Juan Melli - From My Perspective

15 Sep, 24

Turnpike Exit 15X – New Jersey’s Egretpalooza

You wouldn’t expect one of New Jersey’s largest wildlife spectacles to exist between Newark and Manhattan, beside the Turnpike and one of the busiest rail corridors in the country. But just before sunset, hundreds, sometimes nearly a thousand, egrets stream into a small grove of trees around a pond in Secaucus.

Wildlife & Birds

30 Aug, 24

ByJuan Melli

Five Days in Titcomb Basin

A friend and I spent five days backpacking in the Wind River Range in August 2024. Within hours we’d encountered moose, been closely watched by a great gray owl, and taken shelter from hail and high winds. By the time we reached Titcomb Basin and Indian Basin, it was already clear this would be a trip shaped as much by wildlife and weather as by the landscape itself.

Trips & Trails

28 Apr, 24

ByJuan Melli

Not a Valley of Death, but a Valley of Red Ochre

As we drove past the boundary of Death Valley National Park, we stopped at the familiar park sign. Beneath the name is a quieter line: “Homeland of the Timbisha Shoshone.”

Trips & Trails

30 Dec, 23

ByJuan Melli

Between mama bear and her cubs

We were in dense woods when we saw him: a black bear about 100 feet ahead. I did what you’re supposed to do when you encounter a bear. I reached for my camera.

Wildlife & Birds

24 Oct, 23

ByJuan Melli

A Room with a View

We spent two nights at The View Hotel in Monument Valley, where every room looks out toward the Mittens and Merrick Butte. From the balcony, the same landscape transformed hour by hour, from darkness to dawn, gold to blue. It was a reminder that in photography, the subject may stay the same, but the light never does.

Behind the Shot

28 Aug, 23

ByJuan Melli

Look behind you

I often head into a landscape with a clear vision of the image I want to make. When the light is changing, it’s easy to get locked in on capturing that moment. But it’s just as important to stop and look around, and behind you, because you never know what you might be missing.

Photo Essays

27 Aug, 23

ByJuan Melli

Yellowstone Wildlife & Natural Wonders

An intact ecosystem with bison, wolves, bears, moose, and more. Hydrothermal features that include nearly half of the world’s active geysers. Geologic wonders like the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Any one of these would justify a visit. Yellowstone has them all.

Trips & Trails

20 Aug, 23

ByJuan Melli

Five Days in The Winds

From August 11–15, 2023, my father, a friend, and I spent five days backpacking in Wyoming’s Wind River Range, combining on- and off-trail travel through the iconic Cirque of the Towers and the quieter Desolation Valley.

Trips & Trails

Alpenglow on the back of the Cirque of the Towers behind Shadow Lake

11 Jul, 23

ByJuan Melli

Spearfishing and Lessons on Wildlife Photography

I used to think photos like this were pure luck. Being in the right place at the right time matters, but luck only works if you’ve done everything else to be ready for it.

Behind the Shot

23 May, 23

ByJuan Melli

10 Tips for Hiking With Kids

Like parenting in general, hiking with kids can be extremely rewarding or frustrating, and it will probably be a bit of both. I partnered with The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey on a piece for NJ Family magazine on hiking with kids.

Stewardship & Community