Many would assume that the icy depths of the sea off the northwestern coast on Russia would have little to offer nature photographers.

But one man has braved the freezing elements to capture the beautiful monsters of the deep who display a surprising variety of colourful speices.

Marine biologist Alexander Semenov spent two years in the hostile environment at the ultra-remote White Sea Biological Station to create his bizarre collection of images.

The lead undetwater photographer breaks through arctic sea ice dropping into -2 degree water from a -30 degree world above.

He has documented striking differences between these species who have evolved cut off from their cousins that live in warmer waters elsewhere in the world.

Included in his works are the bright pink skeleton shrimp, the weird sea angel, and the odd sea butterfly - a type of snail that spins a web to capture small creatures.

Up close and personal: A skeleton shrimp shows its pincers and antennae. It most likely male because of its elongated head