Today we’d like to introduce you to Nathan Guynn Jr

Hi Nathan, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?

My story starts in January 2023. The new semester is starting, which means new sports are starting. Basketball was one of these sports. Coincidentally, my little brother played basketball for the local high school. I started becoming interested in shooting some pictures for him after seeing my mom (who shot pictures for me back when I was in high school) pull out her Nikon camera sometime before a game. I immediately asked if I could use her camera the next game. I went to the game, took some pictures (most which were very pre-amateur), and went home. I didn’t know it yet, but that night was the start of something bigger than me.

Almost 2 years later, and there is so much change that’s happened with my photography career. I started in small town Iowa, shooting for the locals and the schools in the area (even got my first CanvasRebel Article when I lived in Iowa!). Now I’m in Chicago, capturing shots for even more people in such a big city. I’ve met so much new faces, from Nike staff, to Dawn Staley, all the way down to the common man I may see at work. I’m so blessed to be where I am now.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

I could name one thousand struggles that not only I but camera people across the world go through. Some more common, such as my camera breaking. Having to resort back to my mother’s Nikon camera, the Nikon D3300, I almost felt like quitting at this stage of my career. While not a terrible camera at all, it did have its fair share of issues and lack of technology. This was somewhat of a blessing in disguise. I knew the Nikon had its capabilities, so what could the user behind the camera do to improve the quality of the pictures? Well, learn how to edit! Luckily I got my camera fixed, and went back on about my business. This still hasn’t stopped there from being countless other incidents along the way. From being scammed to not being paid adequately, I learned that there would always be things in the way.

In my opinion, the only thing worse than rejection is no response at all. This is something I’ve had to deal with countless times as a photographer. Believe it or not, but when I lived in Iowa I reached out to every school I could find and tallied up how much rejections I got. I reached out to 30 schools give or take, and was rejected by 5 and left with no response by the rest. It’s incredibly hard to be in this profession if you don’t have connections. Cold calls and emails just don’t do it for any profession nowadays. It’s frustrating because I know my work is worthy, and I understand the value I have as a photographer. This is something that we just have to accept and look for ways to improve upon.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?

I am a photographer based in the Chicagoland area. I specialize in sports photography, but I have always been an advocate for niching up instead of down. I have done plenty of work outside of sports, including weddings, portraits, senior pictures, and more! I have experience shooting 100s of events, games, people, and atmospheres. I love working with people and I love seeing the look on their face when they see the picture that was taken for them!

A few things I can say I am proud of is having a collaboration post with Nike, having my pictures published in a Pulitzer Prize winning newspaper, and being able to have not one, but TWO articles with CanvasRebel :). I look forward to accomplishing many more feats in the near future.

What sets me apart from others is my ability to focus on YOU. The name is “In Nate’s Image” but that image is tailored to your liking. I am continuously trying to separate myself from others. Whether it’d be a different angle, different editing technique, or overall just a different approach to a photoshoot. I look at these pictures like art, fine-tuning details so they can be adequate enough for whom will be receiving the pictures.

What’s next?

I plan on doing some media days with a few teams these upcoming weeks. I look forward to posting them, giving potential clients the opportunity to have a media day. I will be rebranding my page, tailoring it to specifically photography. While I do love videos, I will be making a separate entity for them titled “In Nate’s Movie”. That will consist of short films, music videos, and fun video content. Recently moving to Chicago, over the next few months I plan on expanding my network and interacting with as much people as I can.

Pricing:

• Essence (Portrait) I – $185
• Essence (Portrait) II – $350
• Sports (Player) – $75
• Sports (Team) – $250
• Weddings – $1,500

Contact Info:

• Website: https://innatesimage.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/innatesimage/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nathan.guynn.33

Image Credits

Nathan Guynn Jr – In Nate’s Image