I headed out to Arlington, Virginia this spring to visit Marymount University for some marketing work. We built in two days on campus, which meant we could come back the next morning for the spots where the light just wasn't cooperating the day before, and catch a few angles we'd missed the first time around. The two days also let us pop into so many different locations and classrooms which really shows off the university as a whole. That extra day made a real difference — the gallery ended up with a nice range of shots the University can use across their marketing in a variety of ways.

This spring I spent time on and off campus with the students and faculty from Penn's School of Social Policy & Practice (SP2) and Graduate School of Education (Penn GSE).

Another graduation season is in the books, folks. It was MKP’s 19th year documenting graduations. This year we photographed 8,493 grads. You read that right - we got to celebrate with OVER EIGHT THOUSAND GRADS, across eleven schools, and twenty-two graduation ceremonies.

I headed out to Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania a couple times this spring to visit Messiah University for some marketing work. It had been a few years since their last campus shoot, so we had a wide variety of subjects on the shot list. Of course plenty of photos of campus and active classroom shots, as well as time to find all the quiet little nooks Messiah has to offer. The healthy mix of formal and candid shots gave the final gallery a really nice range that the University will be able to use in a mix of marketing spaces for years to come.

Getting the call from Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia made my heart skip a beat. I love traveling and learning about different institutions and communities. Marymount was looking to update their branding photos, so we settled on a shoot day this fall, and then two more in the coming spring. Exploring a new campus and uncovering its hidden gems is one of my favorite parts of this work, and Marymount was full of them. Marymount’s campus is a cozy 21 acres built into a hill, and I just LOVE the way the buildings interplay with each other. From elevated walkways and a maze of staircases to light-filled hallways – smiling students and faculty were quite literally around every corner.

When you invest in hosting an event, whether it’s a conference, gala, fundraiser, retreat, or company celebration, you’re doing a lot more than just having a party. When you host these events, you’re creating an opportunity to tell a story, market your brand, and create a  connection with your audience. Professional photography turns these moments into marketing assets that you can use long after the event is over.

At Melissa Kelly Photography, my team and I help organizations capture the energy, emotion, and intentionality behind your events so you can leverage those photos across platforms year-round. Here’s why professional event photography delivers such a strong ROI.

Back in October, I had the chance to photograph “Contested Frames: Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples Confronting the Colonial Gaze” at the Temple Anthropology Lab & Museum. It was one of those projects that stays with you long after you pack up your gear.

Widener University Homecoming weekend is always a good time! Last year we had picture perfect weather, so we were due for a little drizzle this year (while inconvenient for the event, made for some memorable photos)! This year, MKP team member, Theresa, ran with the show and did an amazing job capturing every event across campus, both big and small. I’m so thankful for the incredible team I’ve assembled over the years. Their professionalism makes sure every client experiences the same high-quality photography we’re known for.

Last month, the Drexel Dragons traded textbooks for paddles as students from LeBow College of Business’s Executive Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) program took to the river for a day of dragon boat racing.