Breathtaking Undersea Photos by Alexander Semenov

• Alexander Semenov is the head of the scientific divers team at the White Sea Biological Station (WSBS) in Russia. He’s also a prolific undersea photographer that has graciously shared his incredible work online on countless sites (Flickr, Behance, LiveJournal, 500px) so others may study and marvel at the beauty of the underwater world.

• Graduating from Lomonosov’s Moscow State University in the department of Zoology, Alexander specialized in the study of invertebrate animals. While his career has led him around the world, many of the shots in his portfolio (and below) are from his work at the WSBS which is located near the Polar Circle on the coast of Kandalaksha Bay of the White Sea.

• The location is remote and the waters are frigid but the biological diversity speaks for itself. Many of the creatures he captures are rare and uncommon so his work is of tremendous value to reasearchers, biologists and scientists. For the rest of us, we are simply thankful that there is such a talented photographer out there capturing the underwater beauty of our planet. The Sifter salutes you Mr. Alexander Semenov! Please keep up the fantastic work and thank you for sharing with the rest of us!

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Chirolophis japonicus

Gorgonocephalus arcticus (northern basket stars)

. Cyanea (jellyfish)

Scorpaenopsis barbata (bearded scorpionfish)

Coral

Bougainvillia superciliaris with Hyperia galba

Asterina pectinifera (starfish)

Myo

xoce

phal

us (s

hort

horn

scu

lpin

)

Taeniura lymma (bluespotted ribbontail ray)

Arothron hispidus (White-spotted puffer)

. Lysastrosoma anthosticta

Cyanea (jellyfish)

Risbecia pulchella (sea slug)

Aurelia sun (jellyfish)

. Cyanea capillata lion’s mane jellyfish)

Cyanea (jellyfish)

Aurelia noir

Cyanea capillata (lion mane’s jellyfish)

Leucothea sp.

Surgeon

Aurelia aurita sun (jellyfish)

Apostichopus japonicus (sea cucumber)

Phoca largha (spotted seal)

Plerogyra sinuosa (bubble coral)

Urticina eques (sea anemone)

Cyanea capillata (lion’s mane jellyfish)

Reef

POSTED BYJ.JAYAKRISHNAN

Octopus