[imagesource:here]

Many shipwrecks carry rather grim stories with them to the ocean floor, but that doesn’t mean they’re completely lost to the world.

Photographers like Steve Jones and Anders Nyberg have made a career out of their underwater snaps, including some pretty eerie images of ship and aircraft wrecks.

The BBC recently showcased some of their finest work, so let’s start with Jones:

“From descending into the massive cylindrical turret armour of the WW1 Battleship HMS Audacious, to seeing the deck of the WW2 wreck SS Empire Heritage covered in Sherman tanks, I’m frequently left in awe of what I’ve seen,” he says…

“In years to come many of the ships and aircraft lost during the World Wars will be gone forever,” says Jones.

Since wrecks deteriorate over time, he says, photographing them is “capturing a point in history that will never be seen again”.

Swede Nyberg has a few gems too:

His favourite technique is to showcase familiar objects in the strange, other-worldly setting of the deep.

“It may be a door handle, a vase or a binocular, furniture or a wall with a tool that hangs neatly left on the wall. It is so I like it, untouched, to get the best pictures,” he says.

They have more interviews with the best in the underwater photo business over HERE, but we’re moving along.

Over on the blog of Francesco Mugnai there are some more stunning shots, although some aren’t exactly underwater.

We’ll allow it:

Very cool.

[sources:bbc&franmug]