Meet Melina Deya | Photographer, Director & Producer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melina Deya and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melina, why did you pursue a creative career?
I didn’t really choose it in a conscious way. From an early age, I was drawn to visuals, to mood, to atmosphere. My curiosity for being creative started through wanting to learn music and then inherently moved into photography. Growing up in Puerto Rico, I was surrounded by raw beauty and layered emotion, and that naturally became the lens through which I saw the world. Over time, creating became less about making something pretty and more about making sense of my feelings. Photography gave me a way to hold stillness within complexity. It became the space where emotion, memory, and storytelling could live together. Choosing it as a career felt inevitable. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My path into photography wasn’t planned. It actually started with music. I was studying classical guitar and music theory, which taught me about rhythm, feeling, and discipline. But along the way, photography found me. There were always cameras around when I was growing up, and I was the kind of kid who liked to take things apart just to see how they worked. In my late teens, I started photographing my friends, and that curiosity grew into something deeper. I built a darkroom in my kitchen and spent years teaching myself through experimentation.

I later worked at a professional photo lab doing art reproductions and restorations, and that’s where I really learned about color. From there, I started a retouching business, which eventually led me to a role at a major fashion brand. What began as a digital technician role turned into a 17-year journey where I built an entire photography department from the ground up. I became the Lead Fashion Photographer and Director of Photography Services, overseeing and executing everything from campaigns to e-commerce, and designing a fully equipped in-house studio.

Leaving that role was a big decision, but I felt it was time to step into something of my own. I’m now freelancing as a photographer, director, and producer, working with a range of clients and continuing to explore visual storytelling on my own terms.

What sets my work apart is the emotional depth and cinematic quality I try to bring to every frame. I’m drawn to quiet moments, subtle tension, and the kind of beauty that lingers. I’m most proud of the journey itself. Especially the parts that weren’t easy. There have been, and still are, many moments of doubt and the constant process of figuring things out. That journey doesn’t end. It shifts and evolves. But through it all, those challenges continue to teach me patience, resilience, and the importance of staying curious.

What I want people to know about my work is that it’s personal. It’s shaped by lived experiences, by the process of confronting and releasing inner struggles, by instinct, and by a deep respect for the journey and the act of surrender. I’m aiming to create something that stays with you, and I believe what that means is constantly evolving.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Even though I’m a homebody at heart, here are some of the better spots to get a full Miami experience.

Day 1:
North Beach: Start with a relaxed beach day. It’s quieter than South Beach, perfect for catching up while listening to the waves.
Dinner at Walrus Rodeo
Drinks at ViceVersa

Day 2:
Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA): Free admission
Rubell Museum
Dinner at Tâm Tâm

Day 3:
The Kampong
Matheson Hammock Park
Dinner at Boia De

Day 4:
Little Havana: Stroll down Calle Ocho, visit local shops
Lunch at La Camaronera
Evening at Pérez Art Museum Miami

Day 5:
Afternoon at Wynwood Walls
Dinner at Mandolin Aegean Bistro
Live Music at Lagniappe

Day 6:
Afternoon at Standard Spa
Dinner at Macchialina

Day 7:
Afternoon at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden
Sunset Dinner at Smith & Wollensky

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There isn’t one single person I can point to, but rather a collective of people, moments, and influences that shaped me. In the beginning, I was determined to figure things out on my own. I turned my kitchen into a makeshift darkroom and relied on instinct, curiosity, and trial and error to learn. But the more I grew, the more I realized that creativity doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Some of the most meaningful breakthroughs happened when I opened myself up to collaboration. The sharing of ideas, building with others, and letting different perspectives challenge and expand my own. Cinema also played a big role in shaping my visual language. Films like Amélie were early catalysts that showed me how emotion, whimsy, and storytelling could be woven into a single frame. I’m deeply grateful for the artists, peers, and community that continue to inspire me and push the work further. They’re an essential part of the story.
This shoutout is really for the ones who move through the creative world without ego. For the people who do the work because they genuinely love it, who share their knowledge freely, and who lift others up in the process. Those are the ones who leave a lasting mark, and they deserve the recognition.

Website: https://www.melinadeya.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melinadeya/

Image Credits
Copyright of Melina Deya
Roly Diaz