Melissa Zink Photography

Late summer vibes to take us into the next season. #food #foodphotographer #foodphotography Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer

Putting my face out there. Literally. This is the person behind the business. Not dressed up, no make up, hair wind blown and crazy, no camera except my phone, the me stripped of all the extras. I talk a lot about showing the humanity behind a business, so I'm practicing what I preach. I am blood and bones and skin and emotions and experiences and history and insight. I am a photographer, but I'm so much more outside of work. Human connection matters. Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer

Lately I feel encouragement from basically everywhere telling us to say no more often, which can be a very powerful thing. Saying no is a powerful act of self-respect. It’s a way of protecting our time, energy, and focus for what truly matters. Every no paves the way for a more intentional yes, helping to stay aligned with our goals and values. But saying no can be incredibly daunting, especially in a world where we're often encouraged to seize every opportunity and say yes to everything. It's made to sound so easy and empowering, but what about when you're struggling and saying no goes against everything you've bee trained to think? Very recently I was put in a position where I had to choose between taking an incredible project at an overwhelmingly low rate or stick to my pricing. No room for negotiating, no room for increasing the budget. It was less than a third of what I would have charged. In addition, I would never be allowed to showcase this work as the brand wanted full copyright buyout for use in perpetuity. If I were asked to take this on last year (hell, probably even last month!) I might have said yes. In fact, I know I would have. I also know I would feel completely taken advantage of once I was received payment. And I would have resented the work I made. And I would never have been able to use it in my portfolio. Saying no in this was one of the hardest things I've had to do lately. It's left me second-guessing my choice at times, wondering if I’ve missed out on an opportunity. But I also know I made the right choice, as scary as it was to walk away I'm proud to have stayed the course with this one. I know my worth, and there is a line I won't go back across. I'm proud of making this decision, and when the doubt creeps in I embrace the discomfort, and trust that my decisions are leading me in the right direction. #photographerslife #foodphotographer #hospitalityphotographer #beveragephotographer San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer Melissa Zink Photography

When the props dictate the images 😉 Anthropologie #productphotography #productonwhite #foodphotographer San Francisco, food, beverage, hospitality, photographer Melissa Zink Photography

Creating beautiful images of chef creating beautiful (and delicious) things! I'm always mesmerized by the delicacy and precision of #chefs in their element, it's an intricate dance of hand movements, swift knife swipes, and the final dish. Your chef (or mixologist or product maker) deserves stunning visuals as much as your brand does. And adding human element brings the viewer in to a more intimate glimpse of your offerings. Connection opens pockets. Let's work together on your next creator photography project! Whether you or someone on your team makes food, drinks, home goods, anything epicurean in fact I'm here to help get the assets you need. Contact me to discuss more! mz@melzink.com #foodphotographer #beveragephotographer #hospitalitypjotographer #epicureanproducts #foodandbeverageindustry Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer

Sometimes I love my job! Especially when I have the freedom to just create, whether that's for personal projects or for clients. This is the most magical aspect of running my business, and the most fun. Sure, the client and invoice chasing, the lead ghosting, the radio silence, and the constant roller coaster of freelancing do get to me. But ultimately, I stay focused on the fact that I choose to create for a living. Mindset is everything, and it's a continual practice to focus on what I want to attract. And those blissful moments when I'm in the zone reap the best rewards! #tomatomartini #beveragestyling #beveragephotographer #drinks #drinkphotography #foodphotography Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer

So excited to see my work on Eater. Celebrate the small wins, life is too short not to. My younger self is having a major pinch me moment (which I definitely needed right now)! #food #restaurantindustry #editorialfoodphotography #foodphotography #sushi #omakase Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer

Time to start thinking about your holiday campaign! And you're in luck, I still have some availability this August / September to help create the images you need for the upcoming season. Whether it's social content, PR, website imagery, or holiday cheer, I'm here to help with your photography needs. Email mz@melzink.com, let's chat! #holidayphotography #holidayfood #holidaydrinks #holidays2024 #foodphotographer #beveragephotographer Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer

A bit of a pinch me moment for my past (and present 😊) self! As a restaurant industry vet of 20 years, Eater has been a staple on my reading list for a very long time. I finally got my photos on the site! It was such a treat working at The Bungalow Kitchen in Tiburon; Chef Yama was a blast to photograph. As was his gorgeous Omakase experience and sushi. I absolutely recommend heading over to check it out. #restaurantphotographer #restaurantindustry #restaurants Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photography

One scene, many angles Saves time, which saves you money while still giving you several options! I love creating worlds for my images to come to life (and probably stems from my prop addiction;), but often I don't have time on set or at home to build several sets for one quick campaign. So I rely on camera angles and composition to get an array of assets with minimal set up and break down. I was fortunate to have a few hours to get some test shots in with this incredible brand, but not enough time to set up multiple scenes. However, I did get several that I'm happy with by keeping the scene the same and moving the camera around within it. It's also amusing how many times I get stuck forgetting I can detach from the tripod! #drinks #adultbeverage #cocktailhour #apero Rue de Rêve Apéritifs Melissa Zink Photography San Francisco Food, Beverage, Hospitality Photographer