About

Melinda Reyes is a Massachusetts-based photographer deeply driven by social justice. After earning her BFA in Photography at Rochester Institute of Technology and attending a year-long photography residency program in Salzburg College in Austria, Reyes traveled throughout the U.S. working as a freelance photographer. The documentaries during that time led her to become invested in social welfare and advocacy, earning a Master’s of Social Work at Simmons University. Currently fusing both professional paths, Reyes utilizes the power of documentary photography to initiate awareness and change in vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly.

Her series “The Quiet World of Aging” has been given national attention and has included three solo shows and has been in many group exhibitions, publications, and books. It was a finalist in Photolucinda’s Critical Mass in 2019 and Editor’s pick in both Lensculture’s Portrait awards and Emerging Talent award. Most recently, it was selected to be part of the 9th Edition of Photoville’s The Fence.

Her documentary series “Inside the Walls: An Intimate Look at our Elderly during Covid-19” also gained national attention and has had 2 solo shows and has been in multiple group exhibitions. It has won many awards including 1st place in the portrait series of the 16th Annual Julia Margaret Camera Awards. The series was a finalist in Photolucinda’s Critical Mass 2021, the Lucie Foundation’s “The Portrait Project”, as well as with Photoworksand the Photographer’s Eye. She was short listed for the Siena Awards.

Reyes was invited to discuss both of her projects - a Zoom talk via Freedom Public Library and for a documentary photography class for students at George Washington University’s Cordovan School of Art and Design.

Her newest fine art series “Passages” was the Fine Art series winner in the 18th Annual Julia Margaret Cameron Awards and was exhibited/published in A Smith Gallery’s show “Story” 9/2022.

During her free time, Reyes enjoys her gardens and has been creating bodies of work from all seasons and finds it her “meditative” time. It was included it PhotoPlace Gallery’s group exhibition “Botanticals” and the work is currently for sale.