Daviators Photography

A A75N1 Stearman Biplane (N49726) taxis out to the departure end of the runway at Airventure in 2019.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Date: 07/28/2019
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Shot: N/A
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm Film, Black and White

N26LA, a Robinson R-44, departs the ramps for Port Clinton Airport after a long day of tours.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport, Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio
Date: 06/08/2023
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 240mm f/11 1/250 sec.
ISO: 125
Film: N/A




*Note: Photograph has been edited in post-processing

An Island Air Taxi Piper PA-32 Cherokee Six lifts off of runway 3 at Put-In-Bay airport.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport, Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio
Date: 06/02/2023
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 260mm f/11 1/250 sec.
ISO: 100
Film: N/A




*Note: Photograph has been edited in post-processing

A UH-1D Iroquois “Huey” rises above the tree line at Put-In-Bay Airport. This Huey wasn’t built by Bell, but a license build by German company Dornier.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport, Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio
Date: 06/24/2023
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 400mm f/11 1/250 sec.
ISO: 800
Film: N/A




*Note: Photograph has been edited in post-processing

A Robinson R-44 Raven II breaks off of runway 21 for the helipad at Put-In-Bay Airport (3W2).

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport (3W2), Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio
Date: 05/31/2023
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 150mm f/11 1/320 sec.
ISO: 125
Film: N/A

A Piper Saratoga departs runway 3 for Port Clinton.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport (3W2), South Bass Island, Ohio
Date: 05/31/2023
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 1/320 sec. 160mm f/11
ISO: 125
Film: N/A

N484AT, a Robinson R44 flying for departs the ramp at Put-In-Bay Airport (3W2) for a scenic tour flight.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport (3W2), Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, Ohio
Date: 05/31/2023
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 160mm f/11 1/320sec.
ISO: 125
Film: N/A

A P-51 Mustang taxis in from a flight at Airventure ‘21.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Date: 7/28/21
Shot: Unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm black and white

A Curtis P-40 Warhawk taxis in after landing at EAA Airventure.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Date: 7/27/2021
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Shot: N/A
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm Black and White

Certainly not an every day sight anymore. A North American Aviation XP-82 (later designated F-82) Twin-Mustang taxiing onto the runway at Airventure. Despite its name, the F-82 is not merely 2 P-51s connected to each other, but rather a completely different aircraft.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Date: 07/27/2019
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Shot: N/A
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm

A Griffing Flying Service Piper Saratoga on its takeoff run at Put-In-Bay airport for a short hop over to Port Clinton.


Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport, Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, OH
Date: 09/18/2022
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 320mm f/11 1/250 sec.
ISO: 125
Film: N/A

A Paratus Air Robinson R44 comes in to land on the helipad at Put-In-Bay Airport after one of many scenic tours around the island.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Put-In-Bay Airport, Put-In-Bay, South Bass Island, OH
Date: 09/18/2022
Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mk. IV
Shot: 600mm f/11 1/250 sec.
ISO: 125
Film: N/A

One of the photos from Patrick and Ali’s engagement photo shoot that I truly like.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wood County Museum
Date: 02/21/2022
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Shot: N/A
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm Black and White

A Douglas C-47 Skytrain lifts off the runway into the unknown.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Oshkosh Wittman regional airport, Oshkosh, WI
Date: 07/28/2021
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Shot: unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm black and white

My favorite Film photo of Pat and Ali’s engagement photo shoot! Film always has a certain beautiful look to it. While digital photos are great and can be good for certain situations, I always love to shoot with film for photo shoots.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wood County Museum
Date: 02/21/2022
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Shot: Unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm

Congratulations to my friend Patrick and his fiancé Ali! I was honored you chose Daviator’s Photography for your engagement photos. Can’t wait for the wedding, congratulations to both of you!

Photograph information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wood County Museum
Date: 02/21/2022
Camera: Canon Rebel T5
Shot: 1/800 Sec. f/5 45mm
ISO: 400

Note: photograph enhanced in post-processing.

A look from the window of a Ford Tri-Motor inflight over Wisconsin. 3 radial engines moved this early airliner along its flight. Noisy, but nastalgic, the Ford Tri-Motor is truly an incredible aircraft.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Date: 07/28/2021
Shot: unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm Black and White

One of my more unique photo shoots. Mr. Simpson with his metal forge. With skill and precision, Doug forged a point to a javelin. Great shoot!

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Bowling Green, Ohio
Camera: Canon Rebel T5
Date: 11/07/2021
Shot: 1/160 sec. f/4.5 29mm
ISO: 200

*note: photograph enhanced in post processing.

- busy school, work, and flight schedule prevented me from posting. I am still active and available for booking. Email or message me for pricing estimates.

Love this photo, something about the barn in the background really appeals to me. Another great shot from my photo shoot with Jori.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wintergarden Park, Bowling Green, Ohio
Camera: Canon Rebel T-5
Date: 10/17/2021
Shot: 1/2000 f/5 40mm
ISO: 400

*note: photograph enhanced in post-processing.

Nothing like the sound of a Rolls-Royce Merlin engine. It sounds even better when there’s more than 15 of them running at the same time.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Date: Unknown
Shot: Unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm black and white

A group of German soldiers March in retreat after another disaster OSU defeat. The battered and worn men march to a new defensive position as the allies relentlessly push them out of occupied France. Historical photography is among my favorite, I can capture what was history in the present time through the camera with help by the good acting from re-enactors.

Photograph information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Conneaut Township Park, Conneaut, Ohio
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Date: unknown
Shot: unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm

*Note: photograph is for historical purposes only.

Kyle has always been a great friend and it’s always great to go out to do photo shoots with him. Back when I was in high school doing photography homework to better my skills of photographing people, Kyle was always willing to go out and help. This is one of my favorite photos I took of him.

Photograph information:

Photographer: David Mele
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Location: Walter C. Best wildlife preserve, Chardon, Ohio
Date: Unknown
Shot: Unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm

An American Airlines Douglas DC-3 sits idle on an overcast day. The DC-3, arguably one of the best built aircraft ever, was used by the civilian airlines, along with its military variant, the C-47 for decades. There are still some of these birds in active service with airlines (mostly, but not entirely freight) and countries such as South Africa, Bolivia, and more! The only True and proper replacement for a DC-3 is a DC-3.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, WI
Camera: Nikon 8008S
Date: July 28, 2019
Shot: unknown
ISO: 400
Film: 35mm Black and White Film

The Girl at the Platform

A woman waits for her train late at night as another gets ready to leave. The crickets chirp on the cool night and the whistle blows in the distance.

Thank you to for being a fantastic model for this historically themed photo shoot.

Sorry for a lack of posting, between a new job, flying, and school, my schedule has been hectic, and I will do my best to resume posting regularly.

Photograph information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Akron station of the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, Akron, Ohio
Camera: Canon Rebel T-6I
Date: 09/03/2021
Shot: 1/30 Sec. f/5.6 24mm
ISO: 3200

Note: photo enhanced and aged in post processing.

Finishing up the first batch of photos that will go on sale. They will be put up on Facebook marketplace by the end of the week. Keep an eye out for them and any sales that may follow!

A member of the US Air Force Special Operations Command drives past a T-6 Texan after exiting a CV-22 Osprey at Oshkosh Airventure ‘21.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh Wisconsin
Camera: Canon Rebe T6i
Date: 07/29/2021
Shot: 1/500sec. f/13 380mm
ISO: 400

Photograph enhanced in post processing.

Once again, capturing Alex, a fellow photographer on the other side of the lens. Using his drone, he captures images from a new angle that was once difficult to capture.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Pheasant Run Airport, Madison, Ohio
Date: 08/09/2018
Camera: Canon Rebel T5
Shot: 1/1000 sec. f/9 160mm
ISO: 800

Note: photograph enhanced in post processing.

N257DB roars into life as it starts to lift off of the runway. Built in 1957, this North American AT-6G Texan still has plenty of life left in her. Airventure was a blast to photograph, and there are plenty of amazing shots that are yet to be shared.

Photograph information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Wittman Regional Airport, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
Camera: Canon Rebel T6i
Date: July 28, 2021
Shot: 1/160 sec. f/18 360mm
ISO: 400

Note: photo enhanced in post processing.

Eve enjoying the evening, before a day of work begins at the Conneaut D-Day reenactment.

Photograph Information:

Photographer: David Mele
Location: Conneaut Township Park, Conneaut, Oh.
Camera: Canon Rebel T5
Date: unavailable
Shot: 1/250 sec. f/5.6 55mm
ISO: 200