As a creative visionary and photographer, Zaccheo Zhang anchors her practice in the unmanipulated and the ephemeral. Her lens bears witness to fleeting transformations, capturing the world in its most transient states. Internationally exhibited and acclaimed, her work invites quiet contemplation. She currently channels her artistic vision as the Creative Director for a New York-based jewelry atelier.
How many years have you been a judge?
1-3
What are your responsibilities in your current role and what do you love most about your job?
In my current role as Creative Director, I oversee the complete lifecycle of our visual projects—from initial conceptualization through to final delivery. My day-to-day involves directing digital photo shoots, guiding the post-production team, and collaborating closely with cross-functional departments to develop optimized assets for social and paid media. Ultimately, my core focus is ensuring that every piece of content maintains strict brand integrity, visual consistency, and aligns perfectly with our overarching marketing strategies and deadlines.
What I find most rewarding about my job is the opportunity to craft and shape a cohesive visual narrative from start to finish. I love the process of taking an abstract concept, actively driving the creative direction on set, and refining the finest details in post-production until that initial vision becomes a fully realized, high-quality campaign. The balance between high-level creative strategy and hands-on execution allows me to ensure that our visual output is not only aesthetically striking but also deeply impactful for the brand.
What inspired you to pursue your career path?
My biggest inspiration has always been a deep-rooted drive to create new things and the thrill of turning abstract concepts into real-world realities.
For me, the most rewarding part of this career path is the actual process of translation—starting with a fleeting idea, a mood, or a blank canvas, and systematically shaping it into a tangible visual narrative. Whether I am developing an initial strategy, directing the energy on set, or refining the final aesthetics in post-production, the magic lies in that transformation. Taking a raw, imaginative thought and building it into a finalized, high-quality piece of work that audiences can actually see and connect with is incredibly fulfilling.
What was your first job in the industry? What did it teach you?
My first role in the industry was working as a freelance photographer. While it allowed me to hone my visual skills, what it really taught me went far beyond just operating a camera—it was an intensive, hands-on education in the complete business lifecycle of creative work.
Because I was operating entirely on my own, I had to master the end-to-end process of project management. I learned how to effectively pitch concepts and craft proposals that resonated with clients’ needs. It taught me how to confidently negotiate pricing and advocate for the value of my work, all while managing the production timeline to ensure a flawless delivery of the final project.
Crucially, it also gave me a very grounded education in client management and the less glamorous realities of running a business—including navigating difficult conversations, managing contracts, and tracking down leftover payments. Ultimately, that experience taught me that being a successful creative isn’t just about making great art; it is about taking complete, uncompromising ownership of a project from the very first handshake to the final invoice.
What do you look for to determine excellence in video?
When I evaluate excellence in video production, I look for a seamless intersection of three core elements: cohesive creative direction, flawless technical execution, and a profound human connection.
What initiatives or projects are you working on now that excite you?
I am currently leading the creative direction for a major new campaign for our brand, and it is an incredibly exciting initiative.
What makes this particular project so thrilling is the degree of creative flexibility we have been given. It is allowing me to go much deeper into the conceptualization and execution of our photoshoots. Rather than just capturing standard visual assets, we are utilizing highly sophisticated lighting techniques and intricate set designs to build completely immersive, stylized environments from the ground up.
The ultimate goal of this campaign is to craft a visual narrative around a scene that doesn’t actually exist in the real world. Having the freedom to push our aesthetic boundaries—taking a surreal, imaginative concept and physically engineering the lighting and sets to bring it to life through the lens—is exactly the kind of hands-on creative challenge that drives me.
Tell us about a moment of recognition that had an effect on you – whether personal or official? What does recognition mean to you and why is it important in our industry?
Being named a finalist in the historic 96th Annual International Competition was a profoundly defining moment for me, particularly because I had just graduated from my master’s program. Earning that level of validation from an award with such a long, prestigious legacy provided an incredible foundation of confidence as I transitioned from the academic world into the professional industry. To me, recognition is the ultimate confirmation that your unique artistic perspective—and the meticulous, often unseen labor required to bring it to life—has successfully resonated with a broader audience. In an industry where our work is inherently subjective, this kind of acknowledgment is vital because it bridges the gap between emerging talent and established excellence, empowering creatives to trust their instincts, take bolder risks, and continue pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling.
Do you have any specific practices you lean on to spark creativity?
For me, the most powerful catalyst for sparking creativity is immersing myself in music. Because so much of my work in videography and creative direction relies on pacing, rhythm, and emotional resonance, music acts as the perfect bridge between an abstract feeling and a tangible visual concept. I often use different soundscapes to establish the underlying mood of a campaign before I even sketch a set or plan the lighting. It pulls me out of the logistical, day-to-day side of production and allows me to visualize the atmosphere and the human element of a scene in my mind first, effectively translating auditory emotion directly into a cohesive visual narrative.
In your experience, what is a significant change you are seeing happen in the video, television, and/or film industry, and what insight can you share about how to navigate it?
As I noted last year, artificial intelligence has become an unavoidable reality in the video, television, and film industries, rapidly evolving from an experimental novelty into an essential foundation of modern production pipelines. Navigating this shift requires us to proactively adapt by embracing AI not as a replacement for human artistry, but as an extraordinary tool for pre-visualization, complex environmental design, and workflow efficiency. The key to thriving in this new landscape is mastering these technologies to streamline technical execution while doubling down on what algorithms can never replicate: clear creative direction, intentional storytelling, and genuine emotional authenticity.
What excites you about judging for the Telly Awards?
What excites me most about judging the Telly Awards is the opportunity to immerse myself in fresh, innovative new works and see how creators are actively pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling. Beyond being a constant source of creative inspiration, it is incredibly rewarding to be an active part of this vibrant community, connecting with peers who share a deep dedication to crafting authentic and impactful narratives.
