Breathtaking undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'

    By Sheena McKenzie, CNN

    Updated 0715 GMT (1515 HKT) April 20, 2016

    World champion freediver Alexey Molchanov poses without the assistance of breathing equipment, in this ethereal underwater series by photographer <a href="http://www.liabarrettphotography.com/" target="_blank">Lia Barrett.</a>
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    World champion freediver Alexey Molchanov poses without the assistance of breathing equipment, in this ethereal underwater series by photographer Lia Barrett.
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    Barrett took the spectacular images off the coast of Mexico, plunging depths of up to 100 feet (30 meters).<br />"I would wait for Alexey in a specific spot, frame the shot, and then would signal to him at the surface," explained Barrett, who unlike Molchanov, was wearing an oxygen tank.<br />"After breathing up, he would descend slowly in order to preserve oxygen, and would then stay down with me for about two minutes."
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    Barrett took the spectacular images off the coast of Mexico, plunging depths of up to 100 feet (30 meters).
    "I would wait for Alexey in a specific spot, frame the shot, and then would signal to him at the surface," explained Barrett, who unlike Molchanov, was wearing an oxygen tank.
    "After breathing up, he would descend slowly in order to preserve oxygen, and would then stay down with me for about two minutes."
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    "I enjoy using off-camera lighting to add another element to images, and I thought it would make Alexey look like a superhero to put them in his hands," said Barrett.<br />"I do look at freedivers like Alexey as super-humans, and so thought it was fitting. Plus it gave me a point of focus for my lens in some of the darker cenotes, which was really useful."
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    "I enjoy using off-camera lighting to add another element to images, and I thought it would make Alexey look like a superhero to put them in his hands," said Barrett.
    "I do look at freedivers like Alexey as super-humans, and so thought it was fitting. Plus it gave me a point of focus for my lens in some of the darker cenotes, which was really useful."
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    "We headed over to the Maya Riviera on the Yucatan Peninsula, which has a porous topography ripe for underwater sinkholes -- called cenotes," explained Barrett.<br />"Each cenote is different -- some are vertical sinkholes, others are caverns or caves.<br />"What makes the cenotes interesting is the mix of fresh and saltwater, which can create these haloclines, which, when the water has been undisturbed by other people, you can literally see."
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    "We headed over to the Maya Riviera on the Yucatan Peninsula, which has a porous topography ripe for underwater sinkholes -- called cenotes," explained Barrett.
    "Each cenote is different -- some are vertical sinkholes, others are caverns or caves.
    "What makes the cenotes interesting is the mix of fresh and saltwater, which can create these haloclines, which, when the water has been undisturbed by other people, you can literally see."
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    "In some cenotes there are these 'false bottoms' that are created," continued Barrett.<br />"So where it looks like there is an underwater island with trees, what is really happening is a cloud of stinky hydrogen sulfide which has gathered, creating an illusion of a misty lake."
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    "In some cenotes there are these 'false bottoms' that are created," continued Barrett.
    "So where it looks like there is an underwater island with trees, what is really happening is a cloud of stinky hydrogen sulfide which has gathered, creating an illusion of a misty lake."
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    "Getting an image on one breath, without assisted breathing from scuba tanks, depends purely on the skill of the freediver," said Barrett.<br />"Because Alexey is one of the best in the world, what we are doing is just like a warm up for him. Although we do have to keep an eye on him and have safety divers around in case he blacks out."
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    "Getting an image on one breath, without assisted breathing from scuba tanks, depends purely on the skill of the freediver," said Barrett.
    "Because Alexey is one of the best in the world, what we are doing is just like a warm up for him. Although we do have to keep an eye on him and have safety divers around in case he blacks out."
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    "My friends who freedive while shooting often smirk at the limitations of movement that I have on scuba equipment," she added.<br />"I can't simply follow him up and down to the surface, as I risk getting 'the bends.'"
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    "My friends who freedive while shooting often smirk at the limitations of movement that I have on scuba equipment," she added.
    "I can't simply follow him up and down to the surface, as I risk getting 'the bends.'"
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    "But the advantage of being on scuba gear is being able to carefully layout my ideas and notice details and nuances of the landscape," said Barrett.<br />"I can carry two lights on my camera without drag being an issue. Alas, once I'm down there, communication with my team becomes a game of sign language -- and apparently I'm not always so fluent!"
    Photos: Undersea world of a 'Moscow Merman'
    "But the advantage of being on scuba gear is being able to carefully layout my ideas and notice details and nuances of the landscape," said Barrett.
    "I can carry two lights on my camera without drag being an issue. Alas, once I'm down there, communication with my team becomes a game of sign language -- and apparently I'm not always so fluent!"
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