Overall: Melanie has a wonderful eye for location and keeping you comfortable during the session. Her communication is wonderful and any questions around timeline for photos/sneak peek photos are answered in a timely manner. She is very sweet, and highly recommend her to anyone looking for a stress free maternity session! I found Melanie through IG. I actually was looking through a few photographer IG accounts but my eye just kept coming back to her profile. Her light and airy photo style looked so beautiful! Another thing I kept in mind was looking for a photographer that also offers family photo sessions in the future. Scheduling: Scheduling and reaching out to Melanie, from the first contact was a great and smooth experience. She replies in a timely manner and gets to know you to ensure you both are a good fit. Once you set a date, you will get more information around her clients closet (which I was EXTREMELY happy she offers) and a list of possible locations to choose from. She also listens to your ideas and may have other additional ideas of her own closer to the date. She also can give recommendations for hair and makeup on request. Price: Pricewise, when I was looking at pricing for photographers and styles, maternity sessions tend to be on the pricier end, while her pricing was not as steep as the others I looked at. Her prices are very worth her expertise, time, and experience. I have had some not so great experiences, and my experience with Melanie was just so smooth and caused me no stress at all (important to me while being pregnant). Photo Style: She focuses on locations with nature and flowers. Honestly, because it was a very hot summer, I thought we would not have any pictures with flowers. Our original pick of location had no flowers, but she reached out and mentioned a new location a few days before the shoot. We decided to trust the change and switch to the new location. She will also ask about your insecurities (in case there are poses you really don't want to do), any poses you would like to incorporate, etc. She is very thorough and follows up with you throughout the process. As someone who asks a lot of questions, this made me very happy lol. Actual session: I wanted to incorporate some cultural pieces but was not sure if it would work with the dresses I picked from her clients closet. Thankfully, when trying the dresses on at the site, 1 was PERFECT for my bolero! During the session, it was so cool to see her thought process since she can look at an area and see the different photos we can do there. There were flowers! So happy about that! She made sure to ask me questions along the way, be aware of the poses I don't like, and the requests I had during the initial communication with her. This interaction showed me how organized she is, and she focuses on you and your session to be perfect. We ended up taking photos with 2 different dresses and a "3rd" with the same 2nd dress but with my cultural piece over it. It was perfect. There was also a more personal portion where she asked my husband to tell me why I would make a good mom. I ended up crying and the photos ended up to be part of my favorites from the shoot! Of course I don't think the intention was to make me cry haha I just was very emotional. We ended with the cultural outfit portion of the shoot and even though we had no idea how to pose, she helped us each step of the way. None of the poses felt awkward or forced, and we were able to just be ourselves and the photos reflect that. I loved the session so much that I initially wanted the middle package and ended up deciding on the highest tier package because, how can I just choose a set amount of images after that session! I want it all haha. I am so thankful for her as she made the session fun, comfortable, and memorable for us. read more

We had a wonderful experience with Melanie during our family photoshoot in the woods. She has such a bubbly personality and connected with our kids effortlessly, making the entire session fun and relaxed. She was also incredibly patient and came well prepared for the shoot. Before the session, Melanie sent us a thoughtful questionnaire to better understand what we were looking for. She used our responses to personalize the photoshoot, making the experience feel tailored to our family. We couldn't be happier with both the experience and the beautiful memories she captured! Thank you Melanie! read more

The best option you'll find for your photoshoots! We had Melanie do both our maternity shoot and newborn pictures and they all came out like a dream. We've had so many compliments and are in love with all the photos, the hubby literally wants them everywhere in the house. Melanie is such a kind person, with a great vision for the right spots to shoot, we felt comfortable every step of the way. Not to mention her available dresses to borrow for both shoots made life so much easier as an expecting mother and then as a new mother and the maternity dresses made me feel like a princess they are so beautiful. Thank you Melanie! read more

melanie is not only an extremely talented photographer but even more great to work with. yes, she made our photos look SO GOOD but it was with her directions and experience that captured our smiles the best. we had a total of 8 people (6 adults, 2 kids under the age of 4). in 45 minutes, she was able to capture whole family shoots, many different subsets of groups, and even individual shots. she edited our photos in less than 2 months and was very professional throughout the entire process. melanie was an absolute joy to work with and my family and i will definitely be reaching out to her again in the future read more

I've taken many professional photos over the course of the years to save memories of my family & Mellie's quality of work has been EXCEPTIONAL. My husband and I are so happy with our photos! She is very detailed and accommodating to what type of poses/ photos we wanted! You can tell she really puts in alot of effort to make our photos come out great. I would highly recommend booking Mellie to be your photographer! read more

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If I could give Mellie more than 5 stars, I would! I absolutely love how our family photos turned out. This was our very first professional family photoshoot, and Mellie made the entire experience so enjoyable and stress-free. Our one-year-old twins are definitely in their "stranger danger" phase, but somehow Mellie knew exactly how to get them smiling and laughing. I was amazed by her natural ability to connect with them and capture genuine expressions. She also guided my husband and me through every pose, so we never felt awkward or unsure of what to do. Everything felt easy and natural. One thing that really impressed me was her eye for locations. The original spot I had hoped for wasn't going to work since we were taking photos in late June, and I was honestly a little disappointed. Then Mellie showed me this tall grassy field she had scouted. Even the photo she took on her phone looked beautiful, but I never imagined it would turn out the way it did. She truly found a hidden gem, a real diamond in the rough and with her professional skills, the final images exceeded all of my expectations. Mellie is incredibly friendly, talented, and has such an artistic eye. You can tell she genuinely cares about giving her clients beautiful memories. Every photo feels timeless, and I'm so grateful we chose her to capture this special milestone for our family. The experience was worth every penny, and I will absolutely be recommending Mellie to my family and friends. Thank you for giving us photos we'll treasure forever! read more

Melanie's esthetic is amazing, the way she captures the light and edits her photos makes it feel like a fairy tale. I really enjoyed working with Melanie for our photoshoot, she made it feel effortless and fun and was so easy to talk to. She is super sweet and really knows how to help guide you during the photos! I did my maternity shoot with her and can't wait to do my newborn one as well. read more

We had such an amazing experience with Melanie for our son's newborn photoshoot and would love to work with her again for our future family photos! She was very professional and easy to communicate with throughout the whole process and made us (first time parents) & our son feel so comfortable and at ease during the at-home photoshoot. She was very gentle with our son, he never woke up or cried during the photoshoot! The set-up and poses were creative and the final photos are absolutely beautiful. She captured such sweet moments we can always look back on. We are so happy we did the newborn photoshoot with her and can't wait to show the photos to our son when he is older! read more

Melanie was a pleasure to work with! The photos turned out wonderfully and we couldn't be happier! Her work is mainly a light and airy aesthetic, so if that is your preference for photos then she is the person for you. I loved how she guided me through the process of planning for the photoshoot, and gave me so many useful tips and suggestions to help my family and I look great in our photos. Would highly recommend her to friends and family. We look forward to using her for our future family photos! read more

I have been following her for years. A couple of my best friends had a photo shoot with her a couple years back and I continue to follow her throughout these because I love her work so much. Elegant light and airy is her style! I swear it looks like my photos came straight out of a magazine! I love how passionate she is and how she continuously checks on me to prepare me for the actual day. And she is super sweet to work with! Highly recommend! read more

Melliemade Photography - 12 Months Of Breastfeeding Journey - Session Photography Near Me

We loved working with Melanie for our family photos! She was extremely well prepared, friendly, and easy to communicate with, which made the whole experience stress-free and enjoyable. She was creative with getting our daughter to smile and also has great recommendations for outfits and photography destinations. It was a very fun experience and we would definitely book with her again! read more

I researched many photographers and loved Melanie's photography style. I had my maternity and newborn/lifestyle shoots with Melanie and she made the entire experience effortless. Prior to each shoot, she reviewed the process so there was no surprises on the day of the shoot. She made it fun, easy and captured precious moments. She made my 2 year old daughter feel instantly at ease and laugh by using her hand puppet. She's amazing!! I recommended booking with Melanie to all my family and friends. read more

Melanie was very communicative and easy to work with. From talking to her via e-mail/texts and then finally meeting her in person, she is such an adorable, bubbly person! We connected right away. She is SO kind and helpful. Actually working with her on the day of the photoshoot was so easy and she made everyone (my parents and my husband, baby) feel very comfortable. She always gave us options but was still able to steer us in a direction to keep the shoot moving and focused. We were both concerned about the weather on the initial date we had scheduled the photoshoot. She kept in touch with updates the week before until we finally decided to move the shoot to another date. So thankful we found another date that worked for both of us. She truly wants the best for her clients! I would recommend her to anyone who is looking for a photographer with her aesthetics - light, airy, bright. read more

We loved working with Melanie for our maternity photoshoot! She is so sweet, kind, and puts everyone at ease. She guided us every step of the way and made the entire process so stress free. Before our session, Melanie was very communicative and even helped with outfit coordination and gave us optimal locations dependent on the seasons. We love her light and airy aesthetic and are in love with our photos! We highly recommend booking with Melanie! read more

We loved working with Melanie! She made our family feel so comfortable behind the lens, and was so sweet with our 12 mo old and got her to smile so easily. Melanie is professional, communicative, and thorough. She goes the extra mile to make sure your photos turn out well and will follow up with you when looking into locations you are wanting to take photos at. I was so happy to see how beautiful the photos turned out. We highly recommend her to everyone who has seen our photos! :) read more

Melanie was so easy going and thorough throughout this whole process! She exceeded my expectations! I will also be using her for my newborn photos as our maternity photos turned out AMAZING! My husband and I are so happy we chose Melanie :) read more

My family and I had our first photoshoot with Melanie in November. My husband and I don't enjoy being in front of the camera but we had such a great and comfortable time with Melanie. She brings great energy and solace to the photoshoot and she knows what she is doing. Our 6th month old baby LOVED being in front of Melanie's camera. No better compliment in my opinion. Outside of the photoshoot, I enjoyed the way she communicates through email and text especially in regard to outfit, location, and editing. I can't wait for our next shoot! read more

Melanie was wonderful to work with for our newborn photo session. She had a bright energy; was masked and cautious around our newborn; and periodically showed us photos she captured to ensure we were comfortable. My newborn was calm and Melanie entertained my older daughter, so they both lasted the whole photo session. Melanie was also very responsive in answering questions before and after the session, and the photos turned out beautiful. Thank you Melanie! read more

We had such a wonderful experience with Melanie! She was absolutely amazing--so patient and creative. She captured the most beautiful family photos and was especially great with our two boys, keeping them engaged. We're so happy with how everything turned out. Highly recommend read more

Melanie was fantastic with my family !! We did a one hour session with my family (of three) my sisters family (of four) and my mom. She was SO PATIENT with the kids, oh my god. She knew how to interact with them and just got them to do exactly what needed to be done. We are from Arcadia CA and to drive down to Irvine just for her, I'd do it all over again. (Mind you it's a two hours traffic) Can't wait for more future photography with her. DONT WALK RUN NOW to book an appointment. read more

We couldn't be more grateful for the beautiful photos, Melanie captured of our family. She captured our family's love so perfectly, and her generous warmth and patience with our two boys made the whole experience enjoyable! Thank you for being so flexible and for bringing out the best in each of us. These are memories we'll cherish forever! read more

Melliemade Photography - Session Photography Near Me

If you're still on the fence about booking a photo session because you're worried about whether your kids will sit still or stop crying long enough for photos, Melanie is your answer! I was a bit apprehensive because my son is extremely active and distractible, and my daughter will cry if any adult other than her usual caretakers gets within 1 foot of her for more than 30 seconds. But Melanie has a way with kids and worked her magic to capture beautiful photos of our family. She has a talent for capturing small moments through candid photos, and also with getting the kids' attention for posed family photos. She helped my camera-shy husband and me feel more comfortable about being in front of the camera as well. The photo session flew by as we were all having so much fun. From start to finish, Melanie provided a personable experience. Her questionnaire showed that she really wanted to get to know us as a family, and to know any specifics we were hoping for from the photoshoot. Her photoshoot guide was already so helpful for this busy mom, yet on top of that, Melanie was happy to provide feedback on outfits I was considering. I felt really supported and guided leading up and to the photoshoot, and on the day of. Melanie is the type of photographer who will get flowers and sticks in her hair while she's scouting for the best location or angle to capture your family photos. She will tell you if something looks amiss with your outfit or hair (or point out the dribble on your baby's chin), so that you can quickly fix it before the photo is taken. She will make all the funny noises and silly faces needed to make your kiddo laugh. Her passion for her work, her experience, and her ability to capture precious moments on camera are so special. If you can't already tell, I highly recommend Melanie for your photoshoot. You'll have the best time, and come away with the most gorgeous preserved memories. read more

Apologies for the delayed review--but it truly shows how wonderful Melanie is, because I'm still in love with my session. I had an amazing session with her in August 2025. She was professional, responsive, and punctual, and did an incredible job working with my very active 2-year-old toddler. Despite all the movement, she still captured absolutely beautiful, fairytale-like shots. Melanie helped from beginning to end--answering questions, assisting with outfit choices, and making sure she captured exactly what I wanted. I initially selected a smaller package but later decided to purchase all the photos, and she was very accommodating with my late request. I would absolutely book another session with Melanie. read more

Melanie was so accommodating to our Newborn photo shoot, we booked it at a studio and she did a wonderful job of capturing our precious moments. On her site she specified that the photos would take about a month for her to finish with the final project, but she got the photos to me within 2-3 weeks which is a bonus! Most photographers I've booked with usually don't get the photos out to me early it's always at the exact time they say. I'm looking forward to booking an outdoor session for the next occasion. She did such a beautiful job! read more

We had such a wonderful experience with Melanie ! She truly has a gift, not only did she capture the most beautiful photos of our newborn, but she did it with such calm, patience, and creativity. She managed to keep our toddler entertained throughout the session,, and was incredibly understanding and flexible as I paused to feed and change the baby. What made it even more special was how thoughtful she was in incorporating my favorite flowers into the shoot -- such a personal and lovely touch. Every detail felt intentional and handled with care. We're absolutely in love with the final images and will treasure them forever. Highly, highly recommend! Cant wait to book our next family photo shoot with her read more

Melanie was very friendly and easy to work with. She always responded promptly and even went the extra mile to find us a dog friendly studio. Despite our young kids having a hard time during the photo shoot, she was able to capitalize on small moments and still deliver stunning shots. She's very talented! We will be working with her in the future. read more

It was hard to find a photographer that I was comfortable with and that fit my husband' and I type of photography we like. I was browsing through OC photographers that specialized in maternity and newborn and found Mellliemade photography. I came across Melanie and loved her shooting style! It was natural, light and airy, but true to the vivid colors that things should be. I was debating whether I even wanted maternity photos as I felt "huge", but filling out the questionnaire helped me explain what my concerns were and my expectations. She was very encouraging with telling me that it was a special time and she can work angles to capture the best shots. She is so sweet and so encouraging throughout the whole process! She even helps out with outfits and will give her advice on what to wear depending on location of your shoot as well. Meeting her in person was no different! She was sweet and had such a warm personality. She was very personable and super easy to work with! Can I also say that she was also pregnant during my maternity shoot! So she definitely knew what this pregnant mama was going through! The photos turned out amazing and I would highly recommend her! :) read more

I hired Melanie of melliemade photography. From our first phone conversation she was so personable and easy to talk to. Throughout the month before the photoshoot she was very responsive and open to communication regarding outfits and location which was very helpful. Working with her was easy on photoshoot day and I love the way my photos came out. Her editing style is gorgeous. If you hire her you won't be disappointed. read more

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Melanie was fantastic to work with. We booked Melanie for our maternity shoot and could not be happier with our photos. We had a great experience from start to end. She is so thorough and very easy to communicate with. Melanie walked us through every step of the way including helping us choose and coordinate our clothing, bringing some beautiful gowns of her own for me to wear, to sending us the most detailed list of locations along with pros/cons of each. During our shoot, she made us feel so comfortable and guided us through many different poses. After my delivery, Melanie even checked in on me - she is just the sweetest. All this to say that she was nothing short of amazing and we would absolutely have her for future sessions! Highly recommend Melanie! read more

After a week of delivering my second baby into the world, I suddenly decided I wanted to do newborn photos. Even though I was sleep deprived with a toddler and a newborn, I was determined to search the web for the perfect photographer for my daughter. Let me save you the trouble - if you want quality work from a professional and sweet photographer, look no more. I finally came across Melanie's website and knew I loved her style and artistry. During the consultation call she listened and addressed our vision, concerns, and expectations. I felt so comfortable talking to her, it was as if we were long time friends. She helps you figure out location, style, wardrobe. Melanie works with you to make sure you're happy and confident in her abilities. Really just made everything easier! Day of the photoshoot she came to our house and made both my daughters feel so comfortable with her friendly, sweet, and motherly demeanor. Super patient with toddlers! She carefully wrapped my newborn in a Swaddle and started working her magic. If Poppy woke up or cried, Melanie knew what to do to soothe her to get back to work. I chose to do both posed and lifestyle photos. The posed had some with flowers which were fantastic to watch. She brought fresh flowers and cut them on the spot to make a photo come to life! There were so many amazing photos that it literally took me days to narrow down my favorites. I'm so happy with the photos and I can't wait to put them up in our home! These are snapshots that will last a lifetime. Thank you, Melanie! read more

It was a pleasure working with Mellimade Photography! Melanie is extremely thorough and efficient throughout the entire process. She was also very patient and kind with the kids. The pictures also came out beautiful and she really takes the time to understand your wants and needs from the photoshoot. I would definitely recommend using her for your photoshoots! read more

If I can give 10 stars, I would! We have nothing but great things to say about our experience working with Melanie. We worked with Melanie a few years ago during my first pregnancy and my daughter's newborn photoshoot. We loved her then, and we love her even more now! Melanie made the entire process so seamless for our family. She prepped us for literally everything, from narrowing down locations to outfit coordination, she worked above and beyond to make sure everyone had a great experience. Melanie is super easy to work with. She made us all feel so comfortable! My toddler loved Mr. Bubble and warmed up right away! The pictures turned out amazing, we are so in love with what Melanie was able to capture. We would recommend Melanie to anyone and look forward to working with Melanie again in the future! read more

Melanie was such a joy to work with! Tbh, the last thing I wanted to do postpartum was to coordinate outfits for my family and put on a dress. I was living in joggers and nursing tops at the time. Melanie made the process so seamless from booking to the actual photoshoot day. She went over all the details with me over the phone, sent me pics of her client closet, and also offered to lend me some of her son's clothes. I am so happy that I decided to go thru with the photoshoot and book Melanie. love how all the photos turned out! read more

My husband and I are SO happy with the results from our baby boy's newborn photoshoot. From day 1 of our consultation, Melanie has been helpful, professional and accommodating to our specific needs. Communication is very important to us and we never had an issue throughout the whole process. On the day of the shoot, Melanie was very gentle with our baby and was well prepared with the set up and props. Everything ran smoothly and we didn't feel rushed at all. Photoshoots with babies come with burp-ups, nursing and diaper changes - and Melanie was thoughtful to have a nursing chair and a makeshift diaper change station for us to use. Thank you again Melanie for what you've done for us and the sweet pictures of our baby that we will cherish forever! :) read more

I had such an amazing experience booking with Melanie. I had seen her page even before I got pregnant and just knew I wanted to do my newborn and lifestyle shoot with her. The day she came to our home I immediately felt comfortable with her and she was so good with our toddler who that morning was not feeling like taking many photos. She did the same with our newborn, she is so sweet! Melanie spent hours at our house just to make sure all the photos we got were exactly how we wanted. Her edits after the shoot were amazing I love how soft and light the pictures came out. I will definitely book her later on for future shoots. Thank you Melanie! read more

We were so lucky to have met Melanie. She was extremely helpful in leading up to the newborn + lifestyle shoot we booked with her like in planning our outfits. She made it super easy for me to not have to worry at all. As a family that doesn't know what to do in front a camera, she made us feel comfortable and gave a lot of direction in capturing such amazing photos even with a stubborn toddler who didn't want to participate! I loved all the photos and I am so glad that I trusted her professional judgment when it came to the add on of florals. I cannot wait to take more photos with her in the future. Book her if you can! I promise you won't be disappointed with the results especially if you're looking for her type of aesthetics. read more

This was our second time working with Melanie (first was when my oldest was 2, this time for newborn photos) and we've loved our photos both times. The light and airy look really goes with our home aesthetic and style and we really appreciate Melanie's attention to detail to capture those perfect photos (hair in the way, untucked shirt, etc). She also has a good eye capturing some really good shots and has been great at getting those smiles from my then 2 year old and now my 4 year old. It definitely takes someone special to have the talent, the eye, and the ability to do what she does as well as she does. I also appreciated her detailed instructions and emails, questionnaires to get us on the same page, it really helped the process go off without a hitch. She really thought of everything, even outfit loaners for me and some extra bow options for my daughter. Go with Melanie, you won't regret it! read more

I really appreciate Melanie's professionalism and patience throughout the whole process from our phone conversation to photo shoot day. She made us all feel comfortable and relaxed, and it showed in the photos. We had so much fun working with her! Melanie is very responsive to email/messages. I like her feedbacks and suggestions to prepare us for the photo session. She is a truly talented photographer! read more

If you're searching for a photographer who can capture beautiful moments in your life - whether it's family photos or for a special occasion, then Melanie's the one for you! She's incredibly professional, great with kids, and has a beautiful aesthetic in all her photos. I'm SO glad to have worked with her a few years ago and signed up for one of her mini holiday sessions. I decided on taking family photos VERY last minute and wasn't sure what we'd get but Melanie can work magic behind that camera! I had no idea what to prepare but she makes the whole process seamless for any busy parent. She does a lot of prep work to see what you're looking for in your photos and also has helpful tips/guides on how to style everyone. She's very easy to work with and approachable, which is why I think she's good at making you feel relaxed in front of the camera. She also has lots of tricks in getting your kids to laugh naturally. This is all helpful in creating really natural photos. For my daughter's 1st birthday, I knew I wanted to work with Melanie again and she did not disappoint! She captured all the beautiful details, family photos, and candid moments of our guests enjoying the party. I would absolutely recommend her (I already do to all my friends) and can't wait to have her photograph our family for years to come. read more

Melanie is really amazing. From beginning to end. She's very detail oriented, responsive to emails, and was super prepared for the photoshoot. Day of, she was able to get our 2 year old son to smile so genuinely after throwing the biggest tantrum in his life. My husband even said that she was so nice, professional, and a really good photographer at the end of the photoshoot. She is such a genuinely sweet person, but she also means business and is to the point. She makes sure she gets the shots. Definitely highly recommend her! Thank you for capturing our family so beautifully at this point in time!!! read more