Melissa Needle is a full-time award-winning professional photographer who started her journey at age 12. After being inspired in a local photographer’s gallery while visiting Bar Harbor Maine, Melissa’s SLR camera became a constant companion and at times a welcome retreat from the stress of daily life as she pursued her left-brain science-oriented career. Her photography was first recognized at the high school level with the prestigious Boston Globe Scholastic Art Gold Key Award. Since that time, she has received multiple awards at the local and regional level and has been a juried artist in shows at the Cape Cod Art Association and the Cape Cod Cultural Center. Her images have graced the cover of Cape Cod Guide Magazine, MUSC Humanitas, The Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory PTEN Conference book, Cancer Research, and Neuroscience. She has been featured in several juried publications: “Charleston, South Carolina and the Lowcountry: A Photographic Portrait,” “Savannah, Georgia: A Photographic Portrait,” and “Massachusetts: A Photographic Portrait.”

In addition to her accomplished camera skills and knowledge (Canon and Olympus), Melissa has excelled in the art of smartphone photography in recent years and has lectured about smartphone photography at numerous camera clubs and at the New England Council of Camera Clubs’ annual conference. She currently leads the Greater Lynn Photographic Association (MA) Smartphone Special Interest Group. Since 2016, Melissa has assisted her husband, Charles, in workshops, classes and online Zoom sessions. She enjoys literal image making but is also passionate about exploring her creative side with various smartphone apps. Melissa’s smartphone images have been recognized with various awards, including a Top 24 image award in the 2020 NANPA Showcase.