Honorable Mention / 2021 / Nature / Underwater

Inside the Wave

Most of the wave photographs are taken above water from a shore. This series was taken on scuba dives, requiring a lot of safety precautions. The photos depict the similarity between the world above and underwater. When humans would start to see those similarities and love both worlds deeply and equally, there would be still a chance of preventing more environmental pollution and harm inflicted to animals and nature.

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Alexej, a Ukrainian-German devoted diver and photographer, highlights the beauty and human-induced distress of the underwater world through his work. Born in Kharkiv, Ukraine, he holds a diploma in rocket engineering and received photography education from the Kiev Photography School.
Alexej's art bridges photography and painting, employing abstract and fine art styles to underscore the link between terrestrial and aquatic worlds. With his distinctive style, he aspires to elevate underwater photography to powerful contemporary art that advocates for peace and environmental protection.

Awards :
- Overall winner of the Vienna Photography Awards.
Double first-place winner of the Travel Photographer of the Year competition.
- First-place winner of both the Monochrome Awards and Neutral Density Awards.
- Landscape Photographer of the Year as recognized by the Annual Photography Awards.
- Double gold medalist of the Prix de la Photographie (PX3), Tokyo Photography Awards, and Budapest Photography Awards.
- Double recipient of the Jury Top 5 Awards from the International Photography Awards (IPA).
- Longlisted for the Aesthetica Art Prize.
- Commended by the Siena Creative Photography Awards.