Martin Colognoli
Photographer & marine biologist
Creator of visual experiences
Art & Science
For over fifteen years, I have explored coral, water, and living worlds at the intersection of art, science, and fieldwork. My work seeks to reveal the beauty of life with enough force to touch, transmit, and transform perspectives.
A gaze born from water and life
Trained as a marine biologist and a photographer by inner necessity, I have built over the years a unique visual language, nourished by observation, fieldwork and a deep fascination with what living things reveal when we finally take the time to look at them.
Coral and water are the two main threads of my universe. They inspire me to create works, exhibitions, lectures and visual experiences that connect beauty to knowledge, emotion to transmission, and humanity to a more sensitive way of inhabiting the world.
From the field to the image
I initially approached the living world through science and action. In 2012, I co-founded Coral Guardian to contribute concretely to the preservation of coral reefs alongside local communities. This field experience profoundly shaped my perspective: not to separate beauty, fragility, and commitment, but to hold them together.
Gradually, photography established itself as another way of acting. A way to communicate differently, to make visible what transcends us, and to create images capable of leaving a lasting impression.
Today, I develop projects at the crossroads of art, science and visual storytelling: photographic works, exhibitions, conferences, workshops for institutions, companies and exceptional places, as well as signature projects like WE ARE CORALS or Madame Water.
Training
Marine biology and coral expertise
2012
Foundation of the NGO Coral Guardian
Ground
Exploration, awareness, preservation, photography
Today
Works, exhibitions, conferences, premium visual projects
Signature
Art × Science × Emotion
Work driven by field experience and recognized in diverse contexts
Over the years, my work has taken shape through collaborations with museums, NGOs, institutions, businesses, media outlets, cultural venues, and international events. This diversity fosters an approach that is demanding, accessible, and deeply embodied.
A dual legitimacy
My work is born from the encounter between marine biology and artistic photography.
A sensitive approach
I seek to convey with depth, restraint and evocative power.
Custom-made projects
Each collaboration is designed according to the location, the audience, the intended use, and the story to be told.
Origins
Born on the Mediterranean coast, my fascination with aquatic worlds naturally led me to study marine biology, aquaculture, and then the ecology of tropical reefs.
My career began in Indonesia, where I initially worked in the trade of live marine animals for aquariums. This experience confronted me with the reality of overexploitation and prompted me to act differently.
In 2012, I founded Coral Guardian , an NGO dedicated to the protection of coral reefs in close collaboration with local communities.
In videos
In pictures
