Biography

Only 23 years old, Melinda Byrum has already found her love for life. “I have only been serious about photography for the past five years, but I feel like I have been taking pictures with my mind every since I was born.” A sophmore at the University of South Carolina, Melinda’s passion has always been photography. “I was at a college football game my freshman year of high school and I saw these photographers running all over the football field falling all over the ground taking pictures…and I knew right then that’s what I wanted to do.”

By her sophomore year of high school she was already teaching herself the art of photography and learning the concepts of the darkroom, and by her junior year she was taking pictures for her school yearbook and newspaper. She also signed up at a local technical college called Midlands Tech and took night classes for a certificate in Photography as well as a photography class at her high school. By her senior year, she had worked two photography jobs with Ashley Fetner Photography and Nettles Photographers and Associates as well as shadowed with Bryan Stone, the governor of South Carolina’s personal photographer. Melinda was taking on photography with full force. So Melinda applied and was accepted to the University of South Carolina with a major in photography, but dropped it at the last minute. “Sometimes I wonder why I decided not to pursue photography here in college, but I think the main reason is because I love it so much. As stupid as it sounds, I don’t want to end up hating the one thing I love one day by having to do it every day to make ends meet, putting that food on the table kind of stuff. I love taking pictures, and that’s that. But I want to keep it a love, not a chore.”

Melinda is currently putting together some of her best works in hopes of publishing a photography book called I Love America. She is also entering some photographs in local photography contests. “Photography is what keeps me going. It makes me happy, it gives me something to do to get my mind off life, and it really just has become a part of who I am. It is almost like having a boyfriend, but without worrying about the breakup.”

You can contact Melinda by e-mail: