18 ••••••••• • More than once I was contracted by a Foreign Ad agency to shoot projects in Korea. On one particular occasion the agency CEO invited me to a special dinner party at a government center in the heart of Seoul. The room was filled with notables of all types, Even Korea’s most popular female movie star. The group had a wonderful way of putting everyone on a level playing field and eliminating any hierarchy. Everyone sat at a […]

 •••••• Perhaps it’s a bit of a stretch to call it an argument. It really ended up being more of a sales pitch. Let me explain. Years ago, during the Dot Com boom, I was contracted to shoot portraits of the important founders, innovators and financial backers that sparked one of the most dynamic changes in history. The project gave me access to fascinating people—from Jeff Bezos to Jeff Yang. But one of the most memorable experiences came with Jim […]

 • • • • • Thought I would share this learning lesson from my past.  I call it “She Saw Sea Shells” 
When you’re an artist, you learn early on that once your work is out in the world, it no longer belongs to just you. It becomes a mirror—distorted, clear, or even absurd—of whoever’s standing in front of it.

Years ago, in a small gallery in Palo Alto, I learned this truth the hard way. Or perhaps the most entertaining […]

• • • • • So yesterday I had the feeding tube removed. The doctor told me that with this type of tube, all he had to do was yank it out, as he went through the hand motions. He asked, “are you ready?” I said “not after you just showed me that.” Then he placed one hand firmly on my stomach, the other hand grabbed the tube, and he yanked as hard and as fast as he could. It […]

•••••• A make-up artist that I have worked with frequently over the years, Jan Lendhart, has been reading my posts. And she suggested this story that she recalled us working one. A Tale of Tough Love on a Set This was supposed to be fun little gig for a software security company.  Just a simple image of a fierce female cop, gun drawn, staring down a cyber criminal. I envisioned a moody, cinematic setup in the studio, shadows slicing across […]

Let me start by bringing up the past. I used to race motorcycles—a long time ago. Yamaha RD’s. Two-strokes. Café racers. The kind of bikes that, when you twisted the throttle, shot forward like a rocket. If I leaned low into a corner and turned my head too far, I’d lose your nose in a heartbeat. I had to think fast, move fast, react fast.  But that was decades ago. Back when I believed I was invincible. Long before I […]

It was October 2002, and we were deep into a high-intensity location shoot in Glendale, California for Hewlett-Packard. At the time, HP’s latest computers were being used by DreamWorks for their cutting-edge animation work, and we were there to capture that story for B to B ads foe H.P. The schedule was packed. With a long list of shots and limited time, I was managing two full crews, constantly on the move—setting up lights, tearing down gear, racing against the […]

It was one of those surreal moments you only see in movies. “Mel Lindstrom” “Mel Lindstrom !” ” Is Mel Lindstrom here?” Friends of mine, who knew I was at the event, started shouting from across the room: “Mel’s here! Get him up to the podium!. The only problem? I wasn’t in the room—I couldn’t be. The ADDY Awards, sponsored by the American Advertising Federation, are a big deal in our industry. You start at the local level, where you […]

Why I Never Would Have Made It in the Corporate World Years ago, I was doing a location shoot for a big corporation called ROLM. We were set up in their offices in San Jose, using a massive conference room with one entire wall made of glass. That wall looked out onto a sea of cubicles—classic corporate territory. The main focus of the shoot was the people seated around the conference table, but I wanted to add a little life […]

Yes, it’s true! To demonstrate firsthand just how beautiful and professional iPhone photography can be, I’ll be exhibiting prints in local public venues. The latest show will be held at The Red Rock in Mountain View, featuring a collection titled “NaturePlants.” You can explore the series online at melphoto.com/portfolios/nature If you’re in the area—especially if you’re a skeptic—come see what kind of stunning images your iPhone is capable of capturing. Or better yet, sign up for a class and start creating […]