Brooklyn's Senior Pics Class of 2012

Last month I did a photo shoot for my cousin's daughter Brooklyn, at Tawas Point Lighthouse, on Lake Huron.  I shot for 2 days, got a lot of great pictures and had a lot of fun too!!!  Congratulations Brooklyn!!

Best Friends

"A good friend is hard to find, hard to lose, and impossible to forget..."

First Day of Fall

Today is the first day of Fall and it rained all day today.  The sun came out at right before it set and I grabbed my camera and got a few pretty cool shots!

Last Pics of Summer

Touch of Fall

Getting Ready To Bloom

Metro Park Beach

L'Anse Creuse Bay @ Metro Park Beach

Geese in Flight

Purple picker flower

I have been working very hard getting my photography business going.  I have photo shoots scheduled almost every weekend this Fall!  I am very excited for the leaves to change color.  I can't wait to shoot the beautiful, bright oranges, fiery reds and golden yellows.  I love shooting people outdoors and Fall is one my favorite seasons to do so!  I feel so fortunate to live in Michigan where we have four wonderful seasons.  Sometimes I don't care for winter, but when I have my camera in hand, it is definitely much more bearable!  I have a friend that I am doing pictures for in mid October.  Her and her husband have been together for 39 years!   We are going to the park they used to go as teens to "make out"!  They are a wonderful, happy couple and I am very excited about their shoot!  I also am going to do a shoot for my sister and her family which I am looking forward to, and my cousin's daughter who is absolutely adorable!  I get excited about each shoot, big or small.  I really am meant to do this.  I went to the park with my fiance last Sunday and just shot nature.  I took some of the best photos I have ever taken.  (They are included here) It was so relaxing for me walking and talking with Kevin and snapping this flower or that tree.  The colors are just starting to change and we should have amazing color in a few weeks. Until then I will wait (sorta) patiently! I love my camera and I love taking pictures!

Some of My Favorite Pictures....

Getting Started

Getting started is sometimes the hardest thing to do! I would probably not have started my dream if it had not been for me being diagnosed in 2011 with melanoma.  Hearing you have cancer changes you.  In my case, it made me take the leap of faith and follow my dream. I am so glad I did!

 I have wanted to be a photographer for as long as I can remember.  I always loved to take and look at photos, just loving that they were there to remember those memories.  I finally, after many years of using cheap cameras, received a fabulous 35mm Minolta from my fiance, as a gift.  I loved it, but didn't really know how to use it well.  It was a film camera, so I had to wait to get the pictures developed.  You also couldn't see what the picture was going to look like until after you had it developed either.  I took a lot of good pictures with it though. 

 Shortly after, the digital cameras made their appearance.  I was ecstatic!  I couldn't afford my dream camera, so I got a inexpensive point and shoot.  I loved that I could see the picture right away and download them on my computer. 

 I finally bought my Nikon in the spring and have slowly bought equipment and lens,editing equipment and fun props, etc.  I love my Nikon so much!  I also love props!  I have been able to be creative and even have made some of my own props for photo shoots.

I am now excited to start my photography business, which is surreal.  My dream is coming true before my eyes.  I have done my first photo shoot for a high school Senior recently, and the pictures turned out fabulous!  I have several sessions booked now and I look forward to each one.  

I want to make people look and feel good about the pictures they receive from me.  I absolutely LOVE my job and it definitely doesn't feel like a job! I  am fortunate to have a great fiance, kids, family and friends that support me and made me confident enough to go for my dream!!  I wouldn't have done it without them!  

Feel free to browse my blog and you can also check out my website at www.photographybymelissac.com.

 Or check me out on Facebook at Photography by Melissa!

I hope you enjoy my portraits and consider booking me for your photography needs. 

Melissa :)