ATL, GA, and Beyond
LGBTQ+ Photographer
My Purpose
Authenticity.
I'm here to capture your story.
Unique.
Beautiful.
Unfiltered.
All sexualities. All genders. All body sizes. All identities are welcome and will be celebrated here.
Your voice deserves to be heard,
but not only heard.
Understood.
You shouldn't have to wonder if your photographer will recognize your love or truly "get it".
My Stance:Be Queer, Be loud, Take up space...and perhaps let me photograph you doing it.
"Melissa was an absolute pleasure to work with. My partner and I had never had a professional photoshoot done before and I am always a little nervous doing things “openly queer” with new people. But Melissa was extremely sweet, very supportive of us and our ideas, and not to mention, the pictures are incredible! Definitely recommend Melissa to anyone!"
-Lex Hendriks
About
Hi! My name is Melissa! (She/They)
I'm a photographer, poet, nature lover, queer activist, and overall creative at heart. I think personal expression, is one of the most beautiful human rights we experiance.
When I came out I felt incredibly unseen and unsupported. I'd often wished I had found a space where LGBTQ+ joy was shown with freedom, and where there was nothing shameful in loving, where Queer people did not have to dim themselves for the comfortability of others...so I decided to create one.
I've always been incredibly passionate and a little different than most of my peers. My neurodivergent ADHD brain tended to get lost in the curiosity of the world around me. I've always looked for the gentleness and kindness in every moment. I think that is what truly sets me apart as a photographer. This isn't just a business to me—it's how I see the world.
I strive to witness romance in everything around me. In the way the trees communicate with wind. In the way my coffee hugs my mug in the morning. Everyday, I coexist with an accumulation of a million little stories. Hundreds of tiny glimmers that all mean something to someone. Let me capture what means something to you.
Since I have started my business, the response I have gotten, and the stories I have heard and seen, mean more to me than you could ever know.
Thank you for sharing your love.
Thank you for sharing your trust.
And thank you for your interest in my art.
I hope to work with you soon :)
Media Shapes the Narrative of the World
Physical media shapes perception, and perception configures bias, which shapes history. It is important to me to truly evaluate the work I do, the art I make, and the lens in which I share the nuances of the stories that I capture.
While gay marriage is now legal nationwide, it is not unknown to me that thousands have fought for, been persecuted, and imprisioned, and killed for the rights of LGBTQ+ individuals.
Voices of activists like Marsha P Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Audre Lorde do not go unnoticed by me. I believe understanding Queer history, and actively expanding knowledge is incredibly important in the progression of Queer liberation.
I also believe that active awareness of intersectionality is a critical tool for understanding how systems of power and oppression interact, and how privilege plays a role in that. I'm aware that we are still fighting for safety, especially within the trans community, and Queer communities of color.
I hope the work that I do, honors the human right to exist as you are. I want to be a space where Queerness can expand. Where you can expand in a world that tries to shut you down.
Queer people have always existed.
Queer stories have always existed.
Queer love has always existed.
And I'll be damned if I ever let my voice... our voices, be silenced.