Why "salt & Mist"?
 
Our name is a nod to the duality of storytelling. Salt represents the raw, candid truth of the present moment. Mist represents the ethereal, unreal quality of a cherished memory. We specialize in that intersection where reality meets fantasy, archiving the ordinary moments that feel like magic.
 
hey! we are
Sam + Meli
 
 
Long before we ever picked up cameras together, we were known as a tag team. We connected over a shared rhythm—leading worship, running church tech, and navigating co-op video games. We’ve always had each other's backs, and over the years, that partnership evolved into a shared way of seeing the world.
At our core, we are quiet observers. We naturally notice the shifting atmosphere of a room, separately gathering small details and coming together in private to compare notes. On a wedding day or during a portrait session, that synchronized instinct kicks in. Meli is drawn to the immediate subject and the surrounding space that frames their story, keeping a sharp eye on the finer details. Sam moves toward the unseen perspectives, finding the unique angles most people miss and capturing the raw, fleeting facial expressions that hold the true feeling of the moment.
When the gear is put away, our life is rooted in the beautiful chaos of family. You’ll usually find Meli managing a home filled with toddler laughter, scream-giggles, and a deep love for baking homemade chocolate chip cookies for her family. Sam is the intentional anchor—the keeper of well-organized days, a well-dressed look, and the creator of the perfect morning espresso that helps us tackle the day. We are partners in every sense of the word, and we can’t wait to welcome you into our archive.
 
A visual journal of our own lives