Alexey Druzhinin / AFP - Getty Images

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin embarks on a dive to an underwater archaeological site at Phanagoria on the Taman Peninsula on August 10. Russia's hard man Prime Minister Vladimir Putin pulled on a wetsuit Wednesday and went scuba diving at an ancient Greek Black Sea site in the latest populist stunt ahead of next year's elections.

I agree with colleague Jonathan Woods that we can't have too many pictures of Russian leaders doing silly things to show how macho they are. Today, Vladimir Putin is diving to an underwater archaeological site.

Remind you of someone else?

Left: President George W. Bush arriving onboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, May 3, 2003, as the ship returns to the naval base at San Diego, California, after being deployed in the Gulf region.

Hector Mata / AFP - Getty Images file

Like a lot of photography, making great photos at a swimming event takes the right mixture of skill and luck. But coming away with a unique underwater image is far more difficult, especially if the camera is unmanned, triggered remotely.

While we don't know whether these images were taken through an underwater observation window or fired remotely, we do know they turned out really well.

Christinne Muschi / Reuters

Ye Shiwen of China competes during the women's 200m individual medley final at the 14th FINA World Championships in Shanghai July 25.

Adam Pretty / Getty Images

Vitaly Borisov of Russia (from top), Hayden Stoeckel of Australia, Camille Lacourt of France and David Plummer of the United States compete in heat seven of the Men's 100m Backstroke heats during Day Ten of the 14th FINA World Championships at the Oriental Sports Center on July 25.

Francois Xavier Marit / AFP - Getty Images

France's Yannick Agnel competes in the semi-finals of the men's 100-meter freestyle swimming event in the FINA World Championships at the indoor stadium of the Oriental Sports Center in Shanghai on July 25.

 See more great images in the Week in Sports slideshow.

Philippe Lopez / AFP - Getty Images

Athletes dive during a training session at Shanghai Oriental Sports Center, the venue of the FINA World Championships, in Shanghai on July 14.

Wong Maye-E / AP

North Korean divers practice their routine in the men's synchronized 10 meter springboard at the FINA Swimming World Championships in Shanghai, China, Thursday, July 14. The championships begin Saturday July 16.

There are so many opportunities to make creative pictures of swimming and diving, but it takes a great effort.

A fellow photojournalist taped a phrase to the dashboard of his car that embodies that mantra - The saying reads: "Show them what they missed." It's advice any photographer can use.

I'm looking forward to seeing more great photography from the FINA competition over the weekend.

To see more pictures that bridge the gap between the normal and the extraordinary, check out our Week in Sports slideshow.

Reuters moved this nice selection of photos today by Myanmar photographer Soe Zeya Tun of men salvaging coal in the Yangon River. 

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

A diver prepares to dive in the Yangon River in search of coal from a sunken ship in Myanmar on Thursday, June 9..

According to Reuters:

Every morning and every evening when the tide is high, up to 40 boats of different shapes and sizes with crews of between four to eight people leave the former capital for the dangerous work of salvaging coal from the muddy waters of the Yangon River.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

A man holds a hose providing oxygen to a diver searching of coal from a sunken ship on the Yangon River on Thursday.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

People work on the small boats on the Yangon River in search of coal from a sunken ship on Thursday.

With flimsy-looking masks costing about $8 to $9 and attached to ropes, the divers jump into the water in search of coal from sunken ships.  It's a tiring and lethal job - many have lost their lives when their ropes break or when they get caught up in fishing nets and hooks. Many of the divers, who live in Dahla Township next to the river, have been doing the job for five or six years. "We know it's a dangerous job, but we don't know any other profession," said one.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

Diver Tin Aung Lwin wears a primitive mask as he climbs up on the boat after diving in the Yangon River in search of coal from a sunken ship on Thursday.

When coal is salvaged and sold to small time traders, the proceeds are divided into four parts - 2 parts for the boat owner, one part for the diver and the last for the crew.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

Diver Tin Aung Lwin, right, cleans his mask after diving in the Yangon River in search of coal from a sunken ship on Thursday.

The income is irregular - today, the boat was in the water from eight in the morning till two in the afternoon and yet they only found enough coal for 10,000 kyats (around $13). The divers say they earn a minimum of about 150,000 kyats a month (about $200), but in a country where rights groups say a third of the population live below the poverty line, this is a considered a good wage.