The book is dedicated to the life and work of the talented Russian inventor, creator of the first mechanically propelled submarine in the history of the Russian fleet, and inventor of the torpedo - I. F. Aleksandrovsky. He was also the founder of photography in Russia, a famous artist-photographer, and the inventor of the first domestic cameras. The conditions under which the inventor's practical activities were carried out and his character and creative appearance were formed are shown. Particular attention is paid to the collaboration of I. F. Aleksandrovsky with prominent figures of Russian science and technology - D. I. Mendeleev, S. I. Baranovsky, K. N. Posyet and others. For a wide range of readers interested in the history of Russian science and technology.