How It All Started
I got my first DSLR camera for my 30th birthday. At the time, I wasn't thinking about becoming a photographer—I was thinking about food.
From Graphic Design to Nutrition to Photography
After nearly a decade as a graphic designer at an ad agency, I pivoted to nutrition coaching and started a recipe blog. That camera was supposed to be a tool for that blog, a way to document the food I was creating. But something clicked. Photographing food became the part of the job I looked forward to most.
Fast forward through several years in the health and nutrition world, an engagement, a marriage, and working alongside my husband for his herbal supplements company. Then came 2020. I was pregnant, the pandemic hit, and I found myself picking up that camera again—first as a hobby, then as something more. Food was still top of mind, but now I was seeing it differently. Restaurant photography, in particular, kept pulling me in.
After my son was born, I spent a couple years as a stay-at-home mom. But that itch to shoot never went away. So I decided to go all in. I built a portfolio, developed a client base, and really focused on the kind of photography I'd always loved most: restaurants, hospitality, and the stories that happen around food.
My Approach
Today, I work with cocktail bars, fine dining restaurants, boutique hotels, and everyone in between. My goal for each client is simple: to capture your brand in a way that feels genuinely, authentically you. I love using color, contrast, and texture to tell your story—whether that's through the steam rising off a dish, the way light hits a cocktail glass at golden hour, or the custom pattern of the tabletops and wallpaper that adorn your space.
I see the hard work that chefs and restaurateurs pour into their food and their spaces. My job is to make sure that effort translates into images that fill your tables and keep customers coming back. Sometimes that means capturing candid moments as they happen; sometimes it means carefully styling every detail. Either way, I'm there to document the full story—from ingredients and kitchen prep to the final dish and the people enjoying it.
How I Work
A few things you should know about me: I'm comfortable in any lighting situation, whether it's dim and moody or bright and airy. I love incorporating motion and human elements into shots where it makes sense.
I also believe the best shoots start long before I show up with my camera. I love to collaborate—hearing what you're envisioning, understanding your brand's voice, and coming up with a game plan together. That way, when shoot day arrives, we're both clear on the goal and can focus on capturing something great.
What I want you to feel when we work together is simple: ease. You've built something worth photographing. You focus on what you do best—the food, the service, the atmosphere—and I'll handle the rest.
Let's Connect
I'm based in Central Oregon and always happy to travel for the right project.
If my work resonates with you, I'd love to hear about what you're building. Send me an email and let's talk: tinapaymasterphoto@gmail.com