Dan Mele Photography

Dan Mele Photography Mission:

Photography and film are large mediums which bring adventure to our living rooms. Bio:
My name is Dan Mele.

My personal goal is to share images of the natural world and non-staged moments that are unique to the time an image was taken. With wildlife photography, I believe it's important to share more than just a pretty picture. Informing the audience of the biology relating to the subject is imperative. The need for conservation is constantly on the rise with the amount of habitat destruction that occur

s throughout the world. I'm currently pursuing my 2nd degree at UNCA in ecology and evolution. My first degree was at University of Tampa where I studied film production. i'm truly grateful to have two passions that I can use together. I first got interested in film and photography in 9th grade when I began shooting my friends skateboarding. While school wasn't always top on my list, today I have a new love for learning and challenging myself in and out of the classroom. I find it fascinating what drives behavior and interactions between all aspects of life, whether its animals or humans.

Last week, I spent a few days with the Coral World Ocean & Reef Initiative () photographing their coral restoration effo...
05/08/2025

Last week, I spent a few days with the Coral World Ocean & Reef Initiative () photographing their coral restoration efforts. In their nurseries, they’re growing several coral species on cement pucks, which will later be outplanted back onto the reef.

While I was there, CWORI was partnering with the Youth Ocean Explorers program. Virgin Islands students got hands-on experience with coral restoration—from feeding and maintaining corals to building and installing coral trees.

Check out the Virgin Islands Department of Planning & Natural Resources Instagram (.vi) to see the photos and learn more about this important work.

Thrilled to have been a part of this project! Learned so much from working with , , , and .Click the link in my bio to w...
01/08/2025

Thrilled to have been a part of this project! Learned so much from working with , , , and .

Click the link in my bio to watch the first film of their 5 Under 5 docu-series (5 documentaries under 5 minutes).

This story follows the team at as they conduct a study outplanting corals to mesophotic reefs.

Even though Cassiopea (upside-down jellyfish) are a common sight, It’s hard to pass by without getting a few shots.Fun f...
04/07/2025

Even though Cassiopea (upside-down jellyfish) are a common sight, It’s hard to pass by without getting a few shots.

Fun fact - they can release their stinging cells into the water column like mini grenades when disturbed. No their stings don’t hurt and only feel like a minor itch. No need to be afraid, just swim with a healthy dose of respect for their space.

In early April, I had the incredible opportunity to work with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (.ocean) and thei...
19/06/2025

In early April, I had the incredible opportunity to work with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (.ocean) and their Reef Solutions team (.whoi) to help document their research in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Teresa Tomassoni () wrote a fantastic article for highlighting the team’s work. You can read it through the link in my bio—it covers everything from AI-powered underwater robots and coral “multivitamins” to how the sounds of coral reefs can be used to help restore them.

Follow .whoi to learn more about this amazing work!

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/09062025/coral-reef-monitoring-and-restoration/

I’m thrilled to be speaking at the North American Nature Photography Association () Summit next month!My talk, “Document...
04/04/2025

I’m thrilled to be speaking at the North American Nature Photography Association () Summit next month!

My talk, “Documenting Research: Best Practices for Photographing Scientists,” draws from years of experience photographing and filming scientists in the field. Along the way, I’ve made just about every mistake possible—so this session is all about helping you avoid them. I’ll share practical tips to ensure your shoots run smoothly, you capture the shots you need, and, most importantly, you respect and support the research happening around you.

If you’re planning to attend the NANPA Summit, feel free to use my discount code mele2025 for $100 off registration!

NANPA played a big role when I was first finding my path in nature and conservation photography, so it’s an honor to return—this time as a speaker. Can’t wait to connect with everyone there!

My second image awarded in the Underwater Photographer of the Year () was also in the Marine Conservation category.This...
22/02/2025

My second image awarded in the Underwater Photographer of the Year () was also in the Marine Conservation category.

This image is especially important to me, as I’ve worked as a coral restoration biologist for almost 10 years. While coral reefs were already degrading before I even knew what a coral was, the decline has rapidly accelerated during my time in the field.

One term frequently used in coral restoration conversations is “reproductive extinction.” This occurs when certain coral species in a given area are so few and spaced so far apart that, even when they spawn synchronously, the chances of s***m from one coral fertilizing eggs from another are nearly nonexistent.

One solution to this is spawning corals in nurseries, where biologists can control environmental conditions and increase the chances of fertilizing large quantities of s***m and eggs—leading to far more offspring than would survive in the wild. This process is challenging and not always successful, but techniques are improving, and more coral restoration groups are incorporating sexual reproduction into their work. I hope that as these techniques continue to advance, we’ll have an endless supply of baby corals ready to be outplanted onto the reef.

Coral biologist in photo:

Thrilled to have two images awarded in this years Underwater Photographer of the Year () Marine Conservation category!F...
21/02/2025

Thrilled to have two images awarded in this years Underwater Photographer of the Year () Marine Conservation category!

FYI - the marine conservation category is the only category in UPY where a non-underwater image can be submitted. Incase you were scratching your head thinking, but that’s a drone shot 🤔.

Caption:
“Queen conch (Strombus gigas) populations are overharvested throughout most if the Caribbean, and the British Virgin Islands are no exception. Off the coast of Anegada lies one of the largest conch middens (graveyards) in the region. Carbon dating and artifacts found in the massive pile reveal these mounds are as old as 1250 AD and likely date back even earlier.

When we arrived by boat, the scale of the middens was hard to grasp - some mounds rose higher than the boat itself. Launching a drone revealed the sprawling mazes of discarded shells, with piles extending underwater, yet to reach the surface. As I flew overhead, a lone fisherman worked nearby, extracting conchs from their shells and adding to the centuries-old pile.”

Thank you and and congrats to all the other awarded photographers!

Will share my other awarded photo soon!

We’re excited to share the second edition of Coral Compass, the Reef Response newsletter!The full digital version is ava...
10/02/2025

We’re excited to share the second edition of Coral Compass, the Reef Response newsletter!

The full digital version is available through the link in my bio, and print copies are on the way. If you’re in the U.S. Virgin Islands and would like a copy—or several to share at your business—let me know!

More than just a newsletter, Coral Compass is designed to look and feel like a magazine, making it a must-read for anyone passionate about coral restoration.

Design and production by .f.bryan

Follow to stay updated on our work!

Excited to have my work featured on as their photography of the week!Click the link in my bio to check it out!
07/02/2025

Excited to have my work featured on as their photography of the week!

Click the link in my bio to check it out!

I’ve been spending a lot of time editing and wrapping up video projects, but today I finally made a little time to snork...
02/02/2025

I’ve been spending a lot of time editing and wrapping up video projects, but today I finally made a little time to snorkel and shoot some stills—something I haven’t done in a while.

In a bay I’ve explored countless times, there’s a school of juvenile grunts that always hovers around a shallow reef structure. I’ve passed them up before, but today, decided it was time to get a few shots of them. since they were plentiful and let me get relatively close, I went with a slow shutter speed to capture their movement.

One behavior caught me off guard though. As I inched closer, I accidentally bumped my camera housing against a rock. Instead of scattering, even more fish swam in, closer to my camera. Curious, I tried lightly tapping the dome shade on a rock again (probably not the best idea for my housing, so don’t try this at home), and each time, they responded by coming in closer. Any fish nerds out there have an idea why they’d react this way instead of spooking and swimming off?

While this nest was abandoned and taken over by a flock of monk parakeets, swipe to see the jabiru—the massive stork spe...
26/01/2025

While this nest was abandoned and taken over by a flock of monk parakeets, swipe to see the jabiru—the massive stork species that originally built it.

If you ever needed proof that birds are dinosaurs, the jabiru should do the trick. They’re the tallest flying bird in South and Central America, with a wingspan of over 9 feet! And yes, birds are dinosaurs—fossil evidence confirms they’re the only surviving lineage of theropod dinosaurs.

I haven’t taken many high-key shots (1st image) before, so it was fun to experiment. What drew me to this style was the contrast of the lifeless nest speckled with the bright green monk parakeets. I also took shots with the sky exposed to show the clouds, but it didn’t have the same impact for me.

Happy New Year everyone!Last year was a busy one and I’ve got some big changes coming in the next few months. Just gotta...
04/01/2025

Happy New Year everyone!

Last year was a busy one and I’ve got some big changes coming in the next few months.

Just gotta keep swimming!

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