CRISTIANO MENCI | Stories from the Wild

CRISTIANO MENCI | Stories from the Wild

My background is in biology, but over the years photography has become the most natural way for me to understand and share the world around me. Guided by curiosity, I document conservation projects, remote journeys, and the relationship between people and nature—not to create perfect images, but to tell honest stories about places, wildlife, and the people working to protect them.

My background is in biology, but over the years photography has become the most natural way for me to understand and share the world around me. Guided by curiosity, I document conservation projects, remote journeys, and the relationship between people and nature—not to create perfect images, but to tell honest stories about places, wildlife, and the people working to protect them.

My background is in biology, but over the years photography has become the most natural way for me to understand and share the world around me. Guided by curiosity, I document conservation projects, remote journeys, and the relationship between people and nature—not to create perfect images, but to tell honest stories about places, wildlife, and the people working to protect them.

Portfolios

Portfolios

Sea Shepherd Campaigns 01
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 01
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 02
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 07
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 08
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 03
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 14
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 04
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 12
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 05
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 13
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 10
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 09
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 11
Sea Shepherd Campaigns 06

chapter 01

Sea Shepherd

I joined Sea Shepherd as a volunteer photographer because protecting the oceans has always been something I deeply care about. These photographs were taken during campaigns in The Gambia and the Mediterranean, documenting both the challenges and the everyday work of people trying to defend marine ecosystems.

chapter 02

Explorations

Curiosity has always been one of the reasons I travel. It has taken me to some of the world’s most remote places, from a two-month crossing of Papua New Guinea on foot to trekking through the tropical rainforest and navigating the rivers of northern Nicaragua by canoe. Other journeys, like travelling the entire San Juan River in Nicaragua aboard a bamboo raft built from recycled plastic bottles, became opportunities to combine adventure with environmental awareness while embracing a simpler way of travelling.

Explorations & Journeys 01
Explorations & Journeys 04
Explorations & Journeys 02
Explorations & Journeys 08
Explorations & Journeys 12
Explorations & Journeys 03
Explorations & Journeys 07
Explorations & Journeys 09
Explorations & Journeys 10
Explorations & Journeys 05
Explorations & Journeys 11
Explorations & Journeys 06
NGO Expeditions 01
NGO Expeditions 04
NGO Expeditions 07
NGO Expeditions 12
NGO Expeditions 13
NGO Expeditions 22
NGO Expeditions 14
NGO Expeditions 20
NGO Expeditions 26
NGO Expeditions 25
NGO Expeditions 27
NGO Expeditions 21
NGO Expeditions 03
NGO Expeditions 10
NGO Expeditions 23
NGO Expeditions 09
NGO Expeditions 05
NGO Expeditions 02
NGO Expeditions 18
NGO Expeditions 08
NGO Expeditions 06
NGO Expeditions 11
NGO Expeditions 19
NGO Expeditions 17
NGO Expeditions 16
NGO Expeditions 15

chapter 03

The Goodfellas Travel Team

The Goodfellas Travel Team is a group of lifelong friends brought together by a shared passion for travel and solidarity. Together we drove an old van from Italy to Mongolia, raising funds for a local charity along the way. A few years later we travelled through India to visit and document the work of an NGO supporting communities living in the slums.

chapter 04

Into the Wild

Nature has always been at the heart of my travels, especially tropical rainforests, where I feel most at home with a camera. From dense jungle and its hidden wildlife to mountain landscapes, rugged coastlines, and marine life, these photographs are simply moments spent observing wild places that continue to inspire both my work and my commitment to conservation.

Wilderness & Wildlife 01
Wilderness & Wildlife 09
Wilderness & Wildlife 16
Wilderness & Wildlife 13
Wilderness & Wildlife 19
Wilderness & Wildlife 15
Wilderness & Wildlife 14
Wilderness & Wildlife 03
Wilderness & Wildlife 10
Wilderness & Wildlife 11
Wilderness & Wildlife 08
Wilderness & Wildlife 06
Wilderness & Wildlife 07
Wilderness & Wildlife 18
Wilderness & Wildlife 02
Wilderness & Wildlife 17
Wilderness & Wildlife 04
Wilderness & Wildlife 05
Wilderness & Wildlife 12
Casa la Aventura Eco-Hostel 01
Casa la Aventura 02
Casa la Aventura 13
Casa la Aventura 14
Casa la Aventura 08
Casa la Aventura 07
Casa la Aventura 12
Casa la Aventura 10
Casa la Aventura 15
Casa la Aventura 05
Casa la Aventura 04
Casa la Aventura 09
Casa la Aventura 06
Casa la Aventura 03
Casa la Aventura 11

chapter 05

Casa La Aventura

Not every project begins with a camera. Together with my lifelong friend Jon, I built Casa La Aventura from the ground up in Nicaragua. What started as a conversation between two friends slowly became an eco-hostel shaped by simple living, sustainability, and the desire to create a welcoming place for travellers from around the world.

Get in Touch

If you think we could work together, have a project in mind, or simply want to say hello, I’d be happy to hear from you.