About Mel
What do you do?
I work across commercial branded content, equal parts a personal branding and content photographer and a live action production manager.
What does that mean?
As a photographer Clients typically reach out to me when they're looking to broaden their exposure, enhance their professional image, streamline their marketing content, and find authentic photos that resonate with their business's direction.
My focus lies in personal branding photography narrating your unique story to ultimately enhancing your brand's presence. I specialize in curating, capturing, and visualizing the elements your audience craves, effectively communicating your brand's essence through every image.
I meticulously work on every detail throughout the entire process, from our initial consultation to delivering images that address all your marketing needs.
As a production manager, I work in live action (moving image) within advertising, branded content, and commercials. For those in the know, it’s never as clean cut as it seems on paper, so for those who don’t, the production team are the HQ glue that make at all work. The Producer looks after the woodland and the big picture – they interact predominantly with above the line team, while the PM looks after the trees and the details, more on the ground, managing and logistics of the below the line crew members.
So which do you prefer?
I love the adaptability I bring to the table that allows me to enjoy both. They work in tandem and they support each other – I believe we can be more than one thing and still excel in both fields.
What’s it like to work with you?
Hopefully a pleasant and fulfilling experience… without being too bold, all I can say is I care! I am honest, I want the best for you and I am a goal focused team player. I will move mountains for us to get to your goal – and when we work together – your dreams are my dreams.
What does a personal branding shoot look like?
If you’re all about levelling up, give me a call or an email and we can talk through the whole process, but for now, it’s a step by step journey where we have an initial chat about where you want to be, how we can tell that story in a way that is going to lift up and elevate your branding.
We will do a range of editorial portraits in different outfits, poses and expressing a range of what you bring to your conversations, and a range of photos telling your viewers how and what you do BTS. We will go through and plan in how to capture usable helpful and versatile content that your brand can use across a plethora of platforms and how we can speak directly to your target audience … and make them feel good too.
What are your prices?
I price for the project, what it entails and what the scope is, tailoring it directly to you. Drop me a line with what you need and we can start that chat going.
What is licence and usage – why do I need to pay for it?
Usage is the agreement between you and the content creator on how, where and for how long you are allowed to use an image. If you don’t pay to use or have permission to use an image, you are using it in breach of copyright. Want more info, drop me a line and we can talk it through.
What do you shoot on?
Again - depends on the brief and want is needed - I have a mix of Sony, Cannon and film cameras that I use in relation to the job and the end result we want to get.
Have you ever shot … ‘insert extraordinarily specific description here’ …?
Unlikely – not going to lie … but we can discuss my skill set and how we can apply that to your brief and make it work. If we have a chat, and I am not the right fit for you, chances are I will know someone who is.
Do you still shoot Unit Stills for Film and TV?
Absolutely, its another form of storytelling, unit stills, BTS and personal branding for production - I am all in!
Can we have the raw files?
… can we hold hands first?
Do you have flexibility on your hours?
Absolutely, let’s discuss it when we talk through what the job is and we can look at what we both need personally and how we can adapt to work well together.
I’m a fan of setting our boundaries on time early so we can get the best out of our working hours in relation to the job, the budget while championing the project or outcome as much as our personal time.
You come from Jersey?
Yep – island girl through and through! And I carry that passion for community and the support a neighbourhood creates, into everything I do.
Favourite quote? - ‘What does success look like to you in this situation?’ - Leigh Curtis-Green
What makes you tick?
The people infant of me, the journey, the story, seizing the opportunities in front of us and the growth that blossoms as a result… for all of us.
What makes you unique?
Over ten years working in a more corporate creative environment as a photographer across multiple countries, in multiple languages, photographing everyone from A listers to Presidents, Reporters to Royalty.
I have worked on high budget, high end advertising campaigns, and box office feature films working alongside or managing teams ranging from 10 to 300 strong.
All of which means I get to walk a similar path in both avenues of my creative passions, in different shoes and on vastly different scales. Drawing a wealth of experience, exposure, inspiratin and insigt from both.
What do you do in your spare time?
I row! … For those that know – that is it – that is all there is! … For those that don’t, It’s a lifestyle and for me it takes many forms – I work as a part of a charity that focuses on bringing water based, sporting opportunities (rowing) to the schools in the borough that don’t have such privileged access to the sport, and all it brings. Being a part of that mission brings a wholeness that makes me who I am. It keeps everything in perspective.
So what makes you, you?
My experiences, my infallible belief in the person in front of me, their potential and a lifetime of seeing my perceived reality manifest. A shed tonne of life experiences that have made me who I am and how that grounding and strength will lift those around me up.
My passion to champion those around me and help them discover their ‘truth’ and unlock their full potential. An obsession for stories and journeys and how telling your story brigs me actual, undeniable joy.
So this is me… I am your fellow business owner, your neighbour in arms, your biggest champion, at the end of a call, here to listen to you, to hear between the lines and to celebrate your story, your gifts and your unique strengths by helping you put your story and your dream into pictures.