"Passion drove me to risk it all and rebuild my photography career from scratch in LA. 
With scrappiness and tenacity, I embraced being an 'Alien of Extraordinary Ability.'"~

Nathalie Gordon is a London born photographer residing and working in and out of Los Angeles.  Nathalie had to navigate the lengthy process of obtaining an "Alien of Extraordinary Ability" visa in order to work as a photographer in the United States, which involved demonstrating her abilities. 

The conversation delved into the challenges she faced in the photography industry, such as getting jobs and networking, which differed between the US and UK markets. Building her portfolio and getting her work known were paramount, alongside the difficulties of periodically renewing her visa. Nathalie discussed the scrappiness required to constantly seek new opportunities, contracts, and projects as a photographer. 

They touched on various aspects of her career journey, like rebuilding her team, finding affordable equipment, and exploring new photographic styles. The need to embrace periods of boredom to refresh creative energy and come up with new ideas was mentioned. Overall, the conversation highlighted the determination, resilience, and relentless pursuit of opportunities necessary to sustain a career in photography.

Key Takeaways:

1. Perseverance and adaptability are essential, especially when working in a creative field with a lot of competition.
2. Building a strong network of contacts and collaborators is crucial.
3. Embracing periods of boredom can allow for new creative inspiration to emerge.
4. Continuously developing new ideas and projects is important to sustain a career over time.
5. Having a scrappy, entrepreneurial mindset can help navigate the challenges of the industry.

Mindful Creative: How to understand and deal with the highs and lows of creative life, career and business

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