about
a little
me
Hello! I'm Mellisa, your photographer, dress fixer, makeup artist, reigning karaoke Queen, and ADHD as all get out... but it works for me! I was practically born with a camera in my hand. There are two things I love outside of my family and friends.. Tattoos and Pictures. Both are everlasting images that mark a special moment in life.
In 2005 I survived Hurricane Katrina. It was devastating and eye-opening. You see I always knew pictures were special to me, but when people were interviewed and asked about all they lost, you know what they mentioned most? Their family pictures. While we have our memories, one picture can bring back so many emotions. Have you ever heard the Jamey Johnson song "In Color"?
"A picture's worth a thousand words
But you can't see what those shades of gray keep covered
You should've seen it in color"
Think about seeing a scene from you favorite movie. For me it could be that moment when Captain America caught Thor's Hammer... You know that feeling of joy, the thrill, and everything behind it?
That's what I feel when I'm taking pictures. I know that one day, later rather than sooner, someone is going to look at that picture and smile, cry, or maybe both and say "remember when..?"
There IS more to me than pictures though. I work at motivating people, and bringing awareness to depression and suicide prevention. I myself am a two time survivor. Yep, this spastic happy lady had her own demons to fight when I lost my passion for life. So it is my dearest desire to help others like me and remind them that God has a purpose for you!
I am a Mississippi girl at heart, with a little bit of city and a touch of Southern Debutant. If you read any of my blogs or listen to my podcasts, you'll have insight to my happy little brain and how it's like an 8 year old excited to learn new things and share them all at around 100 miles per hour.
I also love getting on stage and belting everything from Patsy Cline, to Adele, and Lady Gaga. Add a little theatrical background and musical theater in there and BOOM! Let the Good time Roll!
Don't get scared yet, because I have a calm and focused side too. When there's pandemonium going on around me, even in the chaos of some weddings, there's a peace that comes over me to see all the tiny memories unfolding. My distractions fall away and I capture those moments that might otherwise have been lost in the madness. Still, when I'm in the zone with a camera you might hear me belt out directions and orders to my sweet hubby like a drill sergeant. Let's just call that focus, though.
But, I will be your best friend when you need me. I'll calm your Maid of Honor down, pull your Groomsman out of the water fountain, anything to make sure I get the perfect shot of you smiling. (Or laughing because the groomsman fell in said fountain while dancing with your great aunt without spilling his third Fireball shot).
I love capturing these moments for you and with you, because your special day lives in my memories forever too. Often seeing that pure joy in your eyes is enough to bring a tear to mine.
They never told me in High School that "taking pictures" could be a passion, a career... an avenue worth pursuing. Nonetheless I moved on to working for Lifetouch Portrait Studios, JC Penny Portraits, and Olan Mills. For 10 years I photographed and trained other photographers on not the technical side of photography (I was a novice then), but how to capture a moment. I told my employees and trainees, "We've been invited into people's homes, their life, and their memories. You're not just taking another baby picture... you're taking that family's first picture of the child they tried to conceive for 10 years. You are taking this family's last Family Portrait with their Great Grandmother who is edging on 100 years of life and stories. Imagine if you will that every photo you took was posted on a highway billboard for all to see... Would you be proud? Would it evoke a feeling of joy?"
I have been blessed to take a first... and sadly a last picture of someone.
Then it hit me... I want more. I want more than the confines of corporate pictures with 10 mins to "sell" someone their memories. So I bought my own camera... but had NO IDEA HOW TO USE IT!
I set it to Auto (taboo in the pro-photog world) and -gasp- people still loved my work, because they didn't see that my white balance was off, or that there was a fire hydrant in
the background... They saw that they were holding hands with the love of their life, they were holding their baby for the first time, they saw the memory right there, memorialized in print, on their wall, for years to come.
I've had a camera in my hand since I was around 6 years old. My Granny always made sure to have film in her camera every time I visited her. In later years this would prove more valuable than gold when in 1995 she passed away, and the family realized they didn't have many current images of her because she didn't like having her picture taken, except when one happy, silly, and curious little girl wanted to take her picture. All sorts of coffee drinking, crossword puzzle doing, cooking in her kitchen shots taken from a child's height looking up in awe and love of her Granny.
I've had a camera in my hand since I was around 6 years old. My Granny always made sure to have film in her camera every time I visited her. In later years this would prove more valuable than gold when in 1995 she
passed away, and the family realized they didn't have many current images of her because she didn't like having her picture taken, except when one happy, silly, and curious little girl wanted to take her picture. All sorts of coffee drinking, crossword puzzle doing, cooking in her kitchen shots taken from a child's height looking up in awe and love of her Granny.
They never told me in High School that "taking pictures" could be a passion, a career... an avenue worth pursuing. Nonetheless I moved on to working for Lifetouch Portrait Studios, JC Penny Portraits, and Olan Mills. For 10 years I photographed and trained other photographers on not the technical side of photography (I was a novice then), but how to capture a moment. I told my employees and trainees, "We've been invited into people's homes, their life, and their memories. You're not just taking another baby picture... you're taking that family's first picture of the child they tried to conceive for 10 years. You are taking this family's last Family Portrait with their Great Grandmother who is edging on 100 years of life and stories. Imagine if you will that every photo you took was posted on a highway billboard for all to see... Would you be proud? Would it evoke a feeling of joy?"
I have been blessed to take a first... and sadly a last picture of someone.
Then it hit me... I want more. I want more than the confines of corporate pictures with 10 mins to "sell" someone their memories. So I bought my own camera... but had NO IDEA HOW TO USE IT!
I set it to Auto (taboo in the pro-photog world) and *GASP*
people still loved my work, because they didn't see that my
white balance was off, or that there was a fire hydrant in
the background... They saw that they were holding hands
with the love of their life, they were holding their baby for
the first time, they saw the memory right there,
memorialized in print, on their wall, for years to come.
I've had a camera in my hand since I was around 6 years old. My Granny always made sure to have film in her camera every time I visited her. In later years this would prove more valuable than gold when in 1995 she
some of my background
drop hearts on our las
vegas wedding photos and
Mellisa's adorable reels
Recent Las Vegas Photo shoots
06 your favorite las vegas elopement photographer is on instagram, also your favorite las vegas boudoir photoraphers
Want some inspiration for your next Las Vegas elopement or boudoir shoot? Give MK DeLacy Photography and Boudoir by MK DeLacy a follow on Instagram for access to our latest projects. Remember, we'll capture your most romantic moments, your most wholesome memories, or your spicy side with our boudoir photography. Don't forget to drop us some hearts and comment on your favorites!
drop hearts on our
spicy boudoir shoots and
Mellisa's obnoxious reels
Fill out the form below to get started!
