One Image Wednesday- THAT Dress

Happy Wednesday! It’s always a struggle to figure out what to wear for your photo shoot. But what about that dress you love?!? It doesn’t have to be a ballgown, but it could be. It doesn’t have to be your wedding dress, but it COULD be. It could even be that dress you wore on your first date, your anniversary, or your birthday. OR maybe it’s just your favorite dress that you wear to the beach. Don’t think I CAN’T WEAR THAT! Bring it to your mellBella session to see that dress in a whole new way.

Boudoir Q & A Podcast

Mell Bell and Wanda and I were recently on a Podcast. And not just any old Podcast but it was Weddings from the Pros!!! A local and amazing Podcast filled with lots of great info for wedding planning, but of course, we put on our spin on it. On the pod, we chatted with Nathan Whitworth of Angled Light Photography and Kendall Kapanzhi of Wedding Festivals.

While we did talk about boudoir photography as it relates to a wedding gift, there’s soooo much more about one core beliefs, our process, our experience, and lots of answers to common boudoir questions. Like, why do a boudoir session? And, how do you choose a boudoir photographer? So check it out and let us know what you think.

Listen on iTunes: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bridal-boudoir-the-gift-that-keeps-on-giving/id1486145197?i=1000463421261

Or Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/episode/5SlXzHwuqonUl6ArBtWUwR

Let’s do this!

2020 New Year

Mell Bell and Wanda the photographers and founders of mellBella Photography

Happy New Year from mellBella! It’s 2020. It’s a new year and with that it means there fresh excitement for change, hope, and love. For growing, dreaming and achieving, building a better world filled with justice and love, making positive connections, for surviving and getting through, gratitude, and as always kindess.

We don’t know what all this new year holds. Some people say 2020 is the year of clear vision…haha. But we have some ideas and dreams that we look forward to bringing to you this year.

Our motto for this year is timeless advice:

“If you can’t love yourself, how in the hell are you gonna love somebody else!” RuPaul

Thank you for your trust, your support, and just being yourself. To 2020!

mell bell and wanda News flash friday faces

News Flash Friday- October 2018

Halloween Costume Contest

What are you going to be for Halloween? Be sure to enter our online Halloween Costume Contest. You could win a FREE boudoir or pinup session with us or some other fantastic prizes. The rules are simple, and all ladies 21 years old and up are eligible to enter.

1. Post a photo of yourself in your costume on Facebook or Instagram now through October 31st
2. Tag mellBella in your post on Facebook- mellBella Boudoir & PinUp Photography or Instagram – mellBella
3. Add the hashtag #mellbellatrickortreat2018
4. There are 3 categories and prizes: Overall (wins the FREE session), Scariest, and Sexiest (have other awesome prizes)

We’ll announce the winner after Halloween! Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Rockabillaque 2018

Are you ready? It’s almost time for the 6th annual Rockabillaque at Park Circle in North Charleston from 11am-6pm on November 10th. Bring your friends, and come check out the vintage car and bike shows, live music, or enter one of the contests: Pinup, Tattoo, Beard & Mustache, and more. mellBella is proudly sponsoring the Pinup Contest again, and this year, we’ll be judging it too! So grab your pearls, wear your best pinup look, and rock on down to Park Circle. We’ll also have a booth there to check out our pinup photography too.

Center for Women NEW Conference

C4WNEW is the Center for Women’s 2-day event on November 15 & 16th bringing inspiring fresh ideas, relevant and useful knowledge, and innovative thinking to curious and ambitious women in South Carolina. This event will ignite professional growth, personal transformation, and economic development. mellBella will be there as part of their ME TIME Marketplace with specials ONLY available for those attending. AND you can still purchase the She’s My Hero Calendar at this event.

Get your tickets at: Center for Women

mellBella Fun Fact

Looking to give back? Some of our favorite local non profits/charities to support are:

One Eighty Place ends and prevents homelessness one person at a time, one family at a time.
Florence Crittenton Programs of SC provide education, counseling services, medical care, social support, and a safe haven for at-risk, pregnant and parenting young women in need.
People Against Rape (PAR) is a sexual advocacy program offering free support and services for survivors of sexual assault.
YWCA Greater Charleston is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all.

We’ll be posting some more about them and their Christmas Wish Lists coming soon!

She's My Hero Calendar Launch Party banner

She’s My Hero Project Calendar Launch Party

To celebrate women, their diversity and empowerment, mellBella Photography created the She’s My Hero Project , a project to raise awareness and as a charity fundraiser for the Center for Women. On October 10th from 6-9pm at Boone Hall, mellBella Photography along with our fabulous sponsors will host the She’s My Hero Calendar Launch Party. Dress is casual or business casual, but we welcome you to come just as you are. The colors for the event are purples, lavenders, silver, and white, so feel free to dress to match.

We will have Erin Kienzle of Lowcountry Live, as our wonderful emcee, to present each of the winners and their photos during the big reveal. The photos from the She’s My Hero Contest winners will be in the 2019 She’s My Hero Calendar. It’s going to be so much fun, as the winners of the haven’t even seen their photos!

erin of lowcountry live with wanda and mell bell

Hungry? Enjoy complimentary food, drinks, and desserts from the delicious Asian and Latin cuisine of Dashi and mini sweet treats, wine, and sangria from Sweet Lulu’s Bakery, Cocktail Caravan, and Pedal Pub.

And who doesn’t love a silent auction? The auction items that have been donated will be on display and up for bidding to support the Come ready to have fun, purchase a calendar, bid and win at the Silent Auction, and/make a donation. The calendars will be $20 and a suggested donation at the door is $20. Of course, it’s not mandatory, but after all, it is a fundraiser. All proceeds from donations, the silent auction, and calendar sales go directly to the Center for Women.

Did you get your tickets yet? The event is FREE to attend, you just need to:

Get Your Tickets HERE!

A huge thank you to our sponsors! We couldn’t have done this without your supprt. Be sure to check them and show your support for these local businesses– many are women-owned. Can’t wait to see you there!

Did you get your tickets yet? While the event is FREE to attend, you just need to register at the link below. Get your tickets NOW! Can't wait to see you there.

News Flash Friday– August 2018

It’s that time again for a short, sweet, sassy, informative, and fun way to keep you up to date with everything that is going on at mellBella Photography.

Come say hi!

Please join us at Charleston Wedding Festivals Bridal Show on Sunday, September 9th at the North Charleston Convention Center. Drop in from Noon to 4PM. Tickets are $10 at the door or $8 online. It’s a great way to meet vendors, get ideas, and help with wedding planning. You will even meet Mell Bell and Wanda, our expert boudoir & pinup photographers. We will have a special ONLY available to those ladies who visit our booth, and there you can register for a chance to win a FREE photo session with us, including professional hair and makeup! ALL Ladies 21 and up are eligible to participate. We’ll help you create the Best. Gift. Ever! Can’t wait to see you there!

She’s My Hero Calendar Launch Party

It’s time to celebrate! Get your tickets NOW for our BIG event to raise funds and awareness for the Center for Women. The She’s My Hero Calendar will be revealed at the Launch Party on Wednesday, October 10th from 6-9pm at Boone Hall Plantation. For updates, information, and tickets visit our Facebook event page. We are still looking for sponsors for the big calendar reveal and silent auction donations. Contact us to be a part of the She’s My Hero Project.

mellBella is constantly evolving and working to become better artists, photographers, and community members. We started in 2010 by doing a few boudoir sessions under our brother company, Richard Bell Photography. We decided to form our own feminine brand and launched mellBella Photography in January 2011. Since then we’ve moved locations, added space & sets, photographed hundreds of women, partnered and supported local businesses and non profits, and so much more. This year, we even drastically changed our hair from the above photo… Wanda cut it all off and went super short and funky. But Mell Bell changed from blue to purply pink or “aggressive fuchsia.”

Even though some things change, our goal is still the same. To coach and cheer on our clients on a journey from from self conscious to confident, from embarrassed to empowered. To create art specifically for the eyes of only a few people. To fight pornography with images that celebrate and honor the subject.