About
hello, I'm Melyssa
My love for photography grew from two professional paths that were also two of my greatest passions: modeling and work with children. Over time, I realized I wanted to bring the creativity and perspective I gained from both worlds together and create something that felt uniquely mine.
I've been an agency model since I was 16 years old, and I'm still represented by an agency today. Modeling has been such a huge part of my life that it naturally shaped the way I see a photograph. After so many years in front of the camera, I've learned how to work with light, understand angles, and see how small changes in posing and movement can completely transform an image. I know how to create a pose that feels natural and effortless, and I bring that experience into every session when my clients need a little direction.
Throughout my modeling career, I've also had the opportunity to work with incredible brands and alongside so many talented artists and creatives. Being surrounded by that level of creativity inspired me to step behind the camera and create something of my own.
At the same time, I spent more than twelve years as a nanny. My days were filled with children and all their different personalities — the energetic toddlers, the shy ones who needed a little time to warm up, and all the beautifully unpredictable moments in between. I learned how to read a child's cues, make them laugh without forcing it, and give them the freedom to simply be themselves.
At first, these two passions might seem like completely different worlds. But when I found photography, they came together in a way that made perfect sense.
Being a nanny taught me how to connect with the people in front of my camera — especially children — and create an environment where they can relax, play, and be themselves. Photography became the place where those two parts of my life could meet.
And that's what I bring to every family I photograph: a trained eye for beautiful imagery, paired with a genuine love for connection, childhood, and the little moments that make your family yours.
What this means for your session
I direct enough that you never feel stuck — hands, posture, where to look, what to do with the pause. Then I stop directing and let the real thing happen: the laughter, the hugs, the in-between glances that carry the actual story.
With children, the approach changes shape. I get down on their level and follow their lead rather than asking them to follow mine. We might chase bubbles. Someone might run straight past the camera, and I will have the shot anyway, because I know to be ready for it. By the time your child has decided I am acceptable — and they always do — we already have a gallery full of images that are entirely them.
For the runners, I lean into it; some of the most joyful frames come from a child in full motion. For the shy ones, I give space and talk to you instead until they choose to join. For a mid-session meltdown, we take a breath, everyone resets, and we carry on. It has never once ruined a session.
Why I do this
Photography, for me, is about making an hour feel relaxed and genuinely enjoyable while quietly capturing what is actually there. I work with natural light and outdoor spaces because that is where real moments tend to unfold on their own.
What I hope is that when you look at your photographs, you do not only see how beautiful your family is. I hope you feel the connection that makes your particular story yours — and that the images end up on a wall, not in a folder.
This is not just a business for me. It is every part of who I have been, folded into the thing I love most, which is making something.
Where I photograph
I work across Las Vegas and the surrounding valley — Summerlin, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Spring Valley, Enterprise, Paradise, and the Red Rock, Blue Diamond and Anthem communities. Sessions happen at Red Rock Canyon, Floyd Lamb Park, Springs Preserve, the dry lake bed, local neighborhood parks, and in clients' own homes.
If you are somewhere in the valley and wondering whether it is too far, just ask.
Questions
The short answers
Newborn, maternity, family and couples photography, working almost entirely in natural light. Sessions take place outdoors across the Las Vegas valley, in clients' homes, or in studio for newborns.
Las Vegas and the surrounding valley, including Summerlin, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Spring Valley, Enterprise and Paradise, along with the Red Rock, Blue Diamond and Anthem communities.
Ready when you are
Let's make something you'll still love in twenty years
Tell me a little about your family and what you're hoping to hold onto. I answer every message myself, usually within a day.
Monday – Sunday, 9am – 7pm