We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Angelina Elle Melendez. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Angelina Elle below.

Hi Angelina Elle, thanks for joining us today. Has your work ever been misunderstood or mischaracterized?

As a woman in the military, I’ve had to prove myself against many stereotypes over the years. I felt I was too masculine to the public perception or too feminine inside the ranks. Finding a balance between who I am and who they wanted me to be has always been a challenge for me. I struggled with being my authentic self for years throughout my career, because I felt I had to change myself in order to fit the mold and advance. It wasn’t until I started meeting and learning from mentors in women’s empowerment that I was able to find and use my voice. I learned that many uniformed women struggle with this same identity crisis. When I began my photography career, I was trying to get more creativity into my life. I never thought it would turn into what my campaign, the Glory & Glamour Portrait Experience, is now. I feel honored to be able to show uniformed women their beauty, celebrate their femininity,  and be entrusted with telling their incredible stories in the most beautiful way I know.

Elle Rosegold Studio, LLC is not in affiliation with nor endorsed by the DOD. Our views and experiences are strictly our own and not the shared views of the DOD.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’ve always had a creative side that was hard to ignore. My mother would take us as kids to art and history museums, those were some of my fondest memories. It was in those places that I developed a deep appreciation for the arts and for timeless fashion. When I picked up photography 3 years ago, I knew that I had found the best way for me to combine the two things I had been interested in most of my life. Fine Art photography for me is being able to convey a story and the emotions behind it, which is why I consider myself more of an artist than a photographer. My clients often tell me that the experience I offer helps them see themselves as beautiful works of art worthy of admiration. They oftentimes have never seen themselves as feminine and didn’t think they could ever be photographed in a way that captures that side of them. This year, I am most proud of becoming the only Associate of the Portrait Masters within the city of San Antonio, TX and also proud of creating an extraordinary event in my community celebrating the beauty and strength of women in uniform.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I believe the hardest part of my journey as a creative is not knowing what could happen in the months ahead, knowing I might have to start my business over should I be moved due to the military. I faced that reality last year with a very difficult move from Hawaii to Texas. I had just started getting consistent clients in my studio when I had to leave Hawaii and sell my home of several years, it was devastating for me. After a few weeks in San Antonio and being stuck in a not-so-great hotel, I realized I had hit a patch of depression. I was so desperate to get out of there that I put my camera gear up for sale hoping it would buy me at least a few months in an apartment. However, no one wanted to buy my gear, so I took it as a sign that I needed to use those tools to get unstuck. I ended up finding a beautiful home that was also perfect to photograph in, however it came with a hefty price tag due to the housing price hike and I knew I had to make photography work further than a side hustle. I found a coach in the realm of marketing for photographers and decided to learn from her exclusively. Within a few months it paid off and I had built up a new, thriving client base. Now a little over a year later, I have a steady flow of clients and also had multiplied my studio income by 500%.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

I think that some consumers struggle with finding the value in what creative entrepreneurs have to offer. Especially individuals who have worked previously with newer creatives who weren’t charging a professional rate for their services. I do encounter a lot of people who are simply looking for a bargain and although they absolutely love my work, they don’t intend to pay full price for it and expect me to provide a full, luxurious service for next to nothing or out of the goodness of my heart. I absolutely love what I do as a photographer, but I draw the line at being taken advantage of. Where one photographer may charge exponentially less, another may charge more, and they are both worth whatever cost they ask for. We know the level of service may be different, their behind the scenes work may be more or less, and it’s all in how they’ve crunched their numbers to be able to maintain a thriving business. I am absolutely grateful for my mentors in the industry that helped me price myself sustainably from the very beginning. I am now in a place where I am comfortable charging what I charge, because I know the experience I provide and the custom heirlooms I create match that. I am also absolutely grateful for my clients who truly value my work and love the experience enough to keep coming back and referring me to others.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ellerosegold.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellerosegoldstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ellerosegoldstudio
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ellerosegoldstudio
• Other: www.gloryandglamour.com

Image Credits
Elle Rosegold Studio, LLC Kenneth Cooper from Entuitive Edge