Retired combat photographer Aaron Ansarov has selected a beautiful, if unusual, muse for his “Zooids” portrait series. The unlikely subject of his adoration is the highly venomous Portuguese man-of-war which he scavenges, live, off the shores of a local Florida beach.

WITH THE HELP… of a pair of medical gloves and a small cooler, Ansarov carefully collects and transports the siphonophores to a homemade light box where he captures their swirling twirling show before returning them back into the wild.

THE FINAL… photos are subjected to surprisingly minimal editing – emphasizing the animal’s natural blue, purple and violet pigmentation and stunning glass like forms.

ANSAROV’S WORK… has gained an international following via features in top publications, including national Geographic. Today he lives and works as a fine art photographer in southern Florida, while pursuing a degree in Advertising from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale.

Sources: Aaron Ansarov, National Geographic