Our Dreamlist for Marc Thyseen's Olympia Photoshoot

As we've mentioned before, top fitness photographer Marc Thyseen will be hosting an, in his words, "Exclusive Photo Shoot event" at REHAB pool at the HARD ROCK in Las Vegas on Sunday, September 18th, during the 2016 Olympia Weekend. We hope those in the Las Vegas area during the Olympia weekend will look into this and participate. From the infomation we've gathered this far, images will be published in Planet Muscle magazine, and the event will be professionally filmed, so we're guessing potential DVD, Youtube video, and/or digital video of the event will be made. If you would like to participate in it marc@marcthyssen.com. If you would like to be a corporate sponsor for the event (which will cost your company a fraction of an Olympia booth, which for those who have done it knows those are NOT cheap). use the same email as well.

While we have no clue who will be part of the event (yet), FitGems Nation did compile a list of 12 ladies around the industry that we feel would be great for this event. They are in no particular order, and trust us...it was not easy to narrow this list to 12 ladies. (Photos belong to their respective owners).

Tina Nguyen

Tina is quickly becoming one of the most popular fitness personalities on Instagram, currently past over half a million followers. It’s not hard to see why with her beautiful looks and comic book-like proportions. With the physique and following she has, being a part of this shoot would be an even bigger boost for her career.

Christine Pomponio-Pate

This woman DOES NOT AGE! She was part of both FitHeat and the Fitness Supermodel Weekend, and both times she looked like she could have stepped on stage and did damage. A lot has changed between now and back then, including adding twin boys to the family. Even in her early 40s and a mother-of-three, she is still kicking butt and taking names in the looks department. It would be only fitting that Christine would return being one of Marc’s first big models he worked with (not to mention being one of his all-time favorites)

Larissa Reis

Another woman who is no stranger to working with Marc, Larissa has been part of Marc’s shoots before, including the 2011 Fitness Supermodel Weekend. While she hasn’t stepped on stage in quite some time, she still have one of the most impressive bodies in the fitness world today. She would be a great fit (no pun intended) for the simple fact that she lives in Las Vegas.


Wendy Fortino

Arguably the most deserving person on this list on a personal level, Wendy is not only one of the most underrated figure competitors in the world, but she is also one of the most underrated fitness models in the world. She has been part of a few shoots here and there, but not to the point where they are known as much as they should be. Being part of this event would not only give Wendy massive credibility in the fitness modeling world, but this could potentially pave the way for her to get more opportunities down the line by others.

Latorya Watts

She will already be in Vegas defending her Figure Olympia title. Latorya would be an obvious choice to have her as part of this shoot. One of the most genetically superior competitors the figure division has ever seen, she is also quite the model herself, doing some work with many photographers over the last couple of years. Marc is no stranger to photographing Olympia champions, and Latorya would be an ideal person to have as part of his photoshoot.

Heather Dees

Heather was part of the 2011 Fitness Supermodel Weekend and displayed an amazing physique during that time. It has only gotten better and better since then. Whatever motivated her to take her physique to the next level worked, while still keeping it within today’s figure standards. With the photoshoots she did last year showing off her improved physique, maybe it’s time for Heather to do another shoot with Marc and see what magic they can provide this time around.


Ariel Khadr

It’s been a dream for Ariel to make it to the Olympia stage and seven years after becoming the youngest fitness competitor at the time to win an IFBB pro card, she has now emerged as a top fitness competitor and will be stepping on the Olympia stage for the first time in her career. Her exotic looks are made for photoshoots such as the one Marc will be doing next month. Being part of this photoshoot AND competing in her first Olympia? Taki about one heck of an first-ever Olympia experience!

Natalia Coelho

She will be one of the youngest competitors on the Olympia stage, but has one of the craziest physiques in the entire figure division, or any division for that matter. Very photogenic and knows how to pose for someone her age. Natalia’s stock is only going to grow as her competition career goes forward, and being part of this shoot would be an instant boost for her.


Juliana Malacarne

The women’s physique division was created for a woman such as Juliana Malacarne. In fact, calling Juliana a woman is almost an insult, as she’s more of a living, breathing goddess, which practically anyone who has ever seen her can back up this claim. The 2x Physique Olympia and first-ever Physique International champion will look to win the Olympia Physique Showdown for a third-straight year against some of the most competitive talent to date. With her aiming to be at her best yet, it’s only fitting that she is part of this shoot, showing why the women’s physique division is the perfect combination of muscularity and femininity.


Camala Rodriquez-McClure

Camala is a bonafide star in every sense of the word. She has competed in multiple Olympias and Arnolds, including winning the Figure International title back in 2015. She has also shown that she can kill it on photoshoots, displaying great muscularity for the figure division with her trademark curves and Latina charm. She will be in Vegas competing in hopes of winning her 1st Figure Olympia title, and being part of this photoshoot would be a great thing to add to her already-impressive resume.


Ashley Kaltwasser

The definitive bikini competitor, Ashley is arguably THE most successful competitors in the short but deep history of the IFBB bikini division. 3 Bikini Olympia titles and 2 Bikini International titles, there’s arguably no one in the division as dominating as her. This beauty from Ohio would be a great fit to Marc’s photoshoot, as she will already be in Vegas anyways defending her title and aiming for an unthinkable FOURTH-STRAIGHT (!!!!) Bikini Olympia championship.


Meriza Deguzman-Ciccone

Meriza hasn’t stepped on stage in years, but the way she looks (much like Christine), you wouldn’t know it. She has kept herself in incredible shape since the last time she competed, for the simple fact that she LIVES the fitness lifestyle rather than the competition lifestyle. But make no mistake, she can get photoshoot-ready whenever she damn well pleases, which she has proven over the years.

So there you have it...our list for the twelve women we would like to see be part of Marc Thyssen's Olympia photoshoot next month. So what about you. Who would YOU want to see be part of this historic event? Let us know in the comments or send us a Facebook message. We will forward all of your suggestions to Marc. As mentioned earlier, any additional news we get regarding the event, we will make sure to let you all know. 

Marc Thyssen's Fitness Supermodel Weekend...Five Years Later

Flyer for this monumental event back in 2011.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of (to us) one of the best fitness modeling events to ever take place. We’re talking about the Fitness Supermodel Weekend, which was hosted by Marc Thyssen. This event was a follow-up to FitHeat, which took place about a year earlier. Some of the biggest names got together and did a massive photoshoot with Marc and his crew. The ladies that participated were as followed:

Nicole Wilkins

Christine Pomponio-Pate

Heather Dees

Felicia Romero

Sonia Gonzales (now Sonia Querido)

Larissa Reis

Adela Garcia

Natalie Pennington

Khanh Nguyen

Kristy Chin

Dayna Maleton

This weekend-long event took place at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino at Las Vegas during the 2011 NPC USAs. Fans were able to get a look at the stars in person, and see one of the best fitness photographers in the world in action. To hold such an event took some guts, determination, and some luck, but Marc was able to pull it off in a way that has helped paved the way for others to establish their own super modeling events. While Marc is far from the first to discover how to bring beautiful, fit women together, he has become somewhat of a master at it.

Once in a lifetime event...or is it?!
With Marc in this photo is (From left to right, front) Christine Pompoiono-Pate, Adela Garcia
(from left to right, back) Sonia Querido , Larissa Reis, Felicia Romero, and Heather Dees

Coming off the heels of this event, Marc announced on his social media accounts that there will be a similar event to take place at this year's Olympia, September 16th to be exact. If the 2011 event was any indication, expect this year’s event to be one for the ages. As we get more info, we will pass it along to you. 

For those that want to relive the historic event from 2011 (and who doesn't), check out the link below to some photos as well as a video of the event:

http://marcthyssen.com/FitSupWE2011.html

For more on Marc Thyssen, check out the following links:

Website: http://www.marcthyssen.com/Welcome.html

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marc_thyssen/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MarcThyssen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarcThyssenProductions/

Our interview with Marc back in 2011 (pre-Fitness Supermodel weekend): http://fitgems.blogspot.com/2011/07/interview-with-photographer-marc.html

Marc Thyssen's 2014 Olympia Photoshoots

Our good friend Marc Thyseen (FitGems Award nominee for Best Photographer) has returned to the United States to do several Olympia photo shoots. He will be shooting at Red Rock, Vegas Desert, Ghost town and exclusively at Venetian Resort Pool.

Packages available are Bronze, Silver, Gold & Platinum. He has done some amazing work and has worked with several of our favorites, including Christine Pomponio-Pate, Monica Brant, Larissa Reis, Felicia Romero, the 1st-ever Bikini Olympia champion Sonia Gonzales, 3-Time Figure Olympia champion Nicole Wilkins, 7-time Fitness Olympia champion Adela Garcia, and many other top competitors.

For more on the bookings and pricing, email Marc at marc@marcthyssen.com or check out his website at www.marcthyssen.com for more info on his photo packages. You can also RSVP on Facebook at this link: https://www.facebook.com/events/1471420889807250/. Tell them that FitGems Nation sent you!

From left to right, top to bottom: Larissa Reis, Felicia Romero, Heather Dees, Sonia Gonzales, Adela Garcia, Christine Pompoino-Pate

Monica Brant

Christine Pomponio-Pate

Marc Thyssen's Gold Coast Photoshoots This Weekend

FitGems favorite Marc Thyssen is doing a Gold Coast photoshoot beginning December 2nd and going on through December 5th. There are literally a couple of photo shoot spots left (if they haven't been taken already), so if you're in the area, get in contact with Marc at marc@marcthyssen.com to see about getting a photoshoot with him! Best images have a chance to be featured in Inside Fitness Magazine Australia, which is one of the top fitness magazines in Austraila. If you just want to contact him for a future shoot, I highly recommend you do that. He does nice work!

Sample collage of Marc's work
Photo credit: His Facebook page

He has photographed some of the biggest names in the sport, including Monica Brant, Adela Garcia, Felicia Romero, Nicole Wiklins, Larissa Reis, Sabrina Taylor, Christine Pomponio, Sonia Gonzales, Monica Escalante, and more! He's also the creator of the now-famous FitHeat 2010 and wildly successful Fitness Supermodel Weekend in 2011, both taking place in Las Vegas. His website is http://www.marcthyssen.com and he's on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/MarcThyssenPhotography. Also check out our interview we did with Marc last year.

Marc Thyssen @ Arnold 2012

One of the top rising stars in fitness photography, Marc Thyssen will be shooting at the 2012 Arnold! Within the last two years, he put together FitHeat and Fitness Supermodel Weekend, which were unprecedented in this industry. The list of names who have shot with him are no joke: Monica Brant, Christine Pomponio-Pate, Felicia Romero, Myriam Capes, Larissa Reis, Adela Garcia, Nicole Wilkins, Heather Dees, Sonia Gonzales, Rose-Marie Romero, Sabrina Taylor...just to name a few. He plans to take 2012 by storm, and you can be part of the action.

To book Marc, visit his website at http://www.marcthyssen.com/, or email him at marc@marcthyssen.com. You can also "like" him on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/marcthyssenphotography. Oh, by the way, you MIGHT want to make a decision this month if you want to save you a little money. If you put down a deposit before the end of the month, you will be booked at 2011 prices. Next month, the prices of shoots go up, so act early to save some cash! Tell Marc that FitGems sent you.

Interview with Photographer Marc Thyssen

Photographers are a major part of this industry. Being a part of magazines and paysites are some of the ways of creating your own brand. Just training and competing isn't enough to be a top name in this industry. The photographers can make a major difference in how your career pans out.

Marc Thyssen is quickly becoming one of the top photographers in the business today. His huge FitHeat project during last year's Olympia was unbelievable in nay aspects. Next weekend, during the NPC USAs, he plans to take it up a notch with Fitness Supermodel Weekend at the Moorea Beach Pool at Mandalay Bay. It's a two-day event (Saturday July 30th and Saturday July 31th) with some of the biggest names in the business, including Adela Garcia, Nicole Wilkins, Felicia Romero, and Christine Pomponio-Pate, among others (Talent subject to change, of course). Marc was gracious enough to take time out of his busy prep for this event to conduct an interview with FitGems.

Marc Thyssen himself
Photo credit: Steve Beyer Productions

FitGems Nation: May you begin by telling us a little bit about yourself?
Marc Thyssen: I love travel and have been to 37 countries, visited the majority on my own too. Exotic places, people, food and culture inspire me. As does embracing diversity in every form, which comes from my parents as my mother was born in Madras, India & my father in the South of Holland. Music has been very important to me as my work as a DJ has enabled me to live & travel around the world. Photography also is now playing an important role for me especially in the USA.

FitGems: You’re from Austraila. How did you you find your way to the United States?
Marc: Had visited a few times for holidays but only in 2007 did I take on the challenge to move over to Vegas and try my hand at making a business and life here. With no work organized, no family here or friends it wasn’t easy. But I’m not someone who gives up easily & I think the USA is the place to make your mark in this world in many fields especially mine. America is such an inspiring place.

FitGems: How did you get into photography in the first place?
Marc: My love for travel first inspired me to take photos since my first trip to Europe at 19. My Dutch born father’s love for travel inspired me wanting to travel from a early age. With time I had the confidence and courage to change focus from landscape to focus on people as subjects.

FitGems: How did you get interested in FITNESS photography?
Marc: I had my first Fitness photo shoots with a couple of models, Christina Lindley & Elaine Seth in Miami back in 2003. From my work and the models compliments on it, I knew that it was an area I had a talent for. I remember shooting film back then and using a totally manual camera too.

FitGems: How long have you been in photography?
Marc: Professionally I’ve been shooting since those first shoots in Miami in 2003, so 8 years. But shooting in total for over 15 years. I’ve only been living in the USA since 2007, so 4 years in the USA.

FitGems: In your honest opinion, what’s the most satisfying thing about being a photographer?
Marc: Making people smile. Creating a work of art with a bare minimum of computer manipulation. Too many photographers go to far these days and their subjects look little like the models they shot. That’s not my style, I look to Master Photographers for inspiration and even a guy like David LaChapelle who used to heavily edit his images & has used much less Photoshop in recent years. Australian Photographer Russell James is an inspiring guy, for his work, style and more.

FitGems: Last year during the 2010 Olympia weekend, you hosted a Superstar event of epic proportions with some of the biggest names in the industry (Monica Brant, Christine Pomponio-Pate, Heather Mae French, Myriam Capes, Mindi O’Brien, Krissy Chin, only to name a few) called FitHeat. How in the world were you able to pull off such a major event, and what inspired you to create FitHeat?
Marc: It wasn’t easy. But I know that Vegas is the place to provide a crossover market for the Fitness arena. Here in Vegas people, regular people live in the gym to look great at a pool. So why not capitalize on that and show them athletes at a pool, who are at the top of the sport in the World! Athletes that can inspire all of us.

FitGems: With the success of FitHeat 2010, will we see a repeat of FitHeat during this year’s Olympia?
Marc: Yes, Planet Muscle will again be partner on it too.

Christine Pomponio-Pate (left) and Monica Brant (right) at 2010 FitHeat event. Christine is scheduled to be part of next weekend's Fitness Supermodel Weekend (Photo credit: GUIDENG)

FitGems: Next weekend (during the NPC USAs in Las Vegas), you are hosting a Fitness Supermodel WEEKEND, with a major line-up that includes NINE competitors from past/present Olympias! For those attending, what can people expect from this event?
Marc: It will be again be at Moorea beach, like last years FitHeat, however the pace will be more relaxed with shooting over two days. Expect more interaction between the athletes and the crowd, giveaways and autograph signings. This event will also be filmed for DVD and it will be a surprise where the photos will be featured. Cant reveal that yet! Last years FitHeat was too hectic for me, I was too busy to really enjoy it!

FitGems: From everyone you’ve photographed, who has been your absolute favorite competitor/model to shoot with thus far in your career?
Marc: Hard for me to pick an absolute favorite but shooting Christine Pomponio, at FitHeat last year then again later in the evening one on one was a lot of fun & something I had been looking forward to for a long time. And that Christine drove all the way down just for it & didn’t compete in 2010 but looked like she should’ve been on the Olympia stage when we shot is a credit to her.

FitGems: How important do you feel is social media in the fitness industry, from a photographer’s standpoint?
Marc: Very important, unless you are already a Master Photographer like Annie Leibovitz and have a job shooting for Vanity fair, Nat Geo, SI and the like. For us mere mortals it’s a great way to get out there and get our work seen by many people. I always dreamed of shooting for Nat Geo but then again I am my own boss and I shoot the most beautiful women in the World. Not so bad hey?

FitGems: In addition to photography, you also have a knack for being a DJ. How did that come up?
Marc: Was my first part time job in High school and something I stuck with through completing college and studying abroad in London when I was 24. Not many 24 year olds are blessed enough to study in London whilst DJing to support themselves after already DJing Spain for 2 months the same year. Little wonder I kept to DJing for years afterwards and then onto running nightclubs in Melbourne, Australia after completing my Business degree. But when I hit 30 I knew I wanted something else to be my primary focus, and voila, Photography. And now, event planning also :)

FitGems: What advice would you give to others that would like to do photography one day?
Marc: Practice, shoot nature & still life until you are confident with your camera in manual mode, Then find your niche, network and strive for what you dream and believe will make you most happy in Photography.

FitGems: How can people contact you for more about your work (Twitter, email, website, Facebook, etc.)?
Marc: www.marcthyssen.com (Official Website)
http://twitter.com/marc_thyssen (Twitter)
http://www.facebook.com/MarcThyssenPhotography (Facebook)

For more about Marc's Fitness Supermodel Weekend, you can check out this link on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=120789771346244. Again, thank you Marc for taking the time to do an interview with us!

Fit Model TV: The Fitness Model Media Blog

There are sites all around that support the female competitors in terms of competition, sponsorships, financial advice, etc. But there are VERY few sites that have to do with the modeling side of the industry. For many, modeling is a major part of their career.

New blog Fit Model TV, created by dallas3, hopes to spread the news about fitness photographers and fitness models, as well as when competitors do modeling as well. Already, the blog has featured work from photographers such as David Ford, Isaac Hinds, Marc Thyssen, and more, along with videos and photos of models/competitors such as Monica Brant, Ava Cowan, Alicia Harris, Mandy Blank, and the Vitrix Model Team, among others.

You can view modeling contests, get info on photographers, see modeling photos/videos, and more! This site is just starting, but from what is on there so far, it is looking to become one of the top sites in this industry, especially in terms of size and importance to the models, athletes, and photographers.

To visit Fit Model TV, go to http://fitmodeltv.wordpress.com.