Alisa was such a nice and comforting photographer, and I can't believe how awesome my photos came out. I didn't think I could look that good! The photos were very flattering. She was fun, knew what she was doing, and I loved both the photos and my experience with her.
Photographs that feel alive.
Editorial and film-inspired photography & video for proposals, weddings and soulful moments. Based in Riviera Maya. Available worldwide.
About - Alisa Meledy
Hi, I'm Alisa. I've been capturing people since I was a girl with a borrowed camera.
I was born in far, cold Russia, and from the beginning I was obsessed with two things: music, and photography. My first camera was a little Samsung film one at seven years old. Five years later I found my dad’s Canon in his closet and quietly borrowed it almost every day. That camera changed my life, and I have never really put one down since.
By high school I was the girl who photographed everyone. What I loved was watching people laugh, kiss, run and dance, and trying to catch it before it passed, to show them how beautiful they are simply being themselves. Photography taught me to notice the smallest things about a person, the details they might never have seen in the mirror.
Today I bring that same eye to couples, weddings, portraits, families and travel sessions across the Riviera Maya, from Playa del Carmen to Tulum, and wherever else the work takes me in the world. Beyond single images, I help clients shape whole brands and the way they show up online. My style is film-inspired and editorial: soft tones, a warm, cinematic feeling, always in service of the moment rather than on top of it.
For me, photography was never only about beautiful pictures. It is about making a space where people feel comfortable, confident and connected, and truly themselves.
- Con mucho gusto, Alisa.
Two artistic languages
Timeless · Cinematic
Two distinct visual languages - choose the one that feels like the memory you want to keep.
Timeless
Elegant. Clean. Naturally lit. Lightly editorial. Polished storytelling with classic emotional imagery - the photographs you’ll print and frame.
Cinematic
Film-inspired. Immersive. Grain, movement, dramatic light. Imperfect moments and atmospheric framing - memories that feel like a film.
Reviews
In their own words
Alisa was amazing! She has great energy and was so patient with our large group. We were in a difficult location and she came and found us and was so accommodating. What a great girl and great value. Thank you for everything Alisa!!!!
Alisa is awesome! She communicated clearly, arrived on time for the event, was super friendly with everyone and took incredible pictures. So happy we chose her!
Alisa was absolutely fantastic to work with. She captured the energy and emotion of our sunset fitness event beautifully. Her eye for detail, timing, and natural moments made all the difference. The photos truly reflect the atmosphere we wanted to create. Highly recommend her for any lifestyle or event photography.
Alisa was incredible and would highly recommend! We have 2 kids who aren't easy and she was patient and very calm and wonderful with them! Thank you Alisa!
Journal
Notes from the road - guides, dispatches, behind the frame.
How to plan a surprise beach proposal in the Riviera Maya
Picking the spot, keeping the secret, hiring a photographer she won't notice - and exactly how the rose-petal setup comes together.
What a brand shoot in Tulum actually looks like (and what to wear)
Everything I send to clients before we meet - locations, outfit count, light timing, and the one thing nobody plans for.
Why I started leading photography trips to Japan in spring
Notes from five days in cherry-blossom season - and what I learned about portraiture from a country that loves stillness.
Maternity on the Riviera Maya: a quiet location guide
The handful of places I keep going back to - and why each one works for a different stage of pregnancy.
The best places for a proposal in the Riviera Maya
From a hidden cove north of Playa del Carmen to a sunrise stretch in Tulum - where I scout, where I hide, and why each one fits a different kind of yes.
The most romantic beaches in Tulum (and when to find them empty)
A short, honest guide to Tulum’s coast - the stretches I love at sunrise, the corners I save for golden hour, and where to walk to find no one.
What makes cinematic couple photography different
Not a filter, not a colour grade - a way of seeing two people. A short essay on movement, light and what I hold back to keep the feeling intact.
Destination engagement sessions: a planning guide
How to fold a half-day shoot into a trip you’re already taking - outfits, timing, light, and how to actually enjoy it.
Cenote photo session ideas - five looks that aren’t a cliché
Why I love shooting in cenotes, the five different moods you can build inside one, and what to wear so the water does the work.
Luxury elopements in Mexico: a quiet guide
The opposite of a wedding industrial complex - small, beautifully done, deeply personal. How I plan them, who I plan them with, and what makes them work.
On emotional storytelling in photography
A short note on what I’m actually photographing when I photograph people - and why I think it lasts.
Cinematic wedding inspiration - six ideas worth stealing
Six small choices I’ve seen turn an ordinary wedding day into one that photographs like a film.
The full archive View full gallery →
Photography by area
Where I shoot
Let's make a few frames you'll keep on the wall.
Tell me a little about who'll be in front of the camera, where, and when. I reply within 24 hours - usually faster.