meet your photographer

Marissa Hurst - Founder/ lead photographer

Hey! I'm Marissa and I am the founder/ main photographer for MHP. I am a 24 year old photographer based out of the NWI but cover Chicago to Cincinnati area. Specifically, I am Midwest/ travel photographer! Besides being a photographer, I'm a dog mom who has a slight obsession with iced coffee, the outdoors, and traveling!

I picked up photography as a hobby when I was 14. Growing up in Northwest Indiana/ Chicago area, I spent as much time as I could photographing anything and everything on Lake Michigan. After realizing it was more than a hobby to me, I decided to minor in photography while I was away for college to complete my degree in Environmental Science. While being in school, I helped create a program for my college called, "Eco-Art," which was a degree for individuals who wanted to bring awareness to the environment through art, specifically through photography/ videography!

After graduating college early, I partnered with the United States National Forest (partnered with EFTA) in Ironton, OH. While being a Trails Specialist, I had the opportunity to advance my photography skills and became a photography partner with Public Affairs. With my work being published through the USFS social media and websites, as well as continuing my own photography business, I realized I wanted to go full-time with photography at the age of 21.

I had moved from Ashland, KY to the Cincinnati/ NKY/ Metropolitan area back in January of 2022. I spent most of my time focusing in on creative work, newborn photography within the Cincinnati hospitals, as well as traveling from the Cincy/ OH/ KY universities to take student headshots. With my MHP creative work, it took me to 10 different states, as well as expanding my services all over the Midwest, but most importantly creating lifelong friendships with so many of my clients.

As 2024 approached, I decided to move back to Northwest Indiana to continue my photo career! Now being 2025, I focus on:

weddings/ elopements

couples/ engagement sessions

newborn/ children sessions

maternity sessions

portrait/ senior sessions

creative/ boudoir sessions

travel sessions

branding session

and more!

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