Melody Joy

About Melody Joy

Melody Joy is a destination wedding photographer who feels truly fulfilled and grateful that her passion for photography, design, architecture, traveling and new experiences has become intertwined with her life’s work of documenting the love between two people, anywhere in the world, on their wedding day. She currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland with her husband, while still traveling back to the States, where she is originally from, regularly for weddings and family time.

Behind the Brand

What draws you to wedding photography?

The contrast of photographing two humans in love on such an incredibly meaningful day in their lives, is much more rewarding for me to document over commercial projects, as every couple will be able to cherish those images forever. The simple fact that wedding or elopement photographs are cherished so deeply between just the couple or their closest loved ones, brings me so much joy and inspires me to document as naturally and creatively as possible.

How would you describe your photography style?

I tend to lean on the more silent and relaxed approach with keeping an eye for the best lighting and angles that are the most flattering. For the couple, how I interact with them is like a close friend, which means that the images tend to be more natural, candid and show genuine emotions or interactions throughout the day. For the details, I tend to resonate with still life paintings, so try and create a dynamic contrast of light for any details that are meaningful to the couple, from the pieces of their outfit, to the textures of the walls in the venue or villa to the floral arrangements on the tablescape.

What inspires you creatively?

I am always inspired by Japandi interiors, minimal and brutalist architecture as well as cinema that has a unique way of being shot. I watch a lot of Korean dramas, and there are quite a few scenes that have inspired me. But just good design all around, from structural fashion to the structures of the buildings in a city, it all mesmerizes me and inspires me to want to create that feeling in an image.

What is it that makes an image magical?

I would venture to say that all of the moments captured from a couple’s wedding day that someone spent a lot of time planning and styling for can be magical simply from the meaningfulness of them, but the viewer of the image is what interprets it to make it magical for different reasons. The moment captured really is what matters to the couple, so any image can feel magical to them when it has that personal meaning and memory behind it. But for others looking at another person’s wedding photo who they don’t know, sometimes you can feel what they are feeling and be moved by it, whether by the dynamic lighting that draws focus to something, a still moment creatively photographed or seeing the emotion in a facial expression or simple touch; those images can be magical to others as well.

What advice would you give couples when selecting their wedding photographer?

Personality (for any vendor, honestly) is such a big part of an overall seamless wedding day, as your photographer will spend most of your day with you, by your side. If it were me, I would go with someone who feels like a friend when you speak with them. Beautiful images in the style you resonate are important and seeing how they tell the story of a wedding day online, more in depth on wedding blog posts on their website, but I highly suggest having a zoom call (or if you’re local to me, drinks or coffee in person!) to make sure your energy is the same level to ensure your relaxation on a wedding day and that you choose someone that you feel completely secure about and can just enjoy your day with your loved ones.

Your dream location to shoot a wedding?

My dream location to shoot a wedding would be Mexico City, Seoul, Tokyo, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Stavanger (where my grandpa was born) and truly wherever a couple wants to wed, that is in an inspired or meaningful surrounding to them, such as a mountain, valley, waterfront, dessert or any land that is memorable to them. Honestly, I would love any location where I can find a solid local coffee roaster nearby with lodging that is either brutalist, historic or a villa with a pool.

Editor Notes

Why we love Melody…

Melody’s soulful images freeze your most intimate moments in time with cinematic beauty and rich, timeless tones. We love that she draws inspiration from interiors, architecture, and cinema, giving her work a unique quality of opulence.

For the couple…

Who want their candid moments captured with artfully emotive frames, unexpected angles, and cinematic artistry that will infuse each image with enduring authenticity.