Hi,
I’m Melissa
Virginia wedding & Portrait Photographer
I’m Melissa, founder and main photographer for Melissa Diane Photography. I fell in love with photography after I shot and processed my first roll of film in my high school darkroom. I started to see the world through my viewfinder, noticing the subtle beauty of light and creating compositions in my head. After my first year of art school at VCU, I knew I wanted to study photography and make it my profession. After graduating from VCU in 2012 with a Bachelors of Fine Art in Photography, I founded Melissa Diane Photography and began this incredible journey.
I believe that:
Every couple deserves to have wedding photos that capture their unique love story and remind them of the powerful love they feel for their partner.
I'm not about:
Awkward poses, poor communication, a world without margaritas.
You can find me:
Hiking and exploring with my camera, playing golf with my husband, and cuddling on the couch with my dog and kitty.
I find so much inspiration in the beauty of nature and I love to use it to highlight the beauty within my clients. I am always looking for the best light coming through the trees or the perfect leaf to highlight a beautiful engagement ring. During shoots, you’ll probably see me crouching in the bushes or trees to get that perfect shot where my subjects are surrounded by nature.
I feel very blessed to be based in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains where there is no shortage of stunning scenery to explore with my clients. From the incredible vistas of the Blue Ridge Parkway, to the historic columns at UVA, to the vines of Virginia’s wine country, I’m ready to turn the love you feel into a beautiful photograph that you can enjoy for years to come.
Sincerely,
Melissa
My Love Story…
This my husband Ty and I on our wedding day in September of 2016 but our story began back in college at VCU when I accidentally ran into Ty with my bicycle and he asked for my number. Don’t worry there were no injuries! We became good friends and started dating in 2009.
After college, we decided to teach English in Chile and made plans to move abroad together. On a trip to Thailand two weeks before we were due to leave for South America, Ty proposed to me on top of a mountain overlooking a tuquoise sea. Despite wearing a bathing suit cover up and no shorts, it was absolutely perfect! We lived in Santiago, Chile for 10 months and then backpacked from Patagonia to Colombia for the next 3 months all while planning a wedding! Our love for each other and for exploration grew so much in those months but we couldn’t wait to get married back at home in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
It might sound cliche but it truly was the BEST day of our lives. I got to marry my best friend, my fellow adventurer, and my partner in life surrounded by friends and family that travel from near and far to be with us. We ate BBQ, we drank Chilean wine, and danced the night away with our favorite blue grass band.
These days, we live in Staunton, VA with our dog Birdie and our cat Pineapple where we enjoy playing golf, visiting different vineyards, and hiking in the Blue Ridge.
These are a few of my favorite things!
Food
Sushi
Places I've traveled
Thailand, Peru, Colombia, Chile
Bands
Andrew Bird, Mandolin Orange, Led Zeppelin, Steel Drivers
TV Show
The Office
Book
The Handmaid's Tale
Non-Photography Activities
Camping, Hiking, Visiting Vineyards and Breweries, Golfing, Ceramics
Meet my amazing animals
Pineapple
She has 26 toes and is always sporting a tux
Birdie
Red Fox Labrador