Frances Melhop

Frances J Melhop is a New Zealand-born photographer making her mark in one of the world’s fashion capitals - Milan, Italy.

For 17 years Melhop has worked her way to becoming a professional photographer, focusing mainly on the fashion industry. Her works utilise a combination of mediums; based in photography but she employes painting, illustration and 3D techniques.

Greatness was predicted for this creatively-minded artist. Whilst attending secondary school Melhop studied photography, graphic design, drawing and print making at the Christchurch Polytechnic Institute. She then went on to study psychology, political science, the philosophy of religion and German at the University of Canterbury.

After finishing her schooling Melhop travelled the world. She returned to New Zealand at the age of 21 to assist cinematographers and photographers in all fields from fashion to architecture to medical illustration in hospitals.

At 24, Melhop moved to Sydney, shooting fashion and beauty for magazines including Vogue Australia, Vogue Entertaining, Vogue Living and Soup in addition to brands Quiksilver, Heidi Vandevoorde and Husk.
At 33, she moved to Milan to work in the fashion arena for Vogue Gioiello, Vogue Pelle, Elle, Glamour, Marie Claire, L’Oreal, Premiata, Descamps and Piaggio/Aprilia.

Melhop also diverged into architecture and interiors after stumbling across an abundance of abandoned houses and castles in true fairy tale condition.

“My primary concern with image making is story telling,” she explains.

Melhop is presently working on a book of fairy tales, a series on underwater swimmers and a book on castles and their legends collected from local families in northern Italy.