We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Melanie Smith a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Photography has been a fundamental piece of my life since childhood. My father always had photos hanging around the house of far away places. Being stuck in a town of 1200 people and no stoplights, those photos made me see the beauty in the world beyond where I was at. When I was 10 my mom bought me my first digital camera and I have never gone back. I have a camera on my person at any given point and finding and capturing the beauty of everything that exists is my true passion. Moving from nature to portrait photography was one of the best progressions of my life. Spending time with people and capturing the side of them that is vulnerable and feels safe and comfortable brings me joy beyond anything else in this life. I have been fortunate enough to photograph weddings, graduates, senior pets, birthdays, events, and the unbelievably beautiful world around me. I have been working closely with an editorial makeup artist lately as well, and transitioning to including editorial portraits in my repertoire is a journey I am so excited to be on!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The day I realized photography is subjective and personal was a huge turning point for me. Different photographers can look at one subject and see completely different visions and there are people who may love your vision, but also people who may not understand your point of view but that’s okay. Loving what you do and enjoying your time behind the camera is the most crucial piece of photography. If you are not enjoying yourself the magic is gone. Lastly… understanding exposure and aperture really helped back in college. Since then my photography has grown exponentially and continues every time I go to a shoot.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I am always looking for creative types to collaborate with. I am constantly thinking of ideas for shoots that I would love to do but finding other artists like makeup artists, and even designers is a newer concept to me. I am very open to expanding my portfolio with new and creative ideas or even general ideas that someone is interested in bringing to life. I feel I have a very relaxed and calming personality so I mix well with all walks of life! Reaching out to me via Instagram or email is a great way to get in touch!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: MelaniesMomentaryImages
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melanieangelinekarolsmithphotography
- Other: [email protected]
Image Credits
Melanie Smith
