MARIA: Hey Nate, it's Maria from B&H!
I heard you are out here shooting, so I wanted to catch up with you.
Yeah, hey Maria! How's it going? MARIA: Do you have time for 21 questions?
Yeah, why not! It's on autopilot, let's chat.
MARIA: So, where are you, and what are you shooting today?
You know, I am up in the Cascades here in Washington,
and I am just, kind of, shooting for fun to be honest.
I've been locked in the editing dungeon for the last like month,
So, I just needed some-- [gestures to scenery] I needed some fresh air and some nature in my life.
MARIA: Yeah! And, what type of photography do you shoot?
I shoot landscapes, nature, wildlife, travel stuff.
Just anything where I can be outside.
MARIA: Nice, and how have you been using your time during this pandemic?
Oh man... [laughs]
Well there was a lot of Netflix and boredom.
And then, I figured I should like finally catch up on all those personal projects that I've been putting off for years.
So I, like, started a YouTube channel,
and I made kind of a little video about Seattle during the lockdowns.
And then just kind of planning the future, I guess.
It's a good time as a creative to like brush up your website and kind of think forward
since we aren't allowed to leave our houses.
MARIA: Sure, and what got you started in photography?
You know, it's just a good excuse to be outside.
I always liked to go hiking and camping,
and it felt like bringing a camera with me while I was out there
would be kind of a no-brainer.
So I got myself a little point and shoot.
And, you know I just got addicted to it.
It was a fun way to remember my adventures, I guess.
MARIA: Yeah! And what's your go-to camera and lens?
I love the a7R III.
It's, like, just enough resolution without being too much.
And then--man, go to lenses--probably the 16 to 35.
I think that's what I'm rocking here right now.
That's my most used lens, until Sony finally makes me the 12 to 600 f/1.4 that I keep asking for.
So, hopefully soon.
MARIA: Yeah, I'm sure that's happening soon!
And so what made you choose to focus on nature and wildlife?
I didn't choose to focus on nature and wildlife photography.
I guess I just was always outside in nature and had a camera with me,
So, I think it was more like that was just the style of photography
that made the most sense for my life.
MARIA: You've had some pretty remarkable recognition over the years, right?
[Nate chuckles] MARIA: I heard you were a Time Magazine's Person of the Year.
How does that make you feel?
Yeah so, that one's kind of a joke.
I'm a little bit of a prankster in my life.
And, if you look it up, the Time Magazine Person of the Year--
what was that, 2004 or something--
was, uh, everybody.
Oh look, a blue heron! That's really cool.
Sorry, sorry. Nature Nerd.
There's a blue heron flying across the lake.
Um... Time Magazine's Person of the Year in 2004 was everybody.
So, congratulations Maria! You also were Time Magazine's Person of the Year.
[Maria laughs, then Nate laughs]
MARIA: But, you are part of the Sony Alpha Collective.
How does it feel to be part of that community?
Ah, it's such a cool community.
Um...
Honestly, the Alpha Collective is some of the most skilled and talented creatives
that I've ever seen like in the entire world.
Some of the best photographers and videographers that I could possibly imagine.
It's just really inspiring to be in a group with these incredibly successful professionals.
It encourages me to be better in my career,
and it's honestly incredibly humbling to be able to look at some of these people
and call myself a peer.
MARIA: Sure, yeah!
And, do you have any projects coming up or that you're working on right now?
Yeah, the project I've been editing for the last month I was talking about is called Light Side Up.
I went to Alaska with a couple friends,
and we put an a7S III in a styrofoam cooler
and attached it to a giant helium-filled balloon.
and launched it into the stratosphere.
And we became the first people ever to get 4K cinematic footage of the Aurora Borealis from the edge of space.
It's a really cool project. I can't wait for it to drop.
We're like a week and a half away from being able to release the film.
It's awesome.
MARIA: Very cool!
And what's your favorite part of your work?
I think my favorite part of my work is...
having the freedom to come up with weird ideas like that.
And then, not only like bring it to life, but then potentially earn enough money to pay the bills while doing it.
You know, I just... I can make crazy choices like...
I want to go to Machu Picchu,
or like I want to climb a giant mountain,
And I can call that work.
It doesn't have to use my vacation time to go live my life.
I can work and live.
MARIA: Okay, switching it up a little bit.
What are some tips for somebody looking to take photos in nature or wildlife like you?
Um... you have to be out during the good light,
but also you have to be patient.
I've had so many times that I've gone out, and it kind of looks like this, right?
Like it's a little bit overcast. It doesn't look like it's going to be good.
And then I've gone home because I didn't think it was going to develop.
And on the drive home, a crazy sunset will happen.
So probably the best tip I can give is like, you know, be patient.
Don't go home early. Don't arrive late.
Just make sure that you're there.
Give yourself enough time for the natural conditions to really develop.
MARIA: And I know you and your super smart travel partner Autumn Schrock are traveling together.
What's it like having an amazing photographer and partner by your side?
Oh it's, uh, it is pretty inspiring, actually.
I always say that she's the better photographer in the group, and people laugh.
But they don't know that I'm not actually kidding about that.
Uh, it's really cool. She actually has like a degree in photography.
I'm just some schlub who bought a camera and happened to get pretty okay with it.
It's really, it's really cool. We learn a lot from each other.
We push each other.
And it's also really nice to have you know not like a second shooter,
but another professional with you at all times
to you know help check my composition,
and check my edits
and maybe help me look at different perspectives that I wouldn't have seen on my own.
Also, I live life like a squirrel on meth,
and she's a little bit more relaxed than me.
So, it's a good compliment too. She helps kind of slow me down a little bit
[laughs]
MARIA: And have you gotten any better at yoga since Autumn?
Oh, I taught her everything she knows.
Yeah, no, definitely. [laughs]
No, um, I'm still bad at yoga, unfortunately.
See? Look...
Whatever [laughs]
MARIA: What is the coolest shoot you've ever been on?
Oh man, the coolest shoot I've ever done...
I did sunrise at Machu Picchu
during Inti Raymi, which was an ancient Incan holiday celebrating the winter solstice.
They, you know, they built all these cathedrals and these temples
to the sun and the moon based around the solstice.
And Machu Picchu has a very specific temple in it, specifically for this one day.
And I was there for sunrise on this solstice.
It was just magical experience being there
for a holiday that had been celebrated at that location for almost a thousand years.
Took me a year of planning and execution to get there. And, uh...
It was an emotional experience.
MARIA: I bet! And what was the hardest shoot you've ever been on?
Ooh, the hardest shoot.
Well, sending the camera up in the weather balloon was super difficult,
but that was more just like technically challenging. There's a lot to cover.
I would say the most physically challenging shoot was for Feathered Friends.
It's a jacket company here in Seattle,
and I climbed the tallest mountain in Peru.
We climbed Huascarán Sur, which was about 22,000 feet tall.
And, I don't know why I ever thought that would be fun
to carry a full cinematic camera to a mountain that size.
But, I did it! [laughs]
MARIA: Tough one: what's your favorite snack to pack when doing shoots?
Oh, that's a great question!
I am a sucker for trail mix.
I know that sounds like such a cliche.
Like, "Wow a guy who likes to hike also eats trail mix!"
But, I really do like peanuts, and raisins, and M&M's. Mmm!
But, if you come to my trail mix and you pick all the M&M's out,
I'm gonna leave you in the parking lot.
MARIA: Have you ever come across a scary situation when photographing animals?
Oh yeah, for sure.
Last year up in northern Manitoba, I was photographing polar bears
And with these you know really experienced guides.
They're incredibly skilled.
They have 25 years of experience,
but we are out there you know walking on the ice
and you don't really have any protection.
You know, they have guns. But, um...
We had a polar bear who got a little bit more curious than you would like.
And he walked over, and he was sniffing around
to see how edible we were.
And we did scare him off successfully,
but the guide said it was the the first time in in 20 years
that they've actually had to fire a warning shot.
And when you're talking about a 1500 pound carnivore,
that was... an invigorating experience.
MARIA: Wow! And if you weren't a photographer, what would you be?
Um, I guess, probably like a bald eagle?
Oh, you mean like a job! Um...
I was a brewer before I was a photographer, actually.
So, I made beer at a brewery in Colorado.
And, honestly, I loved that job.
It just didn't allow me the freedom to go out hiking and camping.
So, if I had never discovered photography, I'd probably still be doing that. It was really fun.
MARIA: Cool! And what's the best piece of advice you've ever received?
Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things.
No, I'm just kidding.
My favorite piece of advice is probably from Brandon Leonard.
He has a book called Make It Till You Make It.
And that's pretty much how I live my life.
You know, it's not about faking it until you make it.
You just have to get out and create.
And the more art you make, the more art people can see,
And you will establish yourself through that experience.
So just get out there and create. Just do your stuff.
You'll refine your own skills,
but you'll also establish your own niche in doing so.
MARIA: That's great advice! And aside from your camera what's your favorite piece of gear?
You know, it took me a long time to find a tripod that I actually like, but I finally did.
I would have to say this is probably it, my Colorado Tripod Company.
I just got this thing it's pretty new to me,
but as somebody who loves to do time lapses,
this thing is so important because, I mean, like right now, look, it's doing a time lapse.
It's pretty important to have the camera...
stationary, and I've had a lot of tripods that do not keep your camera stationary if the wind blows at all.
So, I love this thing. I'd say that probably my favorite piece of gear is a good, sturdy tripod.
MARIA: And, if there were to be a movie about your life, who would play you?
Oh, man...
I don't know. I want to say something cool, like, Brad Pitt,
but realistically it's probably like James Middle Ditch.
MARIA: Amazing Fair enough.
MARIA: And, last one, who should we interview next?
Oh! You should interview my friend Mio Monash.
He lives here in Seattle. He's just a really skilled commercial photographer.
He does really cool commercial shoots for you know all sorts of brands,
not just outdoor gear. But he would be worth checking out.
MARIA: Cool! Alright, I'll let you get back to work.
MARIA: Thank you so much for answering all of my questions!
Yeah, it was good seeing you! Thanks for coming out.
MARIA: Alright see ya!