My Name is Melanie. I'm a 35 year old photographer based in Vancouver BC. I was born in Germany and lived there for almost 33 years. I grew up near Frankfurt and later moved to Mainz.Their I found my first camera in a fleemarket, it was a Canon with film. I started capturing life around me but it was just a hobby, I was more into painting with oil colors. In 2008 the whole family moved to Canada (4 kids, my man and me and 2 dogs lol ). We lived for a while at Sun Peaks and I started working as a line cook, but I missed painting and taking pictures. All the things we saw and did I wanted to hold on to the moments. The laughter of my children, the sun between the clouds and trees, the morning sunrise, the evening sunsets. The beauty of the nature and the moments of life. I started to think I would like to be a Photographer, but I didn't know where to start. Being in a foreign country, unable to speak the language. I was afraid to start an education here in Canada so I put it to the side and forgot it for a while because I thought it was not possible. After a while we moved to Edmonton AB, January 2009, because of a new job offer. I start working as a kitchen helper but it wasn't what I wanted to be. I wanted more than this and I was always sad. Feburary 2009, I found an ad in a magazine "Get your education from home and become a Photographer". So I took the chance and started my education. The fisrt day I was so confused with all the english, I had no idea what any of it meant. So I learned with a dictionary, google translater, and other books from the library. ;) My first exam score was 85%!! I was so very proud of myself. My husband bought me my first digital camera, a Canon Rebel XS. My first digital camera and a lot of buttons! lol Ok here we go again, learn how a digital camera works. Not so easy but I also managed this. I start reading books in english with a translator and this was my work between my kids and a job. My family got confused sometimes because I often fell asleep with my school books. I read a lot during the day, and would run around with my cam playing paparazzi with my kids and dogs. I would study in between cooking, cleaning, working and sleeping. I never stopped. I even dreamed about my books and my exams. I had 15 exams. I passed them all with over 85%. I finally finished my last exam at the end of 2009 with 100%, and became a photographer with a diploma. I finished all of this in 9 months. I was so happy because I finally got what I wanted. It was worth fighting for. I love photography, I love to capture the moments. I would never have gotten this far without my man by my side helping me. I'm so very thankful for that. Thank you for being there for me and being my best friend. I want to thank my kids for being in front of my camera and holding still so much. lol Now I shoot a lot of people, and a wedding already. It is always fun for me, and I cant wait for my next adventure out there. ;) My biggest dream is to shoot a wedding on a beach or a "trash the dress" must be so much fun. So bring it on, break the rules with me. ;) PS. Don't look at my english I'm still learning.

ty michael for helping me with the text ;)

my FB Page

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=125735&id=190861474404#/pages/Surrey-BC/PHOTOGRAPHY-BY-MELANIE-WEICKINGER/190861474404?ref=mf