Amazing Jellyfish Photos

A distinctive and amazing look at a number of a few of the oddest animals on the planet.

Russian digital photographer Alexander Semenov stays lots of his time underneath the ocean, taking the alien-like great thing about jellyfish in their career. His images are impelled by scientific curiosity, but bring an indisputable beauty towards the fascinating-but-harmful subjects. He shared his inspiration and technique around, in addition to a couple of sting tales. See much more of his amazing underwater work over on his Flickr stream.

How have you enter into underwater photography? How lengthy are you currently doing the work?

I am the mind from the scientific divers team in the Whitened Ocean Biological Station (Russia), so I've got a large amount of underwater work. Photography only agreed to be a spare time activity within the beggning, however it isn't my primary duty. I began in 2007 with laboratory scientific photography and moved underwater the coming year. Now, after couple of many years of learning abilities I'm able to state that I have several things to discover underwater photograpy. It's endless education and lots of work and fun. I really like it.

Are you able to talk a bit concerning the photos you required from the jellyfish using the sky without anyone's knowledge?

I made my first and just jellyfish shot using the sky background this past year also it grew to become a success - remarkably nobody never saw photos such as this. I spent considerable time thinking steps to make it better and just how to create number of photos with various sky, sun sun rays maybe, different poses. The circumstances have to be perfect for this to operate. The ocean should be calm, with no wind, sky should be with beautiful whitened clouds, jellies should be beautiful (not every jellyfishes of same species are actually beautiful) and situated not far from the top and also you must hold you breath for any couple of minutes to obtain near to the jelly making a shot - otherwise your bubbles can lift the jelly plus they will certainly make waves at first glance. So, perfect conditions happened just once at first of this summer, also it was great luck.

Where were they taken?

In the Whitened Ocean, where Sometimes for whole summer time season.

How have you attain the sky background effect? Had you been making use of your own source of light?

You need to simply set proper camera configurations and employ good lens. Sure, you'll need additional source of light since you shoot agains heaven and sun and all you are able get without artificial light - only a contour after some transparency, and so i used two underwater strobes almost at full energy.

Could it be harmful to be with giant jellyfish like this?

This specimen - Cyanea capillata (or Lion's mane jellyfish)  may be the greatest on the planet, it may achieve 2,3m in dome diameter with 36m of tentacles, however in the Whitened ocean they've maximum size 50cm with 12-15m of tentacles. They're harmful, although not fatal whatsoever. I am always getting burned using their tentacles, sometime more, sometime less. It may be really painful, however it does not leave scars, so you'll suffer for couple of hrs only. Just once within my existence I had been stung through the huge Cyanea who kissed me hard with thermonuclear-poisonious-acidity discomfort, I could not speak for 2 hrs after which I spent 2 or 3 days being normal again.

Have you got any advice for those who have ambition to get involved with underwater existence photography?

Learn whatever you can concerning the ocean and marine existence, it's 1000 occasions more interesting to create photos you are aware of understand about, not only a beautiful picture of strange animal. And without a doubt it can help you plenty to locate most fascinating and often unique objects. And exercise. Underwater photography needs lots of practice, a lot more than at first glance. Experience is nearly nothing in almost any new ocean or perhaps in some harsh conditions.

What about a couple of strategies for getting began?

You'll need enthusiasm and lots of money, because good underwater photo gear costs like spaceship. Additionally you need time. I spent 2 yrs with no significant results and good photos, and that i really was depressed about this. However with time situations are not receiving simpler, you simply improve.

Exactly what does your typical gear setup seem like when you are on the dive?

Any Digital slr packed within the metallic housing with huge glass dome port in wide-position mode or flat port when shooting macro, and 2 arms using the underwater strobes and electrosynchronisation. That's all. Whether it's interesting now I am using Canon 5dm2 in Subal housing, Zeiss 21mm/f2.8 lens for wide position and Canon 100mm/f2.8L for macro, plus Inon Z-240 strobes, little else. However I attempted Nikon D800e this past year and today I've got a feeling that I am diving with prehistoric dinosaur rather than modern camera, so I wish to alter the system in order to see what Canon will show soon. However , it isn't essential if you are not really a professional, who require perfect particulars and maximum resolution for scientific analysis of two square centimeters from the seafloor. A number of my most widely used and in a commercial sense effective shots were created with old Canon 400d with a few cheap macro contacts.

What exactly is it that draws in you to definitely ocean animals?

My education. I am marine biologist concentrating in zoology of invertebrates, so I am not only making pictures, I am attempting to observe ocean existence with the viewfinder, catching important moments within the existence of various creatures and showing it towards the students, other researcher and around the world, whether it's interesting. For me personally things are interesting and i believe when I get access to our planet, I have to have a camera beside me to talk about is beauty and mystery.

What is the particular underwater place or animal you'd like to photograph but weren't in a position to yet?

1000's! Or millions... I simply began :)

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