Destin/Santa Rosa Beach Photographer

I always enjoy being with my clients for their photo sessions, whether it's a large group or a baby. And I LOVE that my clients have fun during their session.
Vanessa and Keith traveled to Destin in January 2010 after they got married in Indiana. This past week they came back to the area for a little couple's getaway and they chose me to photograph them.  Having fun. And that's what they did. And later Vanessa sent me a nice text:

"Thank you so much.  We enjoyed our evening with you and you will always be part of our Destin 2012 trip!"
This couple was constantly laughing and smiling, and I commented that they seem to have a good time together. They said they were always like that...since the time they met on an online dating service. And they got along so well that Keith told me he knew from the first kiss they shared that she was the one!
Thanks guys for allowing me to spend time with you.

Watercolor family/Beaches of South Walton/family portraits

Not long ago I had the opportunity to meet Bob and Rhonda and their girls from Tennessee. We really were on the same page, because they didn't want posed, cheesy portraits on the beach. I love relationship pictures...just families enjoying their time together...I will take some posed photographs, but really like the more candid ones.
Rhonda shared with me that she was pregnant and due with her daughter when 9/11 occurred, and they were living in New York City at the time. They lost their home in the attack, but her daughter waited a while to make her debut in this world, possibly sensing that something was wrong.
I had fun with you guys and am glad you cherish your pictures!

:-) Melanie

Family portraits Santa Rosa Beach

I had the opportunity to photograph Bob and Laura in celebration of their 25th wedding anniversary.  They wanted to commemorate their memories with a trip to the beach, and a session for their keepsake!  They dressed up for the occasion, with Laura wearing her mother's 40-year-old dress, that she wore on her 25th anniversary! It was really special, as Laura recounted, because her mother didn't usually buy such fancy dresses, but did so for her anniversary, and felt "really special" on that day.  I was surprised at how timeless and classic the dress looked, and it was perfect for this evening.

Congratulations you two, on 25 years of marriage.  They topped off the evening with dinner at V in Seagrove. And, Laura later told me they thoroughly enjoyed their meal and surroundings!

Engagement session---Panama City Beach

It was great to reconnect with Darcy and meet David earlier this week.  Their love story is a sweet one. They went to high school together...didn't date...went on to marry other people...and reconnected a few years ago.

They became engaged on Valentine's Day this year, and I look forward to photographing their wedding in Port St. Joe in early May.

Newlyweds on the beach on 30a--photography

Cindy and David are their own version of "Dancing with the Stars."  I met them a few weeks ago for pictures to celebrate their recent low-key wedding.  They met in a dance class Cindy was taking. David was her tall, dark and handsome leader.  David has been teaching all steps of dancing for over 20 years.
He decided Cindy should be his partner in life, as well. They took their nuptials to the courthouse where they live in Louisiana, with no guests around. So they decided to document the after-the-show show on the beach in the Destin/South Walton area, one of their favorite places.
Good luck to you two in your future. I hope you keep right on dancing!

<3 Melanie

Nicole & Bobby are getting married -- wedding photography

I recently posted Nicole and Bobby's slideshow from our recent engagement session. The two met when she went to work for him in his surf shop in downtown Fort Walton Beach--Liquid Surf and Sale.
It wasn't long before Bobby got up the nerve to ask her out on a date, and now four years later, they've decided to make it official next month.

You two make me laugh when I am around you, and I can only imagine how much fun we are going to have at your wedding next month!

:-) Melanie

Wedding film making

A few weeks ago I traveled to California for a school that teaches filmmaking, cinema, for weddings and other events; formerly known as "videography."
This is something I have wanted to grow my photography business into, since my days out of college were spent as a television reporter, telling stories through video segments. I know the ins and outs of shooting and interviewing and piecing the story together. I just needed some hands-on insight into other tools of the trade, as well as the latest editing techniques.
The guys who have the school recently posted on their site the end results of the projects of the various groups. We followed a UC Riverside student who is a competitive rock climber. I conducted most of the interview, and the final product was a collaboration of six of us who were in one of the groups. Check out group 3 on this link:

http://www.shadetreefilms.net/skooledbyfools/2012/03/home-sweet-home/