We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nat Aubry a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Nat, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new venture – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?
My first photography booking came totally out of the blue, and yet it was really special. It was a high-ish end restaurant set in the beautiful English countryside. I was shooting more analogue at the time (as well as digital), and they were looking for a mix, something a bit different. They had found me on instagram, I am not sure I believed I was a photographer, and I would not without that first booking. We talked at length about the shoot, and in the end I ended doing 3 shoots for them. It was fun, it was digital and analogue. And some of my favourite pictures are still from those shoots. However it was also a steep learning curve, how to handle the editing process, how many pictures to send a client etc. I asked a lot of friends how they managed the process. Everyone is different in our industry. 5 years on, I am still very much learning about the process to be honest.
Nat, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am photographer based in the UK. I am probably best known for my moodier style, and love of vintage props. I work with many small and indie businesses across the UK, creating atmospheric images that captures and tells their story, whether it’s an artisan maker or a travel brand. I love interior design, and been lucky to work with many local interior designers for their small or big projects. Interiors photography cuts across all shoots, whether it is a restaurant or a shop. I love saturated colours as well against distressed walls and backgrounds.
Have you ever had to pivot?
My photography niche used to be food and restaurant photography, and it became very interesting when COVID hit and all the hospitality sector shut down – overnight. A lot was happening at the same time, not only all my scheduled shoots were cancelled, but I was homeschooling my 2 kids. It took a while to regroup and rethink, but I started working with online shops that needed more visuals for their website for ‘COVID’ products. Everyone was pivoting and so was I. At the end of COVID the hospitality sector took longer to recover than others, and I pivoted again to focus on interiors photography, probably something I was always looking into getting into.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Instagram has been my main source of clients. It has changed a lot since I started – it used to generate more clients at the beginning. I would say that it is more word-of-mouth now, or people finding me through another client of mine. They are also a lot of lost leads, people who think they want my style, but really don’t – or would prefer a cheaper tariff. I have a website, and quite an active Pinterest account. I would prefer focusing on my website and Pinterest, I found them easier to navigate – but they do not generate as many leads.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nataubry.photography
- Instagram: @_nataubry_