Black woman with cowrie shells in her crownrows stands in front of museum doors

Meet Melissa Alexander

Owner + Lead Photographer of Phyllis Iller

Black woman in a blue robe poses in front of womb health artwork in a gallery

My good friend Anthony Truth Gary snapped this photo of me at my curatorial debut, HELD: Black Women and The Womb in May 2026.

Welcome.

I’m Melissa Alexander, owner and lead photographer of Phyllis Iller. Established in 2017, Phyllis is a photography studio that focuses on the various forms that intimacy, vulnerability, and courage can take. I embolden my clients to dream bigger. I invite my clients to step into their greatness.

I’m a big fan of A Tribe Called Quest, Conan the Barbarian, Zora Neale Hurston, and the aesthetic of Blade Runner. In my free time, I’m currently working on bridging the gap between womb health awareness and art through my personal project, Around The Way Dreams.

Partial Client List

Spelman College | Emory University | Glamour Magazine | Refinery 29 | Chiat/Day | The Bitter Southerner | Washington Post | Alkaline 88 | Black Food + Justice Alliance | Village Micro Fund | The National Museum of African American Music | City of Atlanta |