Surreal, vibrant and beautiful, but ­begging the question: “How does she do it?” Lucie Drlikova’s dreamlike art impacted the judges for Scuba ­Diving’s 2018 Through Your Lens photo contest in the same way. At first glance, judges chalked up the images to crafty ­Photoshop work, but as they researched Drlikova’s process — which is rooted in tediously planned set design and fundamentally sound underwater ­shooting — their admiration for her work grew. Drlikova earned second-place honors in the Conceptual category, and shared some insight into her method and inspiration.

How did you get into diving and ­underwater photography?

I grew up between my dad’s darkroom and my mom’s fairy tales and sewing machine. My dad was a scuba diver; I started diving 23 years ago and I never stopped. After a couple of years of scuba diving, I wanted to show my mom the ­underwater world, so I purchased my first little point-and-shoot camera to bring back images to share. And that is how it started. The first years I was shooting marine life only, and then seven years ago, I found my passion for creative underwater photography. 

How do you create these images?

First, I would like to say that every-thing you see in my projects is ­really photographed underwater. I am using Photoshop for post-processing, but I am not manipulating the objects in the image. That is why I started to make videos behind the scenes because many people did not believe it was real.  

What goes into the process of creating the props, sets and costumes?

I love to create everything by myself. So first comes the idea, then I draft it, and then I start the process. This includes creating all the elements, and finding the exact model who will fit my idea. 

What sort of problems can come up with this form of photography?

Each image for my projects is challenging for me. I need to figure out how to make my idea work underwater. For example, you can create the ­effect of a model hovering above the sea only if ­everything is upside down in the ­water and the model is in a head-down ­position. So you need to find out how the dress will work as you wish, where to put the weights, how the dress will ­react ­underwater, and more. Each image is a ­different challenge. 

What was the most challenging set or costume you have designed?

My most difficult costume yet was ­Flora, the flower fairy (opposite). I ­created the dress, headpiece and small garden from hundreds of flowers and green leaves. 

What inspires your art?

Childhood fairy tales, daily life, dreams and nightmares, paintings, and generally all kinds of art. 

Does the finished product look like the vision in your mind, or does it evolve?

I draft all of my projects before the shooting starts, to show my model what I want. When I compare the draft with the final image later, it usually matches by about 90 percent. 

What project is next for you?

I am working on my personal ­project “Once Upon a Dream in Waterland,” which is time-consuming and difficult because I do everything by myself.

How often do you dive?

It depends on my traveling and budget, as we do not have open-ocean ­diving close to the Czech Republic. But generally, I travel to dive once a year; I really need it for my life and I miss it very much.