These are absolutely stunning!
At first glance, one might think that the images were taken by a drone or a robot during an expedition and then edited or processed for better quality. Nope.
It was all the work of marine biologist Alexander Semenov. In an article he wrote for Nature, he explained how he started taking these awe-inspiring photos. Semenov got obsessed with the beauty of the animals living in the waters of the White Sea in Primosrskiy, Russia.
Semenov then decided to start taking photos of them to capture their unique beauty and strangeness. The marine biologist shared that he pulled invertebrates out of the water and took pictures of them in the laboratory without special lighting. After a few experimental setups to further enhance the quality of his images, he was able to find his groove.
Semenov now has the compilation of cold-water invertebrates, some of the least-photographed creatures in the world. Check out more of his stunning work below!
Image credit: Alexander Semenov
C. capillata jellyfish eating an Aurelia jellyfish
C. capillata, C. limacina, Flabellina verrucosa and its prey Ectopleyra larynx (in foreground), Stomphia coccinea and sea spider Nymphon sp.
Sea angel trapping a sea butterfly
Semenov taking an underwater close-up photo of a stalked jellyfish (Lucernaria quadricornis)
H. galba inside the C. capillata jellyfish.
King ragworm (Alitta virens)
Syllis maganda