I graduated in Biological Sciences from Rome’s Sapienza University, with a thesis on the Mediterranean’s abyssal populations, and I often wonder whether that initial plunge into the unknown taught me the art of patient observation—the ability to wait for the perfect moment. Today, I channel that same contemplative approach as an NPS (Nikon Professional Services) photographer, using my imagery to narrate stories that intersect the natural world and human experience.
My work has appeared in both Italian and international publications, including Airone, Class, L’Espresso, National Geographic Italia, Traveller, and Il Venerdì di Repubblica. I collaborate with leading photo agencies Alamy.com and Picture-Alliance, and my photographs have illustrated nature-focused books for major publishers such as De Vecchi, Olimpia, Fabbri, Giunti, and Mondadori—many of which have been translated into multiple languages.
Yet my curiosity has never been confined to the surface. For years, I have conducted courses, lectures, and workshops across Italy and abroad, driven by a desire to share not merely my images, but my distinctive way of perceiving the world. My enduring fascination lies with cultures and communities pushed to the margins by progress, political upheaval, or environmental crisis. This has taken me to Ethiopia, Kenya, India, Bosnia, Albania, Namibia, Costa Rica, the Philippines, Ireland, Tanzania, North Macedonia, Burkina Faso, and Lebanon—each journey an opportunity to document stories with sensitivity and depth.
Recognition has followed, validating a career built on patience and dedication. In 2013, I received the Travel Photographer of the Year Award for “Best Single Image,” alongside a commendation for my black-and-white portfolio. The following year, one of my photographs was selected for the Royal Photographic Society’s “International Print Exhibition 157” in London, touring five UK venues including the Royal Albert Hall. Also in 2014, I secured third place in the “People Life Style” category at the Moscow International Photo Awards.
A long-term project that is particularly close to my heart is “In the Wild World of Writers”. Born out of a love of literature, it led me to portray ninety-nine Italian writers – both male and female – in a “naturalistic” style over a period of five years. The exhibition, which opened in Rome in 2013 at the Palazzo delle Esposizioni, went on to be shown in Venice, Pordenone and Padua.
In September 2015, I launched Survivors of Modernity. Visions from Other Worlds at the Palazzo Lanfranchi museum in Matera, while simultaneously presenting Lands, Waters, and People of Pontinia at the MAP (Museo Agro Pontino) in Pontinia. In 2019, selected images from the “survivors” series were featured at the Maja Arte Contemporanea gallery in Rome (https://www.majartecontemporanea.com/artists/roberto-nistri/).
More recently, my project Burkina Faso. The Power of Resilience earned an Honorable Mention at the International Photo Award organized by the documentary photography magazine Zeke in 2022. That same year, I placed second in the Professional “Editorial General News” category at the Moscow International Photo Awards.
Go to Roberto Nistri, photographer and biologist blog: https://www.robertonistri.it
Exibithions & Slideshows
- Photographic slide shows “In the Forests of Costa Rica”
(20 May 2025 – Best Western Hotel, Rome) - Photographic slide shows “Wajukuu. Art and Rebellion”
(7 May 2024 – FNUR, Rome) - Photographic slide shows “The Dark Universe of the Dalits”
(March 4 2025 – FNUR, Rome) - Photographic slide shows “The Last Kumbh & Paris Calling”
(June 20 2023 – FNUR, Rome) - Photographic slide show “Slum artists. Nairobi”
(May 3 2022 – FNUR Online) - Photographic slide show “Balkan Route”
March 29 2022 – FNUR Online) - Photographic slide show “Volunteers for solidarity. The Covid-19 emergency in Rome”
(June 8 2021 – FNUR Online) - Photographic slide show “Costa Rica Deep Wild”
(October 6 2020 – FNUR Online) - Photographic slide show “L’oscura bellezza di Varanasi”
(June 9 2020 – FNUR Online) - Photographic slide show “Due villaggi africani”
(Jenuary 21 2020 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Start The Game”
(October 15 2019 – FNUR, Roma) - Exhibition “Survivors of Modernity. Visions from Past Worlds”
(June 18-22 2019 – MAC, Maja Contemporary Art) - Photographic slide show “Una vita normale. Libano e Palestina”
(May 7 2019 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Burkina Faso. La terra degli uomini integri”
(5 marzo 2019 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Wild Costa Rica”
(June 26 2018 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Fotografia di viaggio. Africa e India”
(May 11 2018 – Globus Hotel, Roma - Photographic slide show “Critters Hunter. Filippine sott’acqua”
(March 27 2018 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show”Tribal India”
(December 5 2017 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Balcani”
(April 11 2017 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Sharm el-Sheikh Strike Again”
(December 20 2016 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Dalit. Kolkata, India”
(October 18 2016 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Fotografia di viaggio.Dal Mar Rosso all’India”
(March 18 2016 – Globus Hotel, Roma) - Exhibition “Terre, acque e genti di Pontinia
Presso lo spazio Ex Torre Idrica del MAP (Museo Agro Pontino) di Pontinia (LT)
(November 30 2015 – March 30 2016) - Photographic slide show “Sharm el-Sheikh All Inclusive”
(November 10 2015 – FNUR, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Sopravvissuti alla modernità. Visioni da altri mondi”
(September 3 2015. Chiesa de Armenis, Matera) - Exhibition “Sopravvissuti alla modernità. Visioni da altri mondi”
(September 5 October 5 2015, Palazzo Lanfranchi, Matera) - Royal Photographic Society, International Print Exhibition 157
Collective exibition from May 19 to 12 June 2015
Titanic Belfast (Belfast Photo Festival) - Photographic slide show
“Another Kenya” (May 9 2015 – Circolo Fotografico Anima Urbis, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Visioni da altri mondi. Dal Kenya al Kumbh Mela”
(May 5 2015 – Associazione Culturale l’Altro Scatto, Roma) - Royal Photographic Society, International Print Exhibition 157
Collective exhibition from March 14 Marzo to May 10 2015
Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford (GB). - Photographic slide show “Kumbh Mela. Ticket to Heaven”
(February 5 2015 – Circolo Fotografico Anima Urbis, Roma) - Royal Photographic Society, International Print Exhibition 157
Collective exhibition from January 16 to February 15 2015
Royal Albert Hall, London. - Photographic slide show “Kolkata, India. City of Joy”
(November 25 2014- FNUR) - Royal Photographic Society, International Print Exhibition 157
Collective exhibition from September 6 to November 25 2014
Banbury Museum & Art Gallery, Oxford. - Royal Photographic Society, International Print Exhibition 157
Collective exhibition from September 6 to November 8 2014
Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Wales. - “Nel selvaggio mondo degli scrittori. I protagonisti della narrativa italiana fotografati nel loro habitat naturale”
Exhibition, November 1-30 2014
Villa Contarini, Piazzola sul Brenta, Padova. - “Nel selvaggio mondo degli scrittori. I protagonisti della narrativa italiana fotografati nel loro habitat naturale”
Exhibition, from September 12 to October 12 2014
Spazi Espositivi della Provincia, Pordenone. - “Nel selvaggio mondo degli scrittori. I protagonisti della narrativa italiana fotografati nel loro habitat naturale”
Exibition, from August 23 to September 9 2014
Forte Marghera, Venezia. - Royal Photographic Society, International Print Exhibition 157
Collective exhibition from July 25 to August 28 2014
Berkeley Gallery, Greenwich Heritage Centre, Londra. - Photographic slide show “Etiopia.Visioni”
July 24 2014. MAP (Museo Agro Pontino), Pontinia (LT) - “Travel Photographer of the Year Award 2013”
Collective exibition, from 11 July to August 17 2013
Royal Geographical Society, Exibitions Road, Londra. - Photographic slide show “Etiopia. Visioni” (July 14 2013 – Globus Hotel, Roma
- Winner in the category Best Single Image in Portfolio / Vanishing & Emerging Culture
Recommended by the category “Portfolio – Monochromal del “Travel Photographer of the Year Award 2013” December 2013. - “Nel selvaggio mondo degli scrittori. I protagonisti della narrativa italiana fotografati nel loro habitat naturale”
Exhibition, from November 8 to December 1 2013
Palazzo delle Esposizioni, Spazio ‘fontana’, Roma. - “Sopravvivere alla modernità”
Exhibition, from July 13 to September 30 2013
MAP (Museo Agro Pontino), Pontinia (LT). - Photographic slide show “Natura & Viaggi. Dall’Africa al Kumbh Mela”
(July 14 2013 – Globus Hotel, Roma) - Photographic slide show “Kumbh Mela. Ticket to Heaven”
(11 luglio 2013 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Bali Underwater Secrets”
(May 21 2013 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Another Kenya”
(June 19 2012 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Lebanon”
(January 24 2012 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Etiopia.Visioni”
(November 24 2011 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Bali. Il giardino degli eterni dei” con Claudia Candido
(May 10 2011 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Donegal, selvaggia terra d’Irlanda”
(November 16 2010 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “A Capri? Una settimana nell’isola delle star” con Claudia Candido
(October 26 2009 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “The Last Wave. La piena del Tevere a Roma”
(May 12 2009 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Costa ovest, l’altra Sardegna”
(March 24 2009 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “C’è vita lungo il fiume”
(May 5 2008 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Capraia. Nel cuore selvaggio dell’Arcipelago Toscano”
(October 29 2007 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “La Valle dell’Aniene. Wilderness di casa nostra”
(June 13 2007 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “Lampedusa. Africa italiana”
(October 10 2006 – FNUR) - Photographic slide show “In mezzo scorre il fiume. Il Tevere a Roma”
(May 9 2006 – FNUR)
“Technical photographic lessons:
“Border Photography”. (18 ottobre 2022 – FNUR)
“Nel mondo delle persone. Serata tecnica sul ritratto ambientato” (16 marzo 2021 – Fnur Online)
“Action! Fotografare il movimento” (7 aprile 2020 – FNUR Online)
“Black & White” (26 novembre 2019 – FNUR)
“Inside the landscape. Nuove tendenze nella fotografia di paesaggio” (27 novembre 2012 – FNUR)
“Lampi di luce 2. Fotografare con il flash” (16 febbraio 2010 – FNUR)
“Lampi di luce. Fotografare con il flash” (28 aprile 2009 – FNUR)
“Night Vision. Fotografare di notte” (20 ottobre 2008 – FNUR)
“Alla scoperta del micromondo” (17 marzo 2008 – FNUR)
“Paesaggi. Fotografare spazi aperti” (4 febbraio 2008 – FNUR)
“Artificial Light. Fotografia in luce artificiale” (26 novembre 2007 – FNUR)
“Vetri. Tutti i segreti degli obiettivi” (22 ottobre 2007 – FNUR)
“Catch the Light. Cattura la luce” (27 giugno 2007 – FNUR)
“Only Digital” (27 febbraio 2007 – FNUR)
“Esplorare il micromondo” (12 dicembre 2006 – FNUR)
“Landscapes. Fotografare il paesaggio” (24 ottobre 2006 – FNUR)
“Pensare digitale” (28 febbraio 2006 – FNUR)
“Tecnica della fotografia in acquario” (22 febbraio, 29 marzo 2006- CIR, Centro Ittiologico Romano “Giancarlo Jocca”)