It all started with...

I often have people ask me why I became a photographer. It wasn't for the money, I wasn't just another mom with a bad-ass camera, or someone who thought I had talents worthy of Ansel Adams.

The truth?

I did a Facebook post on my wall asking for a vote between photography and nursing school. I know, two complete opposites!

Wait! You did wha?!

Yes! I let my Facebook friends help me make a decision on my career path!

Why photography and not nursing?

After many people expressed their thoughts on why I should be a photographer, I did some soul searching of my own to help me validate the decision. Being fairly new to the military life, and understanding what military families go through with deployments, I decided I needed to give back to the community that I am part of. I felt the intense need to use my talents to make others smile and to help them capture their memories. The thought of a family not having new photos to cherish while apart, or losing their loved one during a deployment and not having updated photos, broke my heart.

New photos are a must before deployment!

Shortly after I signed up for my first college semester for photography, my husband was shipped off to Qatar. I got to experience first-hand what it felt like for all the families before me to be without their s/o. (we didn't have photos to cherish during this time)

After my husband's return, during semester #2 in college, I began offering free photo sessions for pre-deployments and deployment homecomings. This filled my heart with so much pride! Photography was something I was still unsure of because I was very new to the photography world (besides the simple point and shoot camera). After giving back to families, I knew I was doing the right thing, I had made the right decision for my career.

Over the past 3 years my passion has grown beyond my imagination. I will continue to service the military community, but I am also going to work towards photojournalism and travel photography.

Please enjoy my photos of pre-deployments and deployment homecomings below, I posted them in order from when I first began as a photographer. I plan to expand my work with military families as soon as we are stationed at a base again, around December 2013!

Words cannot evoke the same emotions as a photograph.

My husband with our daughter, Alyxiss, at the airport for his first deployment

My first deployment homecoming

Pre-deployment

Deployment homecoming



Pre-deployment

A new path

Hello!

I have been absent from my blog for quite sometime now, I've been busy since my husband left for his Korea tour. My kiddos sure keep me on my toes and we are enjoying our stay back home here in Grand Rapids!

I have been back and fourth on the direction I want to go with my photography since I started my business almost 2 years ago. After a conversation with a business consultant, and creating a plan for myself, I have decided what I want to do with my work.

I will continue to do photography but I am focusing on Artistic photography, Travel photography, and Photojournalism. You will continue to see my work here on my page and my work will always be available for purchase through my Facebook page, my website (http://www.melissafilkinsphotography.com/, and through Society6 (http://society6.com/MelissaFilkins?promo=9ea850).

I am no longer offering photo sessions, except for the ones that involve free deployment homecomings, the foundations I give back through, and working with vendors.

I will start updating my blog more frequently as I create more work, for now, enjoy my most recent photos below.

I thank you all for your support and I hope you stick with me through my journey as a photographer!


Melissa

{Photography} Aubri- Maternity

My sister and my neice came all the way from Germany to visit!

Of course I had to get a session in with the two of them, she is expecting baby girl #2 in November. I had a wonderful time capturing my neice Madalynn being herself as well as capturing my sister's glowing beauty! They head back to Germany tomorrow, I sure enjoyed the time I had with them!

{Photography}Giving Back- Pre-deployment July 2012

I'm a little late blogging this session, this is because we moved to Michigan shortly after this was shot. I'm happy I have the chance to post it now!

I had the pleasure of meeting this family at one of my mini-sessions in 2011. The two girls are so pleasant to work with, just like their parents. They have so much joy and love as a family, I could just feel it during our session. I have had the pleasure of doing two sessions with this family, when they asked me to photograph their pre-deployment session, I was honored.