Jobs: Alexander Semenov, a marine biologist and underwater photographer
Workplaces / / December 27, 2019
Alexander Semenov
A marine biologist, a graduate of Moscow State University. Engaged in underwater photography. Removes and writes for National Geographic, BBC, Discovery, and other major publications. Within the framework of the project "Akvatilis" create a film about the underwater world of the cold seas. TED speaker, lectures for children and adults, is writing a book. The goal - the popularization of science.
What do you do in your work?
My name is Alexander Semenov. I am a marine biologist and underwater photographer. I engaged in studying and filming all sorts of unusual and cool living creatures in the most interesting seas oceans.
All the stuff that I manage to get (photos, stories and videos), I try to communicate to as many people. For this post the posts at on the site and in social networks, giving lectures to children and adults, writing a book.
Now with his team shoot the first film about the underwater world of the cold seas. We are looking forward to become a "Russian team Cousteau" and inspire children and adolescents by their example, and at the same time to form and expand the horizons of everyone who are curious about how the world works and who lives in it. They came up with his name, and even a huge project - "
Akvatilis». As part of it now and work.What is your occupation?
In 2007 I graduated from the Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, where the Department of Invertebrate Zoology shred squid brains and studied the structure of the vestibular apparatus. Not the most valuable knowledge, of course, but it was fun and interesting. Immediately after graduation I found a job in the White Sea biological station of Moscow State University on the border of the Arctic Circle, where happy to sit still.
Officially, my bet is called "lead engineer". But in fact, I am the chief of the biological station of the diving service, I supervise a group of divers, organize and plan all dives, pull out a living material for students and researchers, working with experts who come from around the world, and, of course, constantly immerse the camera for filming the next jellyfish and comb jellies.
In fact, I had no plans to engage in underwater photography and the popularization of science. I am nine years was fond of three-dimensional graphics, and 14 have already earned first decent amount. By the end of the university, I was invited to work as many as three coolest studio, engaged in special effects for film and advertising. Well did not work, and it is fine! Instead nocturnal renderings I now travel around the world and dive in places where there is no diving, no people. It seems too good to do. :)
I never studied photography, working in Photoshop, to dive in harsh environments. Everything is a matter of happened, with time and experience. When I was at the station employee (before this came as a student), I brought back an old camera, one of the the first digital SLR to 6 MP, and began to take off in the laboratory of different worms and molluscs, which are pulled out from under water. For the three months naschelkat several shots that can be proud of. Now, however, without a smile at them will not look. While poking the camera and tried everything, I understand what it means and bukovki krutilki on her as a picture depends on the settings and what you need from the photographer that turned out okay. Then he came to Moscow all so proud, in pictures and new knowledge has opened the Internet (at the communication station then it was not) article on macro photography for beginners and read all their knowledge in the first two paragraphs. But it all himself!
With underwater shooting it was not easy at all. Shoot studied for three years before it began to turn something normal.
What are your strengths and weaknesses?
Of the strengths - stubbornness, flexibility and a complete lack of fear to start something new, big or impossible. I constantly try to improve the qualities of the bar. This prevents stagnate. Another thing I really like to teach people something terrible, and I will be happy if I have any of the guys will overtake soon. Then you have to deal with it and do even better. :)
My dream is to become a model.
With weak parties more difficult. I am self-confident and arrogant, but it is to me, rather, it helps, although annoying some people around. Mostly lazy - do not know how to work "from" and "to". Almost any activity of mine - coming, but quite effective. But, while waiting for the arrival of this, it is possible protupila couple of days on the internet and start drooling pointless.
How does your workplace?
Jobs I have a few. When I was in Moscow, I sit at the computer almost bezvylazno: organize the next trip, process photos, rake-mail with a break for kinoshki and outputs a walk.
At the biological station, I built myself workplace itself. When I got to the station for the first time, saw two divers near a small shed, buried in the earth a quarter - it was their working "house". It was built 40 years ago as a temporary barracks with the words: "The next year, something normally done!". There is nothing more permanent than temporary. :)
Becoming head of the divers, the first thing I started - looking for an opportunity to take down the barn and build a normal diving lodge. Three years I talked with all the heads of the university, trying to somehow hook into the repair or construction plans at the station, but nothing came of it.
Not until you begin to move, nothing will happen. So I asked permission to do everything on their own. I got a good, and for a year together we pile very solid building "turtleneck" with heated bathrooms, a private internet, five jobs on the second floor, air dryer under the roof and etc.
Now, to go diving, I have to go downstairs to collect gear, take a boat 50 meters from the "turtleneck", and everything! A well-organized work space helps a lot to work with. On fotochki can see how it looks.
As far as technique, everything is serious. I am professionally engaged in photography and working with media monsters, such as National Geographic, BBC, Discovery and many others.
Now everything is rented on Nikon D810 and D750, are processed in CaptureOne Pro and Photoshop on a Mac Pro (black bucket), which I am going to bleed a little, but it is forgotten memory from 16 GB to 64 or 128 GB. Video will need to take the car more powerful.
A very important and favorite thing in the work - a monitor. I was down on the Eizo ColorEdge CG276 27 ", and now it's my favorite piece of equipment. Perhaps, Eizo - it is generally the best you can buy. At the station, I have another monitor - a new Dell P2715Q at 4K. So imagine the small screen, I do not advise anyone.
Photo editing tablet is mandatory. I have a Wacom Intuos4 M, but I buy Intuos Pro L in the near future, it will be more comfortable, and the old will leave the station.
As I'm writing a lot of texts, including books, keyboards, I also use a special - Das Keyboard Model S Professional. Really I love her. Background always goes any nice music from Harman Kardon SoundSticks II, which will be replaced in the fall on the Audioengine 5+ or KEF X300A: too lazy to drag SoundSticks back from the station, and a pleasant system would be desirable.
From gadgets, everything is simple: in one pocket iPhone 5s (this is my main telephone number), in the other Lumia some with 41-megapixel camera for some reason (this is a local worker, do not use it as a smartphone, just happened to be in hand). iPad was still, but I sold it as unnecessary.
The only application that I use efficiently and on a Mac, and iPhone, - it is the Clear, very nice list of to-do. Well, even, perhaps, Simplenote, is also a useful thing and synchronization. On the iPhone from the need to eat and Documents "Sberbank. Online "everything else for pampering. "Snake" that's set recently, I rejoice. :)
Every scuba diving and will not list, I guess. Few people wonder what we have boats and motors, and any underwater lights with boxes we yuzaem in the cold waters. In short, all the best, with no compromise.
But if someone still would be interested, ask questions in the comments - I will answer.
Is there a place in your paper work?
On paper, I bring an application for production of the material. I now have here a stack executed at hand is, on the other hand - the new, the next few days. Any scientist, post-graduate student or a student at the station can drag me to the application and asked to get out of the water 20 nudibranchs certain type. I'll upload it for someone of his divers or fetch himself.
While not use the Clear scheduler, to-do lists currently posted on the paper - it's a great help in the work, and purely mechanical memory works better. Now I draw a storyboard for the video - our assignments for underwater filming.
What's your daily routine?
My daily routine and organization of time - it's always a problem. I do not consider myself a creative person, whose regime does not exist. But the schedule I have as such no, no deadlines. Even serious customers can always be asked to wait until I will add a story or series of frames doobrabotayu. It's better to be a good story in the next issue than something in a hurry slyapat the last day before imposition. In large magazines always have material for emergency substitution, it is the normal working time. The expeditions and travel mode is set with reference to the following conditions: tides, currents, weather, priorities. It is necessary to adjust every time that happens by itself, and the most convenient way to adjust itself under what is not depends on you.
I usually get up at 9-10 in the morning, I go to bed late, after 2-3 hours. Ideal work in the morning, from 9 to 12 hours. Unless lay drunk, of course - here it happens. At the station, the white nights, campfires, night life and constant dvizhuha. Here you can sit quietly until 5:00 am the fire, and at 10 o'clock have to go on a dive.
I am happy when I see people with burning eyes and the northern lights.
Usually in day one dive tied to stagnant water (the time between the tide, when there is no flow), and one access to the sea for the insurance (when someone dives, it must take on the point, equip and insure people in the boat at surface). We change all the fears of all. Between exits at sea - lunch, afternoon snack, mail, photos processing, assembly or repair boats, engines, diving equipment, pile cylinders and other vanity.
After eight evening active part of the working day ends, it begins active-Stay. Almost every day I cook dinner in a cauldron in front of the house, then volleyball with the students and academic staff, if the weather allows. Then, at about 11 pm, weight training in my entire team. Thereafter, shower, movie, pictures, fire - anything.
What place sport occupies in your life?
Sports - this is a hobby, but mandatory. I'm all childhood something to do, I have quite a sporting family. Therefore, it was everything: skis, skates, bikes, dumbbells, horizontal bars, swimming, running.
At the age of reason I began to practice martial arts: Capoeira, Muay Thai, a boxing, Arnis, a little Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A total of seven years, probably.
Now I have a favorite projectile - a weight that replaces my gym. Especially fun to train in companies. For my sports activities are very necessary - not just to keep yourself in good shape, but be strong in order to, for example, will not break my back in the cold. My diving equipment in full assembly weighs about 50-60 kg, we dive into the water of -1,5 ° C. Risk is something to pull and tear have the time, but what you're stronger physically, so it is less. Yes, and just have a good look nice.
What's your hobby?
Traveling, I guess. I ride a lot and fly. Once I invented himself a cool rule: no more than two weeks in Moscow. To me this was enough time to earn a little money, get the necessary visas to do all the important things and drove off somewhere, even in the countryside, even in another country. Not always have the money for the big trip, but little can be interesting, and peace.
Actually, I was lucky with the main hobby - it's my job. I started to shoot purely for themselves, the enthusiasm and increased in all this world-famous and serious projects expeditions and world tours.
Who can say that my hobby - is to popularize science.
I try to do the most interesting lectures and impress children. Nobody wants to do science and to discover new worlds, looked through scientific articles with DNA sequences and statistical studies.
I am inspired by people who are familiar to us change the world.
But fiction and adventure books, movies Cousteau, David Attenborough stories grew more than one generation of astrophysicists, marine biologists and tourists. I want to do the same.
Layfhakerstvo by Alexander Semenov
- books: «Last lecture"Randy Pausch. My life has changed this book. This is the only book that I violently shoved all my friends and family. Thanks to her, you cease to bother once again and you can in a different way to look at your life, and if you want - to change it, while there is such a possibility.
- Movies"The Fifth Element," "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" and James Cameron's Deepsea Challenger. The first two - it's trite my favorite movies. And Cameron has managed to make a film about the same, I want to convey to the general public. This is a very good movie.
- LectureRobert Ballard at TEDx about the study of the ocean and why it is so important and interesting. It just needs to listen to expand the horizons.
- sites: Digital Trends, PhotoRumors, Uncrate. I try to keep abreast of technological innovations, especially in terms of photo and video. I am a perfectionist in technical terms, therefore, strive to use the best available at the moment.
What is your life motto?
Always bring our plans to the end. No serious project does not work the first time, and all the way to the big goal - it's a whole series of problems and demotivating failures. I love all this scary, because there is no development without any problems, without the "unsolvable" problems will not be flexible, and it is impossible without sophisticated goals will not turn to dream really.
I think if everyone will come up for themselves something really cool, though very small, but steep, and will achieve this, in spite of everything, the world will make a huge step forward.
And yes, most importantly, doing things you love and love what you do.