Bill Merlavage was born in Northeastern, Pennsylvania where he spent a large portion of his life in the Philadelphia area. Bill relocated to Cumberland, Maryland in 1990. He now considers Cumberland his "home" and speaks fondly of the area, the people and the opportunities for rising artists of all genres.

Bill cultivated his love for photography in the mid-1980's. His first images concentrated on journalistic sports photography. As time progressed, he became more interested in photography as art.

Bill's style is highly technical and relies heavily on the fundamental concepts of two-dimensional art. He seeks out situations that require analysis and manual manipulation of the camera settings. His prints are filled with rich color and sharpness, making the image appear as if it is popping off the page.

Locally, you can find images by Bill Merlavage at the Arts at Canal Place Shop, The Cumberland Store & the WMSR Station. His images are also available at galleries in Oakland MD, Petersburg WV & Leonardtown MD. His images have been published in Allegany Magazine, Deep Creek Magazine, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad 2006 brochure, and a variety of other publications. In conjunction with Timeless Treats in the Shops at Canal Place, each year one of Bill’s images is created into a candy bar. Bill has had several images elected as Photo of the Day by Kodak.com, being displayed on the Kodak electronic billboard in Times Square. Bill is an active member of the Allegany Arts Council, Allegany Art Alliance, Garrett Arts Council and the Bedford Arts Council. He has received awards for photography in Hampshire County, West Virginia and in Bedford, Pennsylvania.