Meet Melinda Wilkinson | Family Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melinda Wilkinson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melinda, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
I believe that all parents should show their children the results of hard work, facing challenges, and growth. We can show our children that determination and practice can help them succeed. Whether we stay home full time, work full time, or something in between – like me, we can take advantage of opportunities around us and show them that we all fail sometimes, and it’s okay. I think that being open with my children and letting them see the ups and downs of business and life in an age-appropriate way can help them to be less hard on themselves, and more willing to keep trying when they don’t succeed at first. Too often, especially with social media, they only see the results of the hard work. They might see images of people after they’ve lost weight, or when they were honored with an award, or their team won the championship. But they don’t often get shown the hard parts that happened before that- waking up when it’s still dark to exercise, skipping a birthday party to practice, or practicing their skill instead of playing video games. I think consciously modeling these hard things, showing my kids that failures happen and how we pick ourselves back up, will have a lasting impact on how they face their own challenges as they grow.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I photograph maternity, newborn, and high school seniors, capturing their most important times so they can look back and remember them. I am patient and easy-going, with a simple but elegant style. Getting to where I am took some practice, because there are so many different ways to enter the photography world. Weddings, parties and other events, family portraits, food photography.. and they all require a different set of knowledge to be successful and create beautiful art. I finally settled on what I truly love to photograph – those moments right when your life changes completely. They bring me such joy, and I really appreciate all of my clients for choosing me to share this special time with them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am such a homebody, but I also absolutely love new activities with my friends. Escape rooms are such a blast to me, and I’d definitely have to hit up one or two of those. My new favorite restaurant is Earl’s over in Legacy West, and I would definitely have to venture over there. I also just love some good coffee or a chai latte, and Epic Gelato in Flower Mound is my go-to. As a bonus, it’s got a beautiful area to walk and see the sunset over Grapevine Lake.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
One of the first bloggers I ever followed, Jill Krause, has made a pretty big impact on who I am and how I approach things. From the start, she has pretty openly shared her challenges along with her successes. I found that so refreshing and real, and while I don’t know her in real life, I really appreciate her candor when it comes to discussing hard topics. She hasn’t necessarily had an affect on my business, but on who I am.

Website: melindawilkinsonphotography.com

Instagram: @melindawilkinsonphotography

Facebook: facebook.com/melindawilkinsonphotos