We recently connected with Catherine Nguyen and have shared our conversation below.

Catherine, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a time you helped a customer really get an amazing result through their work with you.

I began working with interior designer Lori Moscato of Casual Elegance Designs several years ago. At the time, her work had never been published. She designed and built a second home on Hyco Lake that we worked together to have styled and photographed. It was submitted to Walter Magazine in Raleigh and a beautiful feature ran in 2020. She was so happy that she sent a thoughtful note and flowers as thanks to me. (https://waltermagazine.com/home/hyco-lake-house/)

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I am an interiors and architecture photographer based in Raleigh, North Carolina. I used to paint. Back in 2000 I started traveling and taking photos of scenes so that I could paint them later. After one particularly inspiring trip to Vietnam in November of that year, I came back with over 30 rolls of film. My then-boyfriend bought me my first manual film camera for Christmas. I took a few classes at the Cooper Union. Finally, in 2004, I decided to move to San Francisco from NYC and go back to school at the Academy of Art University to pursue my newly found dream of becoming a photographer.

I relocated from San Francisco to Raleigh in 2013. It is a smaller market that is experiencing a lot of growth in the real estate and building sectors. It has been the perfect place to grow my photography business. I primarily work with interior designers, architects, builders and some high-end real estate agents. In addition to interior photography, I provide branding photos for my clients. After years of working with both product and interiors, I have been able to offer my clients styling advice for editorial and commercial shoots. I act as a translator: rooms do not photograph the way they are designed. It takes a trained eye to know where to shift furniture and objects so that a room looks balanced in the finished image.

This past year, a few of my images showed up in Architectural Digest. It was an amazing moment for me. I was pretty excited to see my work there.

I am proud of the relationships I have fostered with the many designers in Raleigh over the course of the years. It was an honor to be able to work with the Green Chair Project this year and last to photograph designer chairs and rooms for their annual charity event.

My brand of photography should bring you into a space the way the interior designer, architect or builder intended. I strive with each image to create a story that resonates with the viewer, bringing them away from where they are for the moment. I aim to inspire with the stories that my images tell.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2008, I was starting out after photo school shooting real estate photography. Then the real estate bubble popped. I had to pivot and started working in hospitality.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In 2009 while working on the road photographing hotels, I caught H1N1. I was really ill and also burnt out from working on the road for over 3 months. I was in a hotel in Indianapolis. My future in-laws stopped everything in Michigan to come retrieve me as I was in no shape to fly or drive anywhere myself.

After recovering for a few weeks in Michigan, I flew back to San Francisco. I was tired, depressed, and really burnt out. I struggled on and off through 2010. I finally managed to get back up on my feet with the help of my fiancee and a good friend who is also a photographer. She suggested that I look for jobs on our alumni job board. I kept going until things started to turn around.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.catherinenguyen.com
• Instagram: @catnguyenphoto
• Facebook: @CatherineNguyenPhotography
• Linkedin: @catnguyen

Image Credits
The main image and images 1-5 below that should credit: Interior Design by Demi Ryan
Image 6 (close up of bathroom mirror): Interior Design by Bardi Designs
Image 7: Interior Styling by Lauren Burns Interiors
Image 8: Interior Design by Demi Ryan