Katie McCurdy: The Power of Making Work Before You're Ready

Katie McCurdy: The Power of Making Work Before You're Ready

Episode Summary In this episode of Artist Date, Nicole sits down with New York-based photographer and director Katie McCurdy [https://www.katie-mccurdy.com]. From interning at Nylon and Vogue to photographing celebrities and building a successful commercial and editorial career, Katie shares how curiosity, persistence, and a commitment to making personal work have shaped her journey. Together they discuss creativity, networking, commercial photography, film versus digital, finding inspiration, and why the best thing you can do as an artist is simply keep making the work. Key Takeaways * Make the work first. Stop waiting for permission, perfect conditions, or the right opportunity. Consistent creation is what builds momentum and reveals your voice. * Relationships matter. Many of Katie's biggest opportunities came from conversations, connections, and showing genuine interest in the people around her. * Your personal work is your strongest marketing tool. The projects you create for yourself often lead directly to the client work you want to attract. * Stay curious and keep learning. Whether interning at magazines, assisting, or studying photographers you admire, every experience adds to your creative foundation. * Leave room for life outside of work. Inspiration comes from experiences, friendships, movies, museums, travel, and everyday moments, not just from sitting behind a computer. * Build your career brick by brick. Success rarely happens overnight. Small opportunities, handled well, often lead to bigger ones over time. * Don't overthink the next step. Focus on what excites you now, trust the process, and allow your creative direction to evolve naturally. * Develop resilience. The photography industry will continue to change, but adaptability, persistence, and confidence in your work remain valuable assets. Loved This Conversation? If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow creative. Follow along for more conversations with photographers and artists: Katie's Instagram: @katiemccurdy_ [https://www.instagram.com/katiemccurdy_/] Instagram: @nicoleromanoffphoto [https://www.instagram.com/nicoleromanoffphoto/] Instagram: @artistdatepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/artistdatepodcast] You can now watch full episodes of Artist Date on YouTube. Search Artist Date Podcast and subscribe to follow along visually.

Olga Pavlova: Choosing Balance While Building Success

In this episode of Artist Date, I’m joined by Toronto-based photographer, studio owner, and educator Olga Pavlova [https://www.instagram.com/olgapavlova_photo/]. Olga shares her journey from leaving a career in law to building a thriving photography business and launching LightLab, her studio and education space for photographers. We talk about growth, burnout, social media pressure, and the evolving reality of running a creative business. This conversation is honest, grounded, and a reminder that success isn’t just about doing more, it’s about building a life and business that actually feels good to live in. Key Takeaways * There’s no “perfect” path into photography Olga’s journey from law into photography is proof that creative careers rarely follow a straight line. * You can build multiple income streams as a photographer From shooting to education to studio ownership, diversification can create stability and growth. * Growth comes with pressure Scaling a business often brings new challenges, expectations, and internal stress to navigate. * Burnout is real in creative industries Pushing constantly without intention can lead to exhaustion, even when things are going well. * Social media is a tool, not the foundation It can support your business, but it shouldn’t define your worth or creative direction. * Your business should support your life, not consume it Creating balance is just as important as achieving success. * Community and education can expand your impact Teaching and sharing knowledge can open new doors and deepen your connection to the industry. * You’re allowed to redefine success at every stage What worked before may not be what you want moving forward, and that’s okay. Loved this conversation? Make sure to subscribe so you never miss an episode, and share this with a photographer or creative who needs to hear it. Follow along on Instagram for more behind the scenes and updates: @nicoleromanoffphoto [https://www.instagram.com/nicoleromanoffphoto/] @artistdatepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/artistdatepodcast] You can also watch the full episode on YouTube. Just search Artist Date Podcast and subscribe to follow along visually.

Molly Matalon: Process, Practice, and Finding Your Voice

In this episode, Nicole sits down with photographer Molly Matalon [https://www.instagram.com/mollymatalon/] to explore the ever-evolving journey of being an artist, from film and scanning to creative process, identity, and growth, offering listeners an honest and inspiring look at how to develop your voice, embrace change, and keep showing up to the work. Key Takeaways * Art is a puzzle, not a formula Molly shares how every shoot, whether editorial, commercial, or personal, is an opportunity to “answer the assignment” in a new way. * Process shapes your voice From shooting film to scanning every frame herself, Molly’s intentional process is deeply tied to the look and feeling of her work. * There is no single path into photography Her journey from art school to shooting for major publications shows how nonlinear creative careers can be. * You are allowed to evolve Growth, change, and even discomfort are essential parts of becoming the artist you’re meant to be. * Tools matter, but vision matters more Cameras, film, and techniques are just tools. What truly matters is how and why you use them. * Rejection is part of the process Building a career often comes down to putting yourself out there, again and again, despite uncertainty. * Creativity thrives in curiosity Molly emphasizes staying open, experimenting, and continuing to learn as a lifelong practice. * Your environment shapes your work Where you live, how you live, and what you consume all influence what you create. Loved this conversation? If this episode inspired you, make sure to subscribe, share it with a fellow creative, and leave a review. Follow along for more behind the scenes and conversations: @mollymatalon [https://www.instagram.com/mollymatalon/] @artistdatepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/artistdatepodcast] @nicoleromanoffphoto [https://www.instagram.com/nicoleromanoffphoto/] You can also watch the full episode on YouTube by searching Artist Date Podcast [https://youtu.be/Fge1q9-ljq4] and subscribing to follow along visually.

Georgia Johnston: Film, Feeling, and Finding Your Eye

In this episode of Artist Date, I’m joined by Vancouver Island photographer Georgia Johnston [https://www.georgiajohnston.com], whose work blends romance, nostalgia, intuition, and a deep love of detail. We talk about how her journey began with photographing friends, what she’s learned over 16 years of shooting weddings, how film has helped her stay creatively engaged, and why building a photography business takes both artistic trust and real-life resilience. It’s an honest, thoughtful conversation about instinct, inspiration, and continuing to evolve behind the camera. Key Takeaways * Accidental moments can be the most powerful. Some of the most unforgettable photographs are the ones you never planned, but simply had the camera ready for. * Film can pull you out of autopilot. Reintroducing film into her workflow helped Georgia slow down, experiment again, and approach weddings with fresh eyes. * Great storytelling needs variety. A strong wedding gallery isn’t made of one kind of image. It’s the mix of detail, portrait, movement, atmosphere, and emotion that gives it life. * Your tools shape how you see. Different cameras, formats, and lenses each bring something unique, and learning how they serve your vision can completely shift your process. * Business lessons usually come the hard way. From taxes to bookkeeping to marketing, Georgia shares the reality that building a creative business means learning much more than photography. * Community matters more than competition. Finding supportive photographers, asking questions, and sharing knowledge can change everything in an industry that can otherwise feel isolating. * Inspiration often lives outside the work itself. Nature, home, writing, quiet, and everyday life all play a role in refilling the creative tank. * You do not have to have it all figured out. Georgia’s story is a reminder that growth often comes from following curiosity, trusting your eye, and learning as you go. Loved this conversation? If you loved this episode, be sure to subscribe, share it with a fellow creative, and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also follow along for behind-the-scenes, updates, and new episode releases at @nicoleromanoffphoto [https://www.instagram.com/nicoleromanoffphoto/] and @artistdatepodcast. [https://www.instagram.com/artistdatepodcast] And if you’d rather watch the conversation, you can find full episodes now on YouTube. Just search Artist Date Podcast and hit subscribe.

Kaela Leone: Curation Shapes Your Brand

In this episode of Artist Date, I’m joined by Kaela Leone [https://www.kaelaleone.com] — a Canada-based photographer whose work blends refined editorial storytelling with real emotional honesty. Kaela has been published internationally in outlets like Vogue, Anti-Bride, The Wed, and Wed Vibes, and in our conversation we dive into the magic of film, how she’s built a workflow she truly trusts, and why curation might be one of the most important (and overlooked) skills a photographer can develop. We also talk about the cameras she shoots with, how she balances film and digital on wedding days, what inspires her eye, and how her work is rooted in legacy, connection, and felt memory. Key Takeaways * Film as a “felt memory” — Why Kaela is drawn to imagery that carries emotion, legacy, and real human connection. * A workflow you can trust — How practice, repetition, and knowing your tools creates confidence (especially with film). * Curation shapes your brand — What you choose to show (and what you leave out) directly impacts the clients and opportunities that come back to you. * Medium format for magic — Why 120 film feels painterly, detailed, and hard to replicate — and what changed after she tried the Fuji GFX. * Film + digital, strategically — How Kaela uses film for feeling and digital for high-stakes moments like the first kiss. * Submitting work with intention — Why different publications want different things, and how to tailor your gallery to the editor’s eye. * Your environment trains your eye — How travel, design, light, and even movies can shift the way you see and shoot. * Creative practices that reset you — Photo walks without headphones, Qigong, and finding beauty in the mundane. Loved this conversation? If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe so you never miss a new Artist Date. It also means the world if you share this episode with a photographer friend, leave a review, or post it to your stories and tag us. Follow along here: @nicoleromanoffphoto [https://www.instagram.com/nicoleromanoffphoto/] and @artistdatepodcast [https://www.instagram.com/artistdatepodcast]And don’t forget — you can watch the full episode on YouTube. New episodes drop every other Tuesday.