Nat Michele

Interview by Visual Collaborative
August 2020 13 min read

Nat Michele is a film photographer based in the United Kingdom. She has collaborated with numerous artists, and establishments such as Warner Music, and Sony Music, with work appearing in multiple publications. As a feature in our Polaris Eta Carinae interview series, Nat talks to us about her work in the music entertainment industry, her collaborations, her production process’s artistic expression, and what inspires the pictures she continues to capture.

(VC) What music are you streaming or listening to at the moment?

(Nat) Ooh gosh, good question! [Nat exclaims] There’s been some great music released this year so far I think. I love Rhys Lewis’s debut album Things I Chose To Remember. His lyrics are so honest and beautiful. I was lucky enough to witness him recording a few of the songs whilst we worked together creating visuals for it, so I naturally hold a special place in my heart for that record. I’ve also been enjoying new music by Nick Wilson, Dan Croll, Roo Panes, Gabrielle Aplin, Hannah Grace, and Luke Sital-Singh. I also really like the EP All The Ways You Sing In The Dark by Old Sea Brigade and Luke Sital Singh – that’s a collaboration between two musicians I adore so I had high expectations, and it certainly doesn’t disappoint. Like most people though, I’ve been watching a lot of TV/film during the lockdown, so have been Shazamming a lot! I thought the soundtrack for BBC’s Normal People was absolutely beautiful. I‘ve also relived and enjoyed the soundtracks of 500 Days Of Summer, La La Land, and Lost In Translation.

(VC) Outside of photography and the professional brand element that surrounds it, who is Natalie?

(Nat) Hey! [Nat exclaims] I’m Nat. I live in West London but my heart is somewhere by the ocean. I’m an emotional, romantic, introvert, so being creative is hardly a surprise! However, I do like to challenge myself by meeting new people and opening myself up to new experiences whenever I can. I thrive on good connections and believe in working hard, being kind, and supporting others where I can, as often as I can.

(VC) Your photography has appeared in numerous reputable publications. How excited or nervous did you know numerous people would see your work? 

(Nat) To be honest, I think there will always be an element of nerves when showing anyone my work. I think that’s just natural when you’re passionate and you care deeply about something you’ve created; you hope that it resonates with the viewers the way you intended, and you hope your client/collaborator is equally as happy with the results as you are. I put a lot of pressure on myself to make the very best work I possibly can, all the time. Maybe it’ll change one day, but nerves certainly overshadow any excitement for me, and they always have done so to some extent. However, that’s not necessarily a bad thing in my opinion, as it keeps me driven and conscientious. Luckily though, I have a good support network of friends who are creative and/or in the music industry so they offer me a good sounding board for constructive feedback, whilst encouraging me to push myself further creatively. This kind of support I am incredibly grateful for, especially as my work is beginning to be shown to larger audiences.

So long as the shutter works, it’ll work in some way shape, or form! My aim is generally to create something that makes the viewer feel the way I intended, however raw and technically ‘imperfect’ it may be

(VC) Everyone has a distinctive fingerprint with creation. What is your camera brand, and preparation ritual of choice for your music photography?  

(Nat)I am a sucker for a knackered film camera so always pack at least one or two in my kit bag if I can. Some of my favorite images have been created on cameras that I have found tucked away in charity shops or car boot sales and marked as ‘faulty’. So long as the shutter works, it’ll work in some way shape, or form! My aim is generally to create something that makes the viewer feel the way I intended, however raw, and technically ‘imperfect’ it may be, so lots of snazzy equipment (however wonderful it can be), isn’t a top priority for me. I generally shoot with a lot of Canon equipment – my Canon AE1 is possibly my favorite/go-to piece of kit I own and I use it most frequently. I like how they’re made, and I’ve found that they hold up well in damp and cold conditions which for some reason, I often find myself in! (AKA Glastonbury, British Summer Time!). Film is the key with my setup though; my fridge has more film in it than food most of the time (!) as I have to be ready to up and go at any given moment. I stock a variety of film stocks and speeds for various weather and lighting conditions, but my go-to films are generally Ilford HP5 and Kodak Portra 400/800 as they have good grain and accurate tones and colours and can be pulled and pushed relatively easily.

(VC) As a seasoned Creative professional with decades of quality work, what can you candidly tell the aspiring photographer, artist or production crew about success and risk in your field?

(Nat) I’m forever learning and making mistakes! [Nat exclaims] But that’s part and parcel of being creative, I guess. Success also looks different to every person, so I’d say focus on your own goals and ambitions and less on what other people are doing is key to creating your own success. In terms of risks, again I think that is determined by the goals you set yourself, but for me, my greatest fear is becoming too pigeonholed. I know I have a relatively individual style when it comes to music photography in 2020, and that’s something I like, but that’s not all I do or want to do. I’m a visual artist who fundamentally has a deep passion and respect for all things visual, so I’ll continue to push myself creatively in all areas that spark joy for me and apply my skills whenever I am able to, so I can learn as much as I can, and see where that takes me organically. I also think, given the state the world is in currently, it can’t do any harm to add a few more strings to your creative bow.

(VC) There is no question that you are passionate with a lot of collaboration experience in the creative sector, what does the phrase Visual Collaborative mean to you?

(Nat) My interpretation is a creative relationship. It’s been said hundreds of times in the past, but art and the creative process is much like a good love or romantic relationship. If I’m collaborating with somebody on a project, whether they be an agent, curator, a manager, or a musician – we are creating and working together in unity. We’re aligned on our goals and ambitions, and we each put in everything we can to make the best possible product. Whilst it might seem like just me and my camera at times, I rarely feel alone in the creative process. Even when I’m physically alone in the darkroom printing for example, I have my collaborators’ aims and ambitions at the forefront of my mind.

(VC) We have witnessed lots of manipulation through technology on images of other people’s works online. Copyright laws do not move as quickly as the industry has evolved. What are your general thoughts on this?

(Nat) My opinion on this may differ from others probably because I am quite traditional throughout all of my practice, but I wholeheartedly believe that everyone should respect artists’ copyright. It’s at the very core of what artists do and how they survive. Without it, our work loses a lot of its value.

Whilst I appreciate technology is advancing, I believe platforms such as Instagram who’s whole business is designed upon sharing images and has such a huge influence on how we consume digital imagery nowadays, should have an obligation to find a way of supporting and protecting artists and their work. It was only last year, an image of mine was taken from my Instagram and used on a poster outside a theatre in New York. I sent them an invoice for the usage and they got very upset with me – but what they failed to grasp was that they had stolen something that belonged to me, whilst profiting from my skills. I asked them how they’d feel if I used their artists’ music in a promotional TV video for my work – I never got a reply or payment for the use.

Just because times are fast-changing, I don’t think we should merely sit back and accept that it’s impossible to enforce copyright. We should be actively trying to find ways copyright law can be made clearer and more accessible for those who don’t have to deal with it and rely on it every day to make a living. I can understand how platforms like Facebook and Instagram, where people are readily encouraged to share, save and download, has warped people’s views of copyright law in the wider world, however, It’s pretty simple in my opinion – you want it? Ask for it, negotiate terms, then pay for it! Simple. It’s all about respect.

(VC) Some mention different historical times as a period they admire for affluence or culture. If you can time-warp to any era to collaborate with its culture, what period would it be and why?

(Nat) Oh this is easy for me! Take me on tour with the Beatles in the 60s. I was lucky enough to go to Abbey Road studios the other day, and I felt like I was in a daydream the whole of the time I spent there – imagining John and Paul at the piano next to me writing. It must have been such a magical time. Creatively also, it was a time where there was a different value placed on images and photography, and probably music too. At times, there was only a single photographer in a room documenting a period of time that would later go on to be so iconic and a pivotal moment. Gigs where members of the public weren’t hiding behind phone screens, and photographers were documenting the event with time and care rather than the rushed instancy that comes with the ‘share culture’ we have collectively developed, in the fast-paced digital world we currently live in.

A ritual I have before a big job is to visit Proud and Iconic Images galleries in London. They have some incredible photographs of The Beatles and The Stones and other greats from that era that are truly iconic. They’re so obviously made with love, integrity, care, and attention, and viewing them always gets my head in the right creative frame of mind before a gig or portrait shoot. I personally don’t want to be one of thousands of people chasing the same photographs which can happen a lot at gigs. I always aim to capture something a little more subtle and different with a fine art edge as that is what sparks joy for me. At a gig for example, if I see all the other photographers running to one corner – I’ll walk the other way and try and capture a different angle or view or something entirely different altogether. Going to these galleries and looking back on the industry 50 years ago, gives me perspective and reminds me of why I want to these create images in the first place, and that’s first and foremost, for the pure joy of creating art.

Like a lot of others in my position, I think I’ll be feeling the side effects for a long time – losing that role at a time when the live music industry also came to a sudden halt for the foreseeable future. However, It has forced me to think differently, and to believe in myself more as an independent artist

(VC) The pandemic COVID took the world hostage, making photography expand into newer styles or experiments. What kind of new work can be expected of you over the next twelve months?

(Nat) It certainly has been a challenging time for creatives. I was made redundant from my role at Vogue where I was a senior picture editor, amidst the chaos. Whilst it wasn’t the only creative outlet I had, it was my main source of financial income, so I found it very stressful for a few months. Like a lot of others in my position, I think I’ll be feeling the side effects for a long time – losing that role at a time when the live music industry also came to a sudden halt for the foreseeable future. However, It has forced me to think differently, and to believe in myself more as an independent artist. I have always pursued my own creativity on the back of working for publications/brands in full-time positions, because I honestly didn’t believe I had what it took to do my own thing full time. I am often consumed with nerves which can suck the creativity out of a project at times. However, COVID has meant I haven’t had a choice other than to stand on my own two feet and pick myself up and to really push myself. It was the kick up the backside I probably needed.

I have been exploring a print project about the ocean for a few months, which has almost felt like therapy at times. Lockdown for me will always represent a moment of time where I reconnected with myself and my core beliefs and values as an artist. This project, whilst very different to the music/photography projects I have worked on in the past, represents who I am as an artist and as a person. It’s an introspective study in some ways and Is focused on my love of the ocean and it’s healing properties, almost entirely conceived and created during the lockdown. The printing process, which uses sunlight as exposure, is a form of camera-less photography and was a way of me adapting to life inside my small Notting Hill flat, unable to venture outside with a camera. I’m planning on exhibiting the pieces early next year as a way of reflecting back on this weird time in a positive light, whilst also, hopefully, establishing a continuing practice for myself within the world of fine art.

(VC) Natalie, thanks for sitting down to have a chat with us. Is there anything else you would like to share with our international audience? 

(Nat) Thank you so much for having me! You’re all invited to my exhibition in London in April 2021. I’ll post more information on my Instagram and website in the next few months. Come down and say hello! And for now, look after one another, and stay safe.