Serge Melesan
French underwater photographer, filmmaker and environmental storyteller based in Antibes, France.
For more than fifteen years, I have documented marine wildlife across the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean and the Pacific, exploring the fragile relationship between people and the ocean. My photographs and stories have been published internationally, and my work has been recognised by major photography competitions and festivals. Through photography, film and educational projects developed with local communities, I aim to inspire curiosity, respect and a deeper connection with the living world.
Selected Publications: Oceanographic Magazine · Earth.org · National Geographic Poland · GEO France · Exame Brazil · Faune Sauvage · 1x Magazine
Selected Awards & Recognition: National Geographic Traveller Photography Awards — Portfolio Winner, 2023 · 100 for the Ocean — Contributor, 2024 · Underwater Photographer of the Year · Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year · Siena Awards · Montier-en-Der International Wildlife Photography Festival
Why the Ocean Matters
The ocean covers more than 70% of our planet and helps regulate the climate that makes life on Earth possible. It produces much of the oxygen we breathe, absorbs vast amounts of carbon dioxide, and supports millions of people through food, livelihoods and culture.
Coral reefs, often called the rainforests of the sea, occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor yet provide habitat for nearly a quarter of all marine species. Healthy oceans are not only home to extraordinary wildlife—they are essential to human well-being.
Art Inspired by the Ocean
Selected underwater photographs available as museum-quality Fine Art prints for private collections, contemporary interiors and professional spaces.
We Are Orcas
A powerful black-and-white composition celebrating the grace, strength and unity of orcas. Available as a museum-quality Fine Art print in a selection of formats and finishes.
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Clownfish
A vivid underwater portrait revealing the intimate relationship between a clownfish and its anemone. A luminous Fine Art print designed to bring the colours of the reef into contemporary spaces.
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Green Turtle Speedster
A dynamic portrait of a green sea turtle moving through the lagoon. The image combines elegance, movement and the quiet power of one of the ocean’s most emblematic animals.
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Sound of Silence – Heart of the Lagoon
A 25-minute underwater documentary filmed in Mayotte, in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Directed and filmed by Serge Melesan / Pacific Blue Production.
Discover more underwater films, ocean stories and documentary projects on my dedicated YouTube channel.
Visit Pacific Blue Film on YouTubePublished Stories
Photography becomes meaningful when it carries a story beyond the image. These selected publications explore marine wildlife, conservation and the relationship between people and the natural world.
How Mayotte’s Tire Race Reveals a Broken Waste System
In Mayotte, a traditional children’s game using discarded tyres has become a striking symbol of a much deeper problem: a waste system that leaves fragile islands to manage what the rest of the world discards.
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The Invasion of the Lionfish: A Silent Marine Crisis
In the tropical waters of Mayotte, the striking yet venomous lionfish has become a sign of deeper reef imbalance, thriving on weakened coral ecosystems in an increasingly disrupted ocean.
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Between Species and Worlds — The Hybrid Dolphins of Mayotte
These dolphins, born from two different species, reveal the resilience and complexity of life in the Indian Ocean and offer a rare window into evolution and coexistence.
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The Aye-Aye Paradox — Between Preservation and Economic Pressures
In eastern Madagascar, the mysterious aye-aye embodies the delicate balance between conservation and economic survival, community transformation, resilience and hope.
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This story has been featured in:
Guardians of the Lagoon — Mayotte’s Green Sea Turtles
Mayotte’s green sea turtles are graceful gardeners of the lagoon, whose survival reflects the health and future of the ocean.
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White Silence — Mayotte’s Lagoon Is Bleaching
A once-vibrant coral sanctuary is turning pale. Through my lens, Earth.org explores the bleaching of Mayotte’s lagoon — a fragile ecosystem facing rising heat, storms and human pressure.
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Mayotte’s Ocean Heritage — And the Chance to Change Everything
This article explores the extraordinary biodiversity of Mayotte and the local efforts to protect it, from sea turtles to community-driven conservation.
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For assignments, exclusive stories or direct image requests, please use the contact form below.
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Equipment
My work is produced with Lumix cameras, Leica lenses, Nauticam underwater housings, professional lighting systems and DJI aerial equipment.
Current setup includes Lumix S1-series cameras, Leica Pro lenses, Nauticam housings, Ikelite strobes, Weefine video lights and DJI drones.