Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Berard.
As a director and photographer based in Austin Texas I strive to communicate authenticity through images.
The limited time I had with my dad was very fruitful as he gave me the tools, taught me to shoot and process film and since then it has always been A part of my life.
I began shooting portraits in 1992 in a small town 45 miles SW of Madison Wisconsin and home to Lands’ End In 1996 I was awarded the Annual Report for Lands’ End and my commercial /catalog career was born.
My career has been very amoebic, I pave the cow trail so to speak, curiosity and intuition tend to lead the way.
In 2005 Creative director AL Shackleford of Duluth Trading Co. brought me in to put a style on the newly launched Womens brand, we took the products to the trade women and 16 years later it is still going strong. With current lifestyle catalog trends falling square into my comfort zone, I have been fortunate to apply my craft at a level that sells the hell out of products by photographing in a relatable and aspirational yet honest style. My latest work with Tecovas boots and apparel is a dream come true, shooting products and putting them through the paces is my jam.
Freelancing is a lifelong plate spinning performance on rollerskates, the job demands do not follow traditional work hours or schedules, A lifestyle that can be very hard on family life. My greatest achievements are my 4 children. 2 wonderful young ladies from previous marriage and 2 energetic boys ages 2 and 6 that will keep me young or kill me, either way it has forced me to remain active and involved in my family, and excited about my career, I feel like I am just getting started (again).
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Having come up in a small market (Madison Wisconsin) I was sort of a jack of all trades, portraits were my mainstay when I began, Lands’ End was interested in my work and I applied my style to their annual report and web site rollout to give their web presence a bit more splash than their tight, conservative catalog at the time. I tended to draw the national clients from my area working with Porsche, Saris Cycling Group, Sub Zero and others, meaning, I was shooting product and taking the same products to task in the field shooting outerwear, flashlights, food, cycling culture and on and on. Moving to Austin Texas in 2017, I quickly realized that a jack of all trades was not a strong seller in a market that wants someone that is a specialist. Today I market myself as a Lifestyle brand and Automotive photographer.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I have always said yes and figured it out, there was a time when photographers primarily worked in studios with tons of lighting, nothing moved and shooting outside was a whole different world, the idea of that bored the hell out of me. I never want to do the same thing twice, therefore I am always looking for the next gig that will build on where I have been, always elevating my work and keeping it fresh for the client. I do my best work outside of my comfort zone.
Contact Info:
- Email: nick@nickberard.com
- Website: https://www.nickberard.com
- Instagram: @nickberardphoto
- Other: http://www.tntbomb.com/
Image Credits
Nick Berard
