Photographer Profile

My name is Melissa Howell and I specialize in custom portrait design for your home. You can visit my official photography website at http://www.blueprintsphotography.com/ to view more of my work and to contact me to set up a consultation.

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

In the golden sunlight

Last Saturday, I did a photoshoot with a sweet little family. The landscape was awash in golden light. All the children were so beautiful. The couple has been married almost five years and wanted a family portrait to commemorate their time together. It was clear that they still adored each other. It's so fun to do photoshoots with families like this!





Monday, August 24, 2009

A stunning bride

A friend of mine is getting married, and even though I don't do weddings, I offered to do her bridal portraits. I am thrilled with how they turned out. And yes, that is her natural hair color. Isn't it gorgeous? She is so beautiful, and I wish her and her husband-to-be all the best!





Friday, August 14, 2009

In sickness and in health

A family we have known and loved for years asked me to photograph their daughter's open house reception. She had previously been married in Utah and she and her husband had just returned from their honeymoon in Mexico. While there, the bride contracted a horrible illness and was so sick on the day of the reception that she could not walk. This is a picture of her on the floor in her parents' house before the reception. Is this not the saddest picture you have ever seen?

She had to be carried out to a bench where she and her husband sat and greeted guests. The poor thing could only sip Gatorade.

Despite being so sick, she was exceedingly gracious and beautiful, as the following two portraits will attest:



The backyard was decorated with all kinds of lanterns and candles. Here is a shot of the inside of the canopy where people could sit and eat the delicious Greek food:


Here is a shot of her little sister's hair. Isn't this amazing?


It was such a lovely reception, and the bride and groom showed such grace in a difficult circumstance. I have no doubt their marriage will be wonderful and long-lasting. Congratulations Jill and Andy!

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Save a life


This is Claire. She has the most beautiful eyes. She also has a rare liver disease that is destroying her kidneys and requires that she be on dialysis for fifteen hours every day.

This is Claire with her brother, Benson. Benson has the same disease, though it is not as advanced. Both of them will need liver and kidney transplants.


Claire and Benson's parents have sold their house and are moving to Minnesota to be near the Mayo Clinic where Claire is on the waiting list for a new liver and kidney. Claire's parents estimate their after-insurance costs to be $100,000. That is a lot of money.

Do you want to help these sweet children? I do. That's why I'm donating all my session fees for the months of August and September to Benson and Claire's Transplant Fund. By clicking on the link, you can also make a donation. Or, you can book a session with me in August or September, get fantastic school pictures of your children, and even save some money! I have reduced my session fee to $99 for these two months only, so make sure you schedule your spot now before they're all gone. Every cent of your fee will be donated to Benson and Claire's Transplant Fund. Do good. Save a life.