Check Out Melissa DeMers’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa DeMers.

Hi Melissa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started photography over 15 years ago as an official business. I have always been creative & artsy, when my kids were born I always had a camera in their face as I didn’t want to miss one moment of their lives. Even as a young child I was always so mesmerized by photos, I loved looking at old photos that my grandma & mom had kept. It was like looking back in time, life goes by SO fast, it’s so neat that I get to freeze it.

Eventually I created my business because I LOVE capturing special memories for others. It brings me great joy & I truly cannot see myself doing anything else, ever. I am blessed to have a job that I truly love & cherish.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As a business owner, it’s never a smooth road. Although I do what I love, it is a lot of work, sometimes away from my family time (I have gotten better through the years managing that & building my business hours around my family, not vice versa but it took many years!). Even now, every once in a while I will have to miss things, ultimately I have really strived to build my business around my life & not the other way around. It’s a struggle at times for sure.

Other struggles in the past have been figuring out my cost of doing business. I want to be fair but competitive & certain years it has been difficult (ie, during the pandemic or a few years after). I feel like my current prices are fair & I mix in a few deals here & there to make it worth my while & offer my clients some discounts from time to time. It is always best to make sure you’re paying yourself, as well as feeding back into your business though. It’s a tough balance at times, but I feel like I finally have it down.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My favorite type of photography is lifestyle family & newborn sessions. Lifestyle is basically not super posed, I always tell my clients that I will guide you, I will pose you for the most part, but I am full of prompts to give at my family sessions to make it look a little less “stiff” & more flow-y, so to speak. I don’t necessarily love photos of everyone staring into the camera, but playful, laughing, tickling, kids chasing each other, HUGS (human connection is a MUST at my sessions) is what I aim for. Those make the best photos to be honest, in my creative opinion.

I have also started teaching! I am very excited about my in-home newborn mentorships right now. I am offering two different in-home newborn mentorship packages currently for all of my Southern California photographers who are interested in learning more about newborn photography. How to pose, swaddle, soothe & shoot, I love teaching others my tips & tricks to be a successful newborn photographer.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I am an open book. I do not gate keep. If you talk to me, I will share locations with you, my tips & tricks on photography, what I shoot with, how I gain my clientele. I feel like there is SO much work to go around, why not share what I know? As long as you are friendly to me & willing to learn, I am here to guide. Let’s grab coffee!

Also, not business related really but I am a veteran of the United States Air Force (I served for 4.5 years straight out of high school).

I am also a melanoma cancer SURVIVOR! I have had a lot of adversity in my life, but keeping GOD centered has really helped me overcome SO much in my life thus far. I am nothing without my faith. I truly believe that.

Pricing:

• Family Photography from $350+
• Newborn Photography $600
• Newborn Mentorships from $350+

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissademersphotography
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissademersphoto/

Image Credits
All images by Melissa DeMers Photography