Paper Airplanes

Every single person out there is on a different, unique, and totally personal photographic road. 2009 Career Training graduate Melanie Little, whose road includes Tennessee, tattoos and The Big Apple, is no exception.

Hailing from Franklin, TN, Melanie earned a BFA in photography and a minor in art history from LSU. After graduating she attended an RMSP Photo Weekend in Nashville in 2009. This experience prompted her to pack her bags and dive into photography head first by moving to Missoula for Summer Intensive, Editorial Portraiture, and Advanced Intensive.

Upon graduation, Melanie returned to Tennessee where she put her skills to use by picking up photography and videography gigs while also lifeguarding and managing a local swimming pool in order to save money to move to NYC, where she has been since August 2010. In addition to working at a local music venue in NYC, she continues to pursue freelance videography and photography jobs. Interestingly enough, the tattoo on her wrist has helped her land several of these jobs. Forever in ink is an image of her first camera – a Pentax 1000 – which she says she got as a “self-portrait motivation.”  Apparently, it’s also a great marketing tool as it has led to several conversations and even several jobs shooting musicians (live shows and promotional shoots), head shots and even some weddings.

Through a junior producer internship with digital production company Imagine NYC, Melanie gained experience while wearing many hats and even assisting on a photo shoot for Bank of America.

Other work she has been part of includes:
- A music video for Nashville musician, Keegan DeWitt titled “Michel Bizot”
- A viral video for the non-profit “Musicians on Call”
- An informal video for the architect, Dennis Wedlick talking about his “Hudson Passive Project” that was posted on Builder Magazine’s website
- Currently working on a music video for NY musician, Peter Bradley Adams titled “Between Us”
- Working as a teaching assistant at the International Center of Photography for their Teen Image Makers program.

One glance at her images and you can tell that Melanie has a zest for life and sees it with unique vision. Check out her website and her blog to see what I am talking about.

If you know Melanie, her work, or went through the Career Training program with her and want to reconnect, send a message in the comments below.

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