Hi, I’m Marisa.
My photography journey started with a tiny bright pink point-and-shoot camera when I was seven years old. Long before I photographed families, weddings, and newborns, I spent my afternoons arranging M&Ms and tiny teddy bears on a bookshelf and convincing them to be my models.
In 2012, I got my first DSLR camera and quickly became the person who always had a camera in hand (high school yearbook, sorority historian, you name it, I was photographing it). Some of my first portraits were with high school seniors - friends who were a few years older than me while I was still in high school myself. What started as a creative hobby gradually grew into something much bigger as I learned, experimented, and fell in love with preserving meaningful moments for others.
Today, I photograph everything from seniors and weddings to growing families and first birthdays. In 2025, I built a dedicated home studio with the goal of expanding MLW Photography and creating a space where families, children, and fellow photographers can create and grow.
A Few Things About Me
• I'm a full-time engineer and a part-time photographer.
• I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Engineering Management from West Virginia University.
• My husband Shawn owns Best Mobile Tire, and we both love building businesses and tackling new projects.
• Our daughter Elise and our dog Toby keep life fun, busy, and full of adventure.
• If there's a car show, cruise-in, or automotive event nearby, there's a good chance we'll be there.
• I genuinely enjoy spreadsheets, planning, organization, and finding ways to make life more efficient.
• I've been learning, experimenting, and growing as a photographer since 2007.
• My original bright pink camera still has a permanent place in my studio.
Photography gives me an opportunity to slow down, connect with people, and preserve moments that pass far too quickly. The older I get, the more I realize how valuable photographs become. Children grow, families evolve, and milestones quickly become memories. Photography started as a creative outlet alongside my engineering career and has grown into one of my greatest passions.
My goal is to create images that feel genuine, timeless, and meaningful—photographs that help you remember not only what life looked like, but how it felt.
Whether you're celebrating a graduation, welcoming a new baby, planning a wedding, or simply wanting updated family photos, I'm incredibly grateful that you're considering trusting me with your story.
I can't wait to meet you.
