Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Atkinson.
Hi Melissa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I got started with photography back in High School when my dad handed down his Nikon camera. When I started my second year of photography my junior year, they purchased my first DSLR camera. After High School, I was pursuing a degree in English and soon after graduating, I became a restaurant general manager. It wasn’t until I became a mom in 2009 that I picked photography up again. I was in the early waves of the “mommy blogger” industry and had to take photos of products and recipes. After my second child was born with a cleft lip, I needed to take a longer maternity leave and began doing social media marketing for many local businesses. During the Fall of 2017, I asked a friend if I could test a milk & cookie mini-session with her kids. It was shortly after that session that I decided to finally take a leap of faith and ask friends and family if I could capture their family portraits. That season I photographed seven families.
In 2018, I had left my job of eleven years to become a GM at another local restaurant. I still had photography as my passion but I could only make it possible on the days where I wasn’t working. It wasn’t until I lost my job due to the pandemic that I put all my hopes into building my photography business. When the world was shut down, I decided that many families would want to remember that crazy time and I offered free front porch mini-sessions. I would show up to their front porch and they would be ready with items that they wanted to remember the pandemic with. For one family, the images I captured were the last they had of their loved one through the window of a care facility. Even thinking about this makes me emotional. I offered these sessions in hopes that some of these strangers would remember my kindness when the world reopened. When 2021 started I made a five-year goal, my hopes were that I wouldn’t have to go back to the industry that I knew and that I could become my own boss with the flexibility I needed. My husband, James, is the VP of Franchising for Sport Clips and travels weekly and my two kids are so busy with sports. At that time, I was also the PTA President, and navigating that through the pandemic was a job in itself. In the Fall, I also began capturing school portraits at many San Diego schools with Del Rio Studios. By the close of 2022, I had reached my 5-year plan after only a year. I surpassed my client goal ending the year with over 230 wonderful clients. 2022 was an amazing year: I turned 40, I was finally my own successful boss, I was awarded PUSD’s Volunteer of the Year, my kids are thriving and I celebrated 15 years of marriage. My outlook for 2023 is to keep learning and pushing myself to become better.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think there is ever a smooth road. If there was, what kind of story would that be? I have always struggled, I have always worked hard and as I tell my kids, I will hustle no matter how much money I have in the bank. I think going back to running a restaurant or even back to my years as a bartender has helped me as a small business owner. The ebbs and flows will always be present and if I am too comfortable, I need to step outside of my comfort zone. My bumpy road as a photographer has been my self-taught journey. While I have taken many photography courses and some one-on-one classes you have to find your own style and as hard as it is, do not compare yourself to anyone else. I struggled for the first four years; I had a style identity crisis. I thought I wanted to be a light & airy photographer and would study so many photographers that I admired. It wasn’t until late 2020 that I figured out that I love natural, moodier, golden tones. So, then I had to study that and do a lot of trial and error with locations. Once I got comfortable with locations and knowing exactly where the sun will be on any day of the year, I FINALLY felt 100% confident. Except of course, there’s always that curveball to keep you on your toes like one of your camera bodies shutters breaking during a family session, a lens that just won’t focus, accidentally deleting an entire session while you’re still shooting, or mini sessions that just don’t sell. If you can imagine of all the “oh no” moments I have experienced ALL of them. I just get through them by smiling with my clients and reminding myself it could be worse and there’s always a solution.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
If you asked my 17-year-old self where I would be at 40 it would be a bakery owner. My goal my entire High School career was to attend culinary school. My aspirations changed my senior year when I had the best English teacher, I then wanted to be just like her. I attended Palomar Community College for way too many years and transferred to CSU San Bernardino in 2005 to finish my degree in Liberal Studies. My last year of college I decided that I wanted to switch again because I loved one professor so much that I wanted to take all her classes. I graduated with a BA in English-Creative Writing in 2007. I am still kicking myself for not taking two additional courses that would have earned me a minor in African American Studies but I was getting married and eager to start the next phase in life. In June of 2007, my then fiancé and I bought our first house in Poway and got married a week later.
– restaurant manager/general manager/social media marketing/mommy blogger/bartender/marketing manager for many SD companies/photographer
I am a lifestyle photographer who specializes in family/senior/couples. I am always up to travel anywhere and always up for spontaneous shoots. I love natural light and the dreamy glow of the epic San Diego sunsets. I will wait for the waves to calm to get the glassy reflection shots at any of the famous San Diego beaches. I am most proud of my work ethic and values. I also pride myself on getting to know every client and my attention to detail. I know it’s hard to step in front of a camera. As women and especially mothers we’re so critical about ourselves and the last thing many want to do is take a photo. I tell many clients that they should be in the photo. Your children do not see you the way you see yourself and one day they’re going to want the photos. I also tell many grandparents who might just be along at the shoot as a smile helper that they should pop in at least one photo. The still moments that are left behind are not for them, it’s for your children and your grandchildren. I have a way with kids who just aren’t having it to find that calm moment to get that smile. I often tell clients that sometimes that quirky smile of your three-year-old is how you should remember them, this is their phase, and one day they’ll also outgrow it and you might not remember it until you are reminded by a photograph.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I wouldn’t say good or bad luck but rather karma and a positive outlook. Just like back in 2020 when I was hoping good karma would help bring more clients my way. Or, only having less than $100 in the bank and still donating $20 to the fundraiser outside of the grocery store or purchasing someone’s coffee behind you. I always think doing the right thing always comes back to you in some form. I have vowed to never be that photographer who nickel and dimes you for everything because I have been the client to so many that have done this. I will often extend to another day for a family, gift sessions to someone who needs the pick-me-up, or add-on a second shoot just because. My sessions don’t end right at the 30-or 60-minute mark, I will shoot until I know that I am satisfied. My hopes when doing this is that the client will see this and refer a friend. I could have the mindset that there has been a lot of bad luck in my life but twisting the view to being a life lesson or a lesson on what not to do in the future has helped guide me along the way.
Pricing:
- One-Hour Session – $350 (family, seniors, newborn, couples)
- $175-$250 – seasonal mini sessions
Contact Info:
- Website: www.melissaatkinsonphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melissa.atkinson.photography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MelissaAtkinsonPhotography
Image Credits
Melissa Atkinson Photography
