For those who are meeting you for the first time, can you tell us about your path to where you are today with your photography? 

Hello! My name is Bethany Nauert, I’m a Los Angeles based photographer. 
I studied photography at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Initially, I attended art school to study illustration and painting, which I believe I’d probably would have pursued a career as a graphic designer. However after a Black and White printing class, I fell in love with photography.

I thought I was going to shoot professional portraits and fashion for editorials and advertising. Many years later, after moving to LA, I began working for Apartment Therapy shooting interiors for one of their old writers Marcia Prentice. At the time she was the only one who was having her house tour features shot by an actual photographer. I was horrible at it, haha, but I instantly felt drawn to interior design. Then Apartment Therapy offered me a position as a contributor where I began shooting home tours, interior design features, showrooms and certain editorials. 
Eventually I had photographed enough people’s homes and projects that I was referred over and over to colleagues and friends for services. 

I quit my job after 3.5 years of working full time, to go freelance and be my own boss :) 
Most difficult but significant decision of my life...and I wouldn’t do it any differently. 

You’ve worked with some big clients (your photos for Dunn Edwards Paint come to mind!). Has there been a pivotal moment in your business or a specific approach that you feel made larger opportunities possible?

I think the most pivotal moment for me was when one of my clients just offered me a large rate without me asking. I never realized I could charge more until someone came to me and said “this is what we’re prepared to pay”. That alone gave confidence that I could build my career and keep going!

You’ve mentioned to me that you work with an agent, which we’d love to hear more about. So many photographers are going at it solo and finding it a constant struggle. How did you come to work with an agent? How has working with an agent affected your business? What do you recommend photographers do if they’re also looking to find representation?

Well I’ve just signed with my third agency. Meaning, in the past twelve years, I’ve had two previous reps. Both of them coincidentally closed their shops after two years of me being with them. Having a few years experience with previous reps, I knew what I was looking for in terms of a new agency and what to expect. I also learnt how to build a proper estimate and how to ask for more budget. 

The agency I joined back in March is called Big Leo, and I’m so proud to be on their team! 

They are more established than my past two agents and have had some great experience out in the field of commercial photography productions. There are a lot of really great photographers out there, with the right idea in terms of gaining new business. But sometimes the thing that is missing is the diversity of clients and network. Having a rep to do all the heavy lifting, estimates for jobs and to genuinely advocate on your behalf is the biggest benefit. With the right mentoring and portfolio they can hopefully get you to art directors, producers and companies you’d normally not have access to.

Your bio mentions that you’re from South Korea, but were raised in San Diego. When did you make the move to the States? Have you found that your culture plays a role in your photography path at all - either early on or even today?

I was born in Seoul, Korea and adopted at 8 ½ months, so I was basically raised in America as an American citizen. I don’t know that being born a Korean has affected my art at all, because I was raised in a white American family. I am the only working artist in the family, although I’m not sure if that has anything to do with being adopted? 

What sort of influences do you draw inspiration from?

When I was in college taking all kinds of art classes, I loved to try to mimic and recreate famous photographers' photos. Annie Liebovitz, Mark Seliger and Paolo Roversi were some of my favorites. I’d pour over the fashion and editorial magazines and try to recreate the lighting and the setups. Now that I’m shooting interiors I find most of my inspiration in looking at Interior Design books and pinterest! I love to visit beautiful hotels and well designed restaurants, especially in different countries like Italy and France!  I honestly cannot wait to travel again, it fuels the most inspiration for sure!

Do you have a process or mental checklist that you go through when you arrive on location for a shoot? Can you walk us through your approach?

The night before any shoot, I pull out all my equipment suitcases. I have a hard case with my light, tools, chords etc. Another case that carries my two cameras and three lenses. Then also I bring a little IKEA cart that I use as my digital tech cart. I bring my laptop and computer gear to tether the images to Capture One, so the client has the ease of seeing everything as we shoot. 

I try to make sure everything is cleaned and charged the night before. 

So the day of a shoot, I try to unload all the equipment in a neutral spot that is out of the way and that won't disrupt stylists and anyone else working. I always walk through the property / site, to determine the best time to shoot each room according to the direction of the sun. Then my assistant and I will unload equipment and start testing light. Once that’s all set up and ready to go I make sure the room is styled and ready to shoot. Then we party!

What tools or gear do you use regularly and love, that maybe aren’t in some other photographer’s arsenal?

Hands down the best purchase I’ve made is the IKEA NISSAFORS bar cart. It’s $25, easy to pack in a car and makes the best digital tech cart. 

Two other things I keep in my kit that have come in very handy: a multi tool leatherman and a roll of toilet paper! I shoot  in all kinds of houses and buildings, some of them brand new builds, and often their bathrooms aren’t stocked with toilet paper, because no one lives there!

Finally, what advice can you give to our audience that you wish you’d gotten early on? What’s one action item that they can take today to help put them on a solid path forward?

Shoot everything that interests you until you find the one style or genre of photography that interests you most. Then go for it. Get to know the industry, whether it be fashion, interiors, products, beauty….but just lean in and get started. 

I know most people have the school of thought that you need to  practice, intern, work for free, or work for minimum wages until you get “more experience” or until your client roster grows to a certain level. I never interned and I only assisted on two jobs. Even fresh out of college with no experience, I’d design promos and send them to agencies, just so they’d know my name. Many times, they’d take a meeting and it’d be so informative just to get feedback. 

There are so many talented people who have been stuck in the loop of assisting because they haven't been confident enough to just get their work out to the right people. The best advice I could give is to email and make contact with people you want to work with. If there's a designer you want to shoot for, or a restaurant you want to photograph, what not, just email them and see if they need services. Prepare a digital PDF promotional piece and send that along so they have a direct reference of your work. 

I think the more you shoot, the more people will take a leap of faith and hire you. You can learn what rates will work for you and choose who you want to work with. To borrow the words of my friends Ashley and Laura of Dimepiece LA “Know your worth. Then add tax.”

Thanks so much for your time, Bethany! You can find Bethany’s portfolio at www.bethanynauert.com and can follow her on IG at @bethanynauert.

Until next time,
xo,

Natalia