Deep, dark waters

Alexander Semenov’s photographs of exotic deep-sea creatures at Viewpoint Photographic Art Center

“Acanthonotozoma inflatum” by Alexander Semenov, photograph.

“Acanthonotozoma inflatum” by Alexander Semenov, photograph.

Where: Viewpoint Photographic Art Center, 2015 J Street, Suite 101; (916) 441-2341; www.viewpointgallery.org.
Second Saturday reception: November 8, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Through December 6.
Hours: Tuesday through Thursday, noon to 6 p.m.; Friday through Saturday, noon to 5 p.m.

If it's been a while since your eyes feasted on gelatinous plankton, now is the time. Alexander Semenov, a marine biologist who works at a research facility in northern Russia, began taking his camera with him on dives, and his photos of invertebrates are stunning, dramatically vivid and elegant portraits of animals that most of us terrestrials didn't know existed or would shriek and gasp at if we encountered them in deep, dark waters. These photos will likely engender gasps of admiration and awe instead.