It’s a gorgeous Saturday afternoon to be taking pictures.
And that’s exactly what Melissa Brown is doing. She’s shooting product shots for her friend and client, Andrea of Luna Reece Ceramics.
We’re in Andrea’s Eastside backyard, with a backdrop pinned up against the fence and a collection of colorful ceramic pots around us.
I wasn’t planning to participate in this photo shoot, I just wanted to see Melissa in action. But at one point she glances over her shoulder towards me and asks sweetly, “could you hold this for me?”
Next thing I know, I’m a photo assistant, angling the light just so and suggesting shot ideas. I’m not in the photos she’s taking, but I kind of feel like I am.
And that’s what people love about her work. When you see Melissa Brown’s images, you feel like you’re in them.
Like you’re standing right there, sand between your toes, catching just the perfect golden light on the pier, or gazing up at the swaying palm trees overhead.
Photography by Melissa Brown, on display at Boathouse Collective, Costa Mesa.
Photos: Samantha Chagollan
My favorite image of hers is the reflection of a palm tree in a rain drop, which she admits is one of her best sellers. It’s also one of the first prints she sold off of Instagram, about seven years ago, when she realized photography was more than just a hobby.
Her images showcase a gift for capturing natural light at its best.
If you check out her online gallery, you’ll find a collection of seaside images from all hours of the day and night, from piers and pigeons to Ferris wheels and footprints.
Lately, Melissa has gotten into shooting sporting events, product and branding shoots, and homes too. She’s been loving capturing rooms and properties for local real estate agents and interior designers.
Regardless of whether she’s shooting bedrooms or boardwalks, it’s her keen eye and unique perspective that make her images so memorable.
“I like to evoke emotion,” Melissa says about her work. “Everywhere I go, I see…that’s a shot, that’s a shot…”
Photo: Samantha Chagollan
Just like that day around five years ago when she decided to shake off the blues of a bad day by grabbing her camera and heading towards the beach. She ended up in Balboa, and one particular image she captured of the Ferris wheel was featured five days later on ABC Eyewitness news.
What made them choose her shot? Even though many other photographers have captured similar images, she can still pick hers out in a heartbeat.
“I love pushing the limits when it comes to getting a shot,” she says. “I sometimes put myself in some risky situations, hanging or dangling upside down off a pier or a bridge, or balancing on a beam to get the picture I want.”
Maybe it’s her experience in gymnastics or platform diving that allows her fearlessness to take over when she spies the perfect shot.
A huge proponent of using just natural light (no filters for this gal!), Melissa often tells newbie shutterbugs to try shooting the old-fashioned way. “If you really want to learn photography in this digital world, go buy a roll of film and an old camera and learn the equipment. You can take your digital pictures to a whole new level.”
The biggest compliment she receives is when people tell her they feel like they are right there, in her image. It’s that connection that’s the juice for Melissa, that keeps her inspired and helps her dream up her future: maybe a gallery and studio space where there’s room for other artists of varying perspectives and talents.
Costa Mesa Photographer, Melissa Brown: “I love pushing limits… getting a shot.”
Photos: Samantha Chagollan
When I ask her why art matters, she looks incredulous. “Without art, we wouldn’t have emotion,” she says. “And…it’s what keeps me grounded and sane. If I didn’t have art, I don’t know where I would be. It just brings so much joy to my life. ”
The natural light in Andrea’s backyard is starting to thin out, and the subtle breeze moves the leaves nearby. Melissa tilts her face up towards the light and tells me she can’t imagine living anywhere else besides Costa Mesa. “I always felt like I belonged here. It’s home.”
Melissa has lived here since ’98, and is a single mom of two boys and a full-time financial controller. But she manages to find as much time as she can to prowl around the Newport Mesa area and capture these gorgeous images.
And when she’s not shooting, you’ll likely find her at one of her favorite Costa Mesa hangouts: East Borough, Memphis Cafe, or Oak and Coal.
Photo: Samantha Chagollan
Melissa is just one cool chick who sees the world in a beautifully lit, magical kind of way. She makes me want to see the world that way too.
As we make plans to meet up again sometime soon, Melissa says something that I absolutely love:
“Every single person sees things differently,” she says. “No two shots are alike. We all bring something different to the table, and I think we have to embrace and accept our different perspectives.”
That’s why we all love art, isn’t it? It gives us the opportunity to see something through another perspective, which opens us up to seeing everything in a different light.
And that right there is a big picture perspective. ♥
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You can find Melissa’s art currently on display at Boathouse Collective, follow her on Instagram, and find her prints online at www.mat3photo.com.
