She received a BFA in photography from SUNY Purchase and an MFA from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. Mercedes has built a freelance career working in several genres of photography – architecture, fashion, event, and journalism. Her work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally, and has been included in exhibits at the Ogden Museum (Louisiana), Gaston County Museum (North Carolina) and numerous private collections. Mercedes has taught classes at multiple universities and photo centers, as well as run professional and communal photo studios.