Allison Rivera ~ Personal Fitness Trainer

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Originally uploaded by melanieavita

This is my sister-in-law Allison. She kicks @ss.

When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night he checks his closet for Allison.

Allison has to maintain a concealed weapon license in all 50 states in order to legally wear pants.

Allison doesn't read books. She stares them down until she gets the information he wants.

Allison is the reason why Waldo is hiding.

When Allison does a push-up, she isn’t lifting himself up, she’s pushing the Earth down.

Lights of the South Maze

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Originally uploaded by melanieavita

Here is the shoot that I crafted for the Lights of the South. I was taken up about 5 stories up in the air to shoot a top down shot of the Christmas tree maze. We were in a cherry picker that only had two chains keeping us from slipping and falling to our certain death. Did I mention that it was raining?

In any case, we survived. The maze really is very entertaining. When people ask, I tell them that it is fun for all ages. It is simple enough that a child could make it out, but challenging enough for adults to enjoy.

Come by and say hello to me at Lights of the South. For more information, visit www.lightsofthesouth.com

A little Photoshop Lesson . . .

This composite consists of three shots pieced together in Photoshop CS3. I opened all three files in PS and dragged two of the shots into on file so I had three layers to work with, not forgetting to copy the background layer and deleting it. I created a fourth layer as the new background and made it black. I took right side of the tree and dropped the fill to about 85%, which makes the layers easier to match up. Using distort option in free transform (command + T or control + T) I pulled the layer into place. Then I did the same to the left side. After the sides were placed, I pulled the fill levels back up to 100% and merged all the layers. (select layers and command + E) The last step was to touch up the image as much as possible. There were a couple of light bulbs on the maze that were out, so I selected neighboring light bulbs and copy pasted them over the burnt out bulbs. The last step was to free transform the image to lessen the harsh perspective. We got really high up, but it was still not high enough. Simply pulling the top of the image in free transform made it much easier to look at.

Think you could find your way through?

Where am I going?

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Originally uploaded by melanieavita

Maybe there was something I did wrong in a former life that has doomed me to wander the earth in search of a home.

Should I book it for Aruba? Give London another go? Find a commune to live on? Follow my feet back to Seattle? Teach in China again? Try the Peace Corp?

So much to think about.

Black Friday Car Fire

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Originally uploaded by melanieavita

After coming out of the bank, this is what I found in the intersection. Fortunately, the driver did make it out of the car.

Amalie Blowers, this child is a doll!

Amalie
Originally uploaded by melanieavita

I started missing my friends the Blowers today when I realized that I had some pictures of them I've forgotten to process! Amalie is the most amazing child I have encountered. She is charmingly witty and already incredibility articulate. Of course, my adoration of her wonderful parents might have me biased, but that is neither here nor there. My favorite moment with her was when I told her that a dark freckle on my arm was a chocolate chip. She was so enthused at the idea, that she told her father, "Daddy, Melanie has a chocolate chip! I want to eat it!" In this photo in particular, you can see her growing more beautiful and resembling her mother more and more. I can't wait to visit my friends and bring them pie. :)

Interview with artist Porkchop

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Originally uploaded by melanieavita

Last Friday, my brother and I went to Sky City in downtown Augusta to meet local Augusta artist, Porkchop. Don't let the name fool you, this man has some serious talent. AKA Leonard Zimmerman Jr., the most accurate description of Porkchop's creations might be, emotionally cathartic pop art metaphors depicted mostly by robots (with the occasional pumpkin) with a pinch of house music inspiration.

Here is the video created by my brother with Morning Walk Productions:


Leonard also uses his creative expertise as a designer with weirhouse

Check out more Porkchop creations:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/makemyporkchop/

Lights of the South

This is the get up that I'm wearing at the Lights of the South. Come visit me at the lighted maze starting this Tuesday!

Aida's First Birthday

Moniqua and her 2 Henrys

When I think about all the photographs I've taken in the past, I always feel the most guilt over the pics I've taken and was unable to edit in a timely manner.  Once, I shot a wedding and had a break up two days after.  It was so hard to look at pictures of a happy couple, so I dreaded doing the work.  Instead of the normal 2 weeks I allocate, it took me 4 weeks.  Which, honestly is not that bad.  My poor brother and his wife got their album right before their first anniversary.  (They used Bella Pictures, go ahead and compare.  Those McPhotogs don't intimidate me.)  Don't get me wrong, those pictures were stunning.  I mean, my brother is a handsome Rivera and his wife is a knock out (double entendre!), so OF COURSE the pictures were gonna look great.  It's just that they were starting to think they would never get it!

But I digress . . . After reading old blog posts from my friend Moniqua whom I photographed, I remembered how long it took for me to deliver her images.  Mind you, it was one of my rare pro-bono gigs that I only do for close friends, but still.  She is such a wonderful spirit and great Mom.  So, in honor of her pregnant, glowing beauty, I would like to introduce all of you to her blog.
M and the two Henrys

The Blind Willies Piano

The Blind Willies Piano
Originally uploaded by melanieavita

Took this shot when I was at Blind Willies shooting my friend Wade Keeton. He's playing tomorrow night on Marietta Square and I want to wish him the best.

Go Wade!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#/ical/event.php?eid=195373822655

Apartments and Birthdays

Hello peoples,

Today I visited Royal Palms Apartments to shoot some promo shots.  The funny story is how I made the contact for this job.  It was Halloween night and after finishing my job at the Fright Factory and visiting Le Chat Noir, I was bouncing off the walls at Sky City.  (Or at least, that is how my boyfriend remembers it)  BF was meeting (being interrogated by) one of my old friends, so I thought I would meet someone new too.  I sat down next to a guy in scrubs and started talking to him and low and behold,  he needed a photographer!  Even when I'm out of the town, I can still network.

This Saturday, I will be joining the celebration as little Aida turns 1 year old!  Wish me luck.  Kids are hard to photograph, but also the most fun.

Welcome to my new blog

Hi, I'm writing a blog.