April 3, 2017

Meet Melanie Mercogliano of Melanie Mercogliano Photography in Alpharetta

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Mercogliano.

Melanie, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My love affair with photography has been present since I was a child. My favorite thing to do was to look through my family’s photo albums and photo books.

I founded Melanie Mercogliano Photography in 2013.

My first professional classes were taught by Jane Ammon, Child and Family Photographer in New Jersey. In 2014, I attended the world renowned, PhotoPlus Convention and Expo in New York City, and received guidance from famous Portrait Photographer, Peter Hurley.

In 2016, my business took off. My professional development is ongoing through online seminars, one-on-one sessions and while attending The Baby Summit I had the honor to meet and learn from world renowned photographers Sue Bryce, Kelly Brown, Erin Elizabeth, Heidi Hope & Kristen Cook.

Here are some fun facts about me …

* I was born and raised in Germany
* I am bilingual, German-English
* My daughters Lucy & Elsa are bilingual too!
* We have a dog, a bird and fish as pets
* I grew up 200 yards from the beach
* I am a HUGE beach bum
* Long walks are my favorite in the Fall
* Lucy and I love riding bikes together
* Art is something I do every day and teach my children
* I used to work as a professional airbrush artist
* I have a tattoo on my right arm
* My favorite color is blue
* I travelled a lot in my life (Egypt, Japan, all EU countries)
* My best friend is gay and lives in Stockholm/Sweden
* I have a passion for good books
* My husband and I love to play golf together
* I like old movies
* I love poetry (especially old German poets)

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
No roads in life ever seem smooth! You want to get somewhere – you have to go through sweat, tears, disappointments and ups- and downs. Grit is the key to success.

There are slow times in photography when clients just don’t seem to come. There are also times when I am so busy that I can barely keep up. Being creative means putting myself, my creative heart and soul out there and it is not always easy to take criticism. A challenge also was our move from New Jersey to Georgia 2 years ago when I had to start over. I also gave birth to my two loves of my life, my babies Lucy and Else, while pursuing my own business ventures.

Melanie Mercogliano Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My specialty is Newborn and Family Photography. I love getting close up with a newborn tiny baby and take pictures of every little precious detail – eyelashes, fingers, toes and those tiny lanugo hairs all over their bodies. I photograph “love” – There is nothing more precious than a newborn life being loved from all around. Families who come to me are being photographed in their natural state – usually playful, silly and full of hugs and snuggles.

My style is known to be organic and colorful at the same time. I love color, but I also love the cozy feel of warm barnyard style vintage props.

I am proud to have established a very sweet client base in the past 2 years here in Alpharetta. I am also proud to have completed several projects with my friend Sarah Hosseini that care close to my heart. We were published numerous times in the Huffington Post and Scary Mommy for articles relating to Childhood Cancer, Abuse and “Black Lives Matter”.

What sets me apart? I believe to have established a style that not only touches on the moment that happens while I am in session with a client, but captures a time in their lives that never returns. My images are dynamic and detail oriented, and a healthy mix of poses and candid shots. I always add a splash of color.

What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Success to me is when I see a client come in after their session and cry from happiness about the images I created with them. It also entails me finding a healthy work and life balance. My two babies and my husband are the most important people in my life, and they will always come first. My second love, photography, gives me the freedom and inspiration to constantly grow and develop my skills. It full fills me in different ways.

Success is personal. Each of us defines it differently. The challenge is to accept it and roll with it and appreciate each of us with our own successes equally. Be each other’s cheerleaders. I am successful when I can cheer on and help others succeed.

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