, Professional Category, “A Conversation with Angels”
Honorable Mention, London International Creative Competition 2018, Video & Film, Professional Category, “Color High”
1st Place Open Motion Category, Sony World Photography Awards 2018, The World Photography Organization “Harmony”
Silver Award, Tokyo International Foto Awards 2018, Professional, Portfolio Fine Art Category “Muses”
Gold Medal, Trierenberg Super Circuit 2019, Panorama “Creation”
Silver Award, One Eyeland Photography Awards 2018, Fine Art, Other Category “Muses”
2018
2nd Prize in Fine Art, Chromatic Photography Awards 2018, Professional Category, “Muses” 2018
Visual Art Award, La Cultura Es Femenina 2018 “Muses”, Laboratorio de Investigación e Innovación en Arquitectura Urbanismo y Cultura (Laboratory of Research and Innovation in Architecture, Urbanism and Culture), Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
Finalist - Contemporary Talents 2017, Fondation François Schneider, France
2015
Finalist - Contemporary Talents 2014, Fondation François Schneider, France
2014
Medal of Honor from the Mayor of the City of Angers, France
Artist Award, Artlightenment, Art & Film Festival, USA
Film Award - Best Poetic Expression, "Elan: Flags", Artlightenment, Art & Film Festival, US
2013
Selected Artist for 2013/2014 Angers-Nantes Opera Performance Season, France
Nominee in fine Art – 6th Annual Photography Masters Cup, Los Angeles, CA
Film Award - Best Artistic Expression, "Of Smoke and Gold", Artlightenment, Art & Film Festival, USA
2012
Finalist – Emergent Artist Award, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Featured – Empty Kingdom – Top 100 Artists of 2011
2011
Finalist – The One Life International Photography Competition
Featured - 500 Photographers by Pieter Wisse