Hi, I'm Melissa

I'm so glad you're here
Smiling person in brown sleeveless top and black pants sits cross-legged before a red backdrop.

I’m a Bay Area photographer specializing in portraits, corporate photography, and events.


I’ve been photographing professionally for about 10 years, and my approach is pretty straightforward: make the experience easy, give clear direction when it’s needed, and create photos that feel polished without feeling overly posed or forced.


For portraits, that might mean helping someone feel comfortable in front of the camera and creating images they can actually use professionally. For corporate work, it means keeping the process organized and efficient, whether I’m photographing a small leadership team, a company-wide headshot day, or a multi-day event. And for events, I’m looking for the people, details, and energy that tell the story of what actually happened.

I’m based in the San Francisco Bay Area and work throughout San Francisco, the Peninsula, East Bay, Silicon Valley, and beyond.


Outside of work, I live in the Bay Area with my husband and two young daughters. I’m usually listening to an audiobook, watching a crime documentary, trying some new craft, or finding my way back to analog capture.


Photography started for me with a pawn-shop Canon AE-1, and somehow it turned into the work I’ve now been doing for the better part of a decade. I still love the simple part of it most: meeting people, figuring out what they need, and making good photographs.


If you’re looking for portraits, corporate photography, or event coverage, I’d love to hear what you’re planning.


Contact me HERE or email info@melissademata.com