Spending a significant amount of time exploring the deep ocean, the Russian photographer frequently captures incredibly strange-looking rare fish.
Roman Fedortsov, 39 years old, is a fisherman and photographer based in Russia. Sometimes, he has to travel far to unfamiliar waters to ensure a plentiful supply of fish, often in locations far from the mainland and at depths of 3000 meters where he needs to catch them.
As a result, he frequently encounters incredibly bizarre-looking fish.
Recently, Fedortsov has once again released his latest collection of photographs featuring the “monsters” that inhabit the “Twilight Zone” – the deep-sea area between 200 and 1000 meters below the ocean’s surface.
“I live in Murmansk, Russia. It is a major port, and that’s why I enrolled in Maritime University after finishing high school. My profession is closely related to fishing. I usually prepare fish for freezing and deliver it to customers,” Roman shared with Bored Panda.
It turns out that Roman is quite fond of collecting these bizarre sea creatures. These peculiar fish are mainly found in the Norwegian and Barents Seas in the northern part of Russia.
Roman truly enjoys exploring the unusual creatures in remote sea areas. “I decided to create a social media account because many people don’t know what some fish species actually look like,” he said.
“I am often impressed by the appearance of deep-sea fish species and I want to share this joy with others,” he said. “I have never been afraid of the fish I catch. I am always fascinated and impressed.”
In the photo is a species of fish commonly found in the deep waters of the North Atlantic, Lycodes reticulatus. Fedortsov describes them as resembling dwarves in fantasy films.
Many species of animals photographed by Fedortsov are shared on social media, seeking the help of experts to identify them.
One peculiar fish species among the deep-sea creatures that Fedortsov has caught.
Many deep-sea creatures unintentionally get entangled in nets and die immediately upon being brought to the surface.
The reason is that deep-sea organisms are adapted to high-pressure environments, so when they are rapidly brought up to the water surface, their organs can rupture, making it impossible for them to survive.
Sometimes, Fedortsov makes the fish look even more peculiar with his unique angles and perspectives when taking photographs.