hey there, i'm mellie


Owner of Poetic Lens and SWFL Family & Couples Photographer of 10 years. I have helped many families document their family and extended family stories during vacation and holidays right in the heart of SWFL, from Marco Island to Naples up the coast to Fort Myers + beyond, I'm here to help tell yours!

Woman in a black dress with tattooed arms holds a camera lens to her eye while standing in a golden grass field at sunset.

For the sandy little feet, the sun-kissed cheeks, the laughter you wish you could bottle up,

and the people who make every place feel like somewhere worth remembering.


Somewhere Between the Sunsets and the Suitcases


There's something about a family vacation that makes you wish time would slow down just a little.


Maybe it's watching your kids run toward the ocean like they've never seen water before. Maybe it's sitting on the beach with your favorite people, listening to the waves while the sun starts disappearing into the horizon. Or maybe it's simply being together, without a hundred other things demanding your attention.


Whatever it is, those are the moments we spend months looking forward to.

And somehow, they're over before we know it.


We go home with sandy shoes, a suitcase full of laundry, and hundreds of photos on our phones. Pictures of the kids playing, beautiful sunsets, the food we ate, and all the little adventures along the way.

But there's something I notice when I look back at my own family memories.


Someone is almost always missing from the picture.


Usually, it's the person who spent the entire vacation making sure everyone else was having a good time.

And as a mom of three who also happens to be a photographer, I know that feeling all too well.


That's one of the reasons I love photographing families visiting Southwest Florida.


Because while the beaches are beautiful and the sunsets are incredible,

the most meaningful part of those photographs will always be the people in them.

Smiling older boy in a purple shirt holds a toddler in a floral shirt in a warm embrace on a rocky beach at sunset.
Black and white photo of a tattooed man crouching outdoors and hugging a toddler in a floral shirt standing barefoot on grassy sand.
Shirtless toddler holds a reddish-brown sand dollar shell at the water's edge, bathed in warm golden sunset light.

A Little More Than Just a Beach Vacation


Because being together is sometimes the occasion itself.


Families come to Naples, Marco Island, Bonita Springs, and Fort Myers Beach for all kinds of reasons.

Some visit every summer. Some are celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, or big milestones. Others are finally getting the whole family together after months, sometimes years, of living in different places.


And then there are the families who just need a break.

A week without the usual routines.

A few days where the biggest decision is which beach to visit or where to grab dinner afterward.


I think there's something really beautiful about that.


We spend so much of our everyday lives rushing from one thing to the next that sometimes we forget how special it is to have everyone in the same place, enjoying each other's company.


You don't need a big milestone to have family photographs taken.


You don't need matching outfits, a perfectly planned evening, or children who promise to behave.


Sometimes the fact that you're all together, right here, in this little chapter of life, is reason enough.

Family beach photo at sunset with a woman in a purple dress holding a toddler's hand while a man and boy sit on rocks behind them.
Black and white photo of a smiling family of four with a toddler on mom's lap, sitting together on a sandy beach.
A barefoot toddler in a floral shirt and lilac shorts walks across sandy ground as an older boy crouches behind him near rocks.
A smiling toddler is lifted in a father's arms as the family gathers outdoors on a sandy path with greenery in the background.
Two young children crouch together at the water's edge on a beach, curiously touching the wet sand in this black and white photo.
Family of four in purple outfits walking barefoot along a wet sandy beach at sunset, with a mother holding her toddler's hand.

What If Family Photos Felt Like Part of the Vacation?


Less standing still. More sandy toes, salty air, and a little adventure.


I think when some people imagine family pictures, they immediately picture everyone lined up on the beach, smiling at the camera while someone desperately tries to get the youngest child to look in the right direction.

And listen, we'll absolutely get those beautiful portraits where everyone is looking at the camera.


But that's only a small part of what I love creating.


I'd much rather see your kids chasing waves, your partner spinning your little one around,

or the two of you laughing because something completely ridiculous just happened.


I want you to pick up your babies, squeeze them tight, kiss their cheeks,

and forget for a moment that there's even a camera nearby.


Of course, I'll guide you. I'll find the beautiful light,

help you get comfortable, and give you direction when you need it.

But I also know when to give a moment some space.


Because sometimes the photograph you end up loving the most is the one you didn't even realize I was taking.


And that's what I want your session to feel like.

Not another obligation on your vacation itinerary.


Just a beautiful evening with your family, where you get to be together,

have some fun, and let me worry about the photographs.

Black and white photo of a smiling family of four, with a toddler held in her mother's lap, posing close together on a beach.
A family wades in shallow ocean water at sunset, with two children crouching and two adults standing near a distant beachfront skyline.

A Little Southwest Florida Magic


Beautiful beaches, golden sunsets, and the perfect place to make some memories.


One of my favorite things about photographing vacationing

families is getting to share some of the beautiful places I call home.


From the sandy shores of Marco Island and Naples to the natural beauty of Bonita Springs and Fort Myers Beach, Southwest Florida has some pretty incredible places to spend an evening together.


Whether you're dreaming of barefoot beach photos,

playful moments in the water, or something a little quieter and more intimate,

I'll help you find a location that fits your family.


And if you've never visited before, don't worry!


I'll help you with location recommendations, timing,

and all those little details so you can simply show up and enjoy yourselves.

Black and white photo of a smiling woman with glasses hugging a happy boy in a plaid shirt from behind at the beach.
Two men share an affectionate embrace while sitting on coastal rocks near the water at sunset, surrounded by green shrubs and sandy ground.
Black and white photo of a smiling man and a young boy sitting together on large rocks, laughing while tying a shoe outdoors.

Someday, You'll Be Glad You Were There


Because the photographs that matter most are the ones that bring us back.


Vacations come and go. The kids grow up, routines change,

and before we know it, those little moments become memories.


One day, you might not remember what restaurant you ate at or exactly what you did each afternoon.

But you'll have photographs of your children with sandy toes,

your family laughing together, and the way everyone looked during that particular chapter of life.


And most importantly, you'll be in those photographs too.

That's what I love about photography. It gives us something to hold onto long after the moment has passed.

A shirtless toddler in purple shorts holds a smooth round stone while standing at the water's edge on a sunlit beach.
A family of four kneels together on a wet sandy beach at sunset, drawing in the sand beside the calm, golden ocean.
Overhead view of a shirtless toddler with dark hair reaching both arms toward the camera on a sandy beach in warm golden sunset light.
Family in coordinated purple outfits stands in shallow beach water at sunset while two young boys play in the sand.
Smiling father in a maroon shirt helps his toddler in purple swim trunks walk through shallow ocean water at a golden sunset beach.
A father holding a toddler stands barefoot in shallow ocean water beside a boy as the golden sunset glows over the beach.
A smiling man in a maroon shirt holds a young red-haired child while hugging an older boy on a beach at golden sunset.
A smiling family of four hugs on the beach at sunset, with two boys embraced by their parents beside the glowing ocean.
Family on a beach at sunset as a smiling father lifts a laughing young boy while a child and woman watch the calm water.
A woman in a purple dress holds a toddler in the shallow ocean water at sunset while an older boy walks nearby.
Toddler in purple shorts playing on a wet sandy beach at sunset with a golden pink sky and reflection in the shallow water.
A woman in a purple dress kneels in shallow beach water at sunset, hugging and kissing a smiling shirtless toddler on the cheek.

A Little Hello From Behind the Lens


I'm Mellie, the owner and photographer behind Poetic Lens. I'm a mom of three, a lover of beautiful light, and a Southwest Florida family photographer who believes the best photographs are the ones that make you feel something.


My sessions are relaxed, playful, and full of genuine connection.

I'll guide you when you need it, encourage you to have fun,

and capture all those little moments that make your family yours.


If you're planning a family vacation to Naples, Marco Island,

Bonita Springs, or Fort Myers Beach, I'd love to help you create something meaningful while you're here.


Tell me a little about your family and when you'll be visiting. I'd love to get something on the calendar!



Let's Make Some Memories


Shirtless toddler in purple shorts on a beach at sunset reaching to touch a sand dollar held in an adult's open hand.