LMents of Style uses affiliate links. By clicking on certain hyperlinks and buying a product, you may help me make a small commission off your purchase. It's links like these that keep this site going. Thank you for your support!

Good friends are great to have, but is especially great when they have talents you can support. One of my friends I met in the last year since moving to Los Angeles is Melanie Maroon. Not only is she one of the most generous and giving people I’ve ever met, but she is a very talented photographer. You can view her business Moonbeams Photos here. Mine and Nick’s 1 year LA anniversary is later this month, so I booked a photo session with her to memorialize our 365 days here. We decided to take the photos at the beach where we watch the sun set every weekend, so that made it extra special. She shot “couple photos” for us that I’ll share later // for sure use on our Christmas cards, buuuut in the meantime I wanted to share these individual shots with you.

Everlane Turtleneck Bodysuit (c/o) | Madewell Blazer (old, similar here, here, and here) | Levi’s 501 Skinny Jeans | Uncommon James Criss Cross Earrings | Always Coco Necklace

I wanted to share these more editorial / fashion shots with you, because Melanie can honestly do it all! I know some photographers have very specific niches, but she does everything from newborn shoots to family photos, weddings, and brand work. A lot of photographers I have met are pretty shy and don’t like to get in front of the camera, but Mel is the exact opposite. She grew up modeling and still models from time to time, so she really knows her way around the whole photography world.

Melanie is French and her direct, French attitude always keeps me laughing and can honestly make even the shyest person look like a natural in front of the camera. She’s also really good with children, as she has a son of her own with whom she takes fabulous photos with. I’m obsessed with this one she just took, but her portraits are always so good too. My point in sharing those is that she has a very creative eye and is great at posing, along with getting multiple versions of “the shot”. You’ll honestly have trouble picking which photo to use / print / post, because they all end up being so good!

We shot these photos last Tuesday (09/08) at Will Roger State Beach. If you use the parking lot along the PCH, you’ll be able to walk right to the beach and get this really lovely rocks and mountains featured. When we shot, the smoke from the fires had begun to roll in, which is why the sky is so colorless and moody. The sun also looks like a glowing orb that has been misplaced. Just a day or so later and it would have been a little to much smoke and such to shoot, so I’m glad we shot these when we did. Though I’d rather have no fires, the darkness of the photos is truly stunning.

If you’re looking for a photographer in Los Angeles, I couldn’t recommend Melanie / Moonbeams Photo enough! She is truly great what she does and will give you images you’ll cherish forever. Stay tuned for the pictures she captured of me and Nick!!

Contact Melanie / view her portfolio for Moonbeams Photo here.

Like what you read? Click here to subscribe to my weekly newsletter. I recap the week and share recent posts you might have missed!