Member Spotlight: Melissa Monsalve
How would you describe your photography style?
Even though I’ve been taking photos since I got my hands on my first point and shoot in middle school, I hilariously still struggle with describing my photography style. I think perhaps the easiest way to put it is that my style is that of a quiet observer. Growing up in NYC, you grow accustomed to there being so much of everything: noise, people, movement. I learned very quickly to find appreciation for what feel like quiet moments shared by or with strangers in the middle of all the madness, no matter how mundane they may seem. Whether it's a sweet moment shared by a couple on the subway, or a little kid hiding under a towel on a sunny day, it all feels special to me. I just bear witness to the world unfolding in front of me and hope that sense of wonder or curiosity comes through my lens.
How did you first come across CMC, and what drew you to become a part of this collective?
I think CMC came on my radar around 2015/2016. At the time, I was living and working down in DC, and became an active member of a photography community there. Initially, I joined that community to just meet people but it reignited my love for photography. Knowing that I would likely be moving back to NYC after my job ended, I started seeking out photography communities here to keep the momentum going and CMC came up!
What drew me to CMC and has kept me a part of it has been the sense of community. The members really make CMC what it is. It’s composed of truly talented and kind people who are eager to help each other on their creative journeys, no matter what stage of the journey they are on. As someone who struggles with inspiration and seeing themselves as an artist, this type of space has been impactful and helpful for me to grow into my own with photography. I feel like I’ve been more willing to try new things and come out of my creative shell a bit in this community, which has been so valuable.
What do you think makes a good photograph?
Beyond anything technical, a good photograph does something to me on an emotional level. It makes me feel something in my chest. Makes me want to know more about the subject. Makes me want to jump into the image and live in it. It will make me want to look at things from a new perspective.
Could you share 3-5 images from your most recent project or photo series? We'd love to hear the story behind these works and what inspired the project.
This past year was my first year since college that I picked up a film camera. Having gone through a number of consequential life events in the last few years, I felt a calling to go back to basics and picking film up again felt like the move for me. It’s forced me to be more intentional with my eye while still finding opportunities for play. It’s also helped to quiet the internal critic a bit because what’s beautiful about film is that there are likely to be some imperfections that come up, whether it be because of the age of the camera or the use of expired film.
