Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Rehlander.
Hi Nate, 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 journey in photography began when my parents gave me a camera when I was around 4 or 5 years old. They provided me film and let me run wild with it. Mom and dad were my biggest fans, though my early photos didn’t indicate that I should forgo all other careers and concentrate solely on photography. In fact, they were really bad (we all have to start somewhere!).
But as a kid who liked to observe, as much as participate, photography was the perfect outlet for me. Thankfully my family and friends were mostly cool with me bringing out the camera at gatherings and I became the “official” documentarian of many a party. Looking back on these photos now is such a joy, as it brings to life many people who I haven’t seen in years and more importantly, it keeps the memories vivid of those who have since passed on (there’s a photo of my mom from our last Christmas together that is one of my favorite ones ever).
Growing up in a small East Texas town didn’t offer much training opportunities in the realm of photography, but what I had was a great support system who put me in touch with anyone they knew who was into photography, as well as encouraged me to enter photo contests. The funny thing is, the college I went to (East Texas State University was the name when I started there, Texas A&M-University was the name it changed to before I graduated and now it’s East Texas A&M), was only an hour away from where I grew up and it turned out to be one of the 3 best schools in the nation for photography. There, I received a first-class education and really grew as a photographer, and more importantly, I met my future wife as well as friends who are still very close to me. As the school was about an hour away from Dallas, we were tightly connected with the photography market and so many of my classmates who graduated before I did moved there to start their careers. This helped me out big time because when I graduated, I was able to connect with them and get plugged into the market.
This led to my big break, a full-time job with my friend and mentor, Lisa Means. Through her, I was able to learn even more about the business side of photography as well as getting to learn new technology on the job (such as when digital photography took over). She provided me with some of my biggest jobs such as a shoot for People magazine, events for Neiman Marcus, and too many others to name.
This is probably getting long-winded, but it’s hard to put into a few sentences where I started and where I am now. There’s a lot I haven’t mentioned such as thinking I’d photograph bands for a living (that didn’t last long!), then how I tried fashion photography, and my favorite activity – skateboarding. But what I fell into, that has been my most consistent and enjoyable work, is with Architecture and Events. I never sought out either of these, though the events came naturally to me, given how I started with family and friends, but Architecture was never on my radar. I’m also missing the time I worked full-time for JCPenney in their corporate photo studio, working my way up from retoucher to Operations Manager (overseeing all computers, photo equipment and digital techs for their photo shoots) or now as a photography professor for Collin College, in addition to my freelance work.
Given that, I always like to tell people starting out in Photography to be flexible because you never know where life or your career will take you.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Good question and one I like to share with others starting out on an artistic or freelance path. Yes, there have been struggles and ones that still come up. I had just been out of school and working for about a year and a half when 9/11 happened, which drastically transformed the part of photography I was working in at the time. Then when the financial crisis hit in 2008, there was a long period of little work as we all tried to find our new normal. There’s a quote from Steve Jobs that I find inspirational – “The biggest indicator of success is perseverance”. Through all of the downturns, industry changes, financial blunders (photographers/artists tend to be pretty bad with money and I’m no exception), I have persevered – because I love this, it’s all I know, and I have no backup plan, so this has to work 🙂
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Currently, I specialize in Architecture and Event photography. With architecture, I get to indulge a love for form and structure, colors and textures in an artistic way. And with events, I get to document all types of galas, fundraisers, and family gatherings, delivering historical records.
What makes me most proud is capturing one-of-a-kind moments, whether it’s a surprise donation or an unannounced guest or the reveal of a renovation. I love being able to capture these once-in-a lifetime moments.
As for what sets me apart, I like to think that my eye for moments, a willingness to go “where the action is”, to find the best spot for the shot, and to share tips and tricks with the next generation of photographers to build up the community.
How do you think about happiness?
Haha, wow, that’s a big question! Hmm, what makes me happy? It’s hard to narrow down to one thing, so here’s a list:
– Family
– Friends
– Skateboarding
– Comic Books
– Retro Video Games
– Art
– Traveling
As to why these? I love sharing important moments with those closest to me, there’s nothing more freeing than the feeling of flowing on my board, the stories in comics transport me to other worlds, retro video games are fun to play and don’t require an hour of setup time to play, art in all forms inspires me (there’s so much to learn from other artists) and when I travel, I get to finally see all the places I’ve read about or seen in movies/tv shows.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.naterehlander.com
- Instagram: nateseyeview
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-rehlander-546a89a/
- Youtube: Geezer Skate Co and NateRehlander535
Image Credits
All photos copyright Nate Rehlander
