Melinda

The Farm.

There’s something about photographing people in their own space that feels different — unhurried, genuine, layered with personal stories. My session with Melinda at her farm was exactly that. It's Melinda's peaceful little refuge with her husband, Dave, even if the farm comes with plenty of ongoing projects and animals to care for (6 dogs, 3 horses, and 2 sheep!).

We moved easily from inside with her piano to outside with her horses. It was one of those shoots where the light kept shifting and inviting new possibilities — the kind of session that reminded me why I love this work.

Music.

Inside her home, the piano takes center stage. Melinda has been playing since she was three years old, growing up in a family where music was a shared language. She's taught piano steadily for about 16 years and toyed with the idea of retiring. But today she has nine piano students and still lights up when she talks about teaching. She also continues to play and write music herself.

Horses.

Melinda got her first horse, April, in her early 20's and has owned horses ever since. Through the years, she's ridden Western, Drill Team, Trails, Dressage, Endurance, and done Barrels for fun. She now has three horses at her farm: Rover (a Dutch Warmblood that she's owned for 24 years!), Conner (a Westphalian), and Evan (a Thoroughbred). Her horses are living the good life, and Melinda said she's "living a dream" right along with them. Melinda has faced a number of health challenges since 2019, but she shared with me her tremendous gratitude for the support she's found in Dave and her animals.