Serge Melesan
French underwater photographer, filmmaker and environmental storyteller specialising in Mayotte and the Indian Ocean based in Antibes, France .
I have never really seen photography as an end in itself. For me, it is a way of discovering the world, understanding what surrounds us and sharing encounters that words alone cannot always describe.
For more than fifteen years, the ocean has taken me to remarkable places, introduced me to people from different backgrounds and allowed me to observe wildlife whose richness we are only beginning to understand. From the Indian Ocean to the Pacific and the Mediterranean, these experiences have gradually shaped the way I see the world.
Over time, I have come to realise that a beautiful photograph is not enough. What matters to me now is the story it tells, the emotion it conveys and the questions it leaves behind.
My work in education has strengthened that belief. Sharing knowledge, sparking curiosity and helping others see the world differently can sometimes matter just as much as the image itself.
I do not claim that my photographs will change the world. But if one of them inspires someone to learn more about an animal, discover an ecosystem or simply look at the ocean differently, then it has already achieved something meaningful.
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 · L’Œil du climat 2026 — Prix Outre-mer Finalist, Météo-France / GEO · 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
Selected Interviews & Features: Faune Sauvage · 1X Magazine
Selected Exhibitions: Siena Festival Award — I Wonder if You Can, 2024 · Montier-en-Der, 2023 & 2025 · Festival de l’Image Sous-Marine de Mayotte, 2022–2024 · Galathea Hyères, 2020–2023 · Travel Photographer of the Year Exhibitions — London, Chester & Sharjah, 2021 · Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris
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
Serge Melesan | Fine Art & Underwater Photography
An internationally published underwater photographer combining documentary storytelling with fine art imagery. Discover a curated collection of marine wildlife photography, available for editorial licensing, fine art prints and selected commercial projects.
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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Colors of the Seas
Beneath the surface, a world of vibrant colours, light and movement comes to life. From delicate coral reefs to majestic marine creatures, *Colors of the Sea* reveals the ocean’s extraordinary beauty. Through ten Fine Art photographs, Serge Melesan captures fleeting encounters, luminous reflections and the poetry of underwater life. An artistic journey celebrating the mystery, diversity and fragile harmony of the ocean.
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My Beautiful Darkness
Part of Serge Melesan’s Black & White Fine Art series, My Beautiful Darkness explores the interplay of light, shadow and silence beneath the surface. Museum-quality photographic prints for contemporary interiors and private collections.
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Vision of the Sea
Seen from above, the ocean becomes a living canvas of turquoise lagoons, sculpted sandbars and lush coastlines. Through ten aerial Fine Art photographs, Serge Melesan reveals the unexpected geometry of nature, where land and sea meet in patterns of light, colour and movement. A poetic journey that transforms familiar landscapes into abstract art.
Explore Vision of the SeaHaki Za Wanatsa — Les Ambassadeurs du Lagon
An underwater documentary filmed in Mayotte, in the heart of the Indian Ocean. Directed and filmed by Serge Melesan / Pacific Blue Production.
Release date — 18 September 2026
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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In Mayotte, Young People Learn to Know the Sea in Order to Protect It
In Mayotte, young Lagoon Ambassadors discover the marine world that surrounds them, learning that protecting the ocean begins by knowing it.
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For assignments, exclusive stories or direct image requests, please contact me directly at the email address below
View Editorial Portfolio
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.