“Natalie is possessed with a singular drive and vision. Eternally youthful, naively ancient, her eyes see through illusion and are heat-seeking missiles for the spirit in you. The good news is you never need to prepare for a shoot with Natalie: you have been preparing to be seen your whole life. If you, like the majority of Finsta posers and thirsty self-marketers, try to construct an image before, during or after, it will be time wasted ... I want to say it will be an opportunity wasted, but that's not true: as long as you are in the presence of Natalie's many lenses - and she has them on her entire body, front, back, above and below - you will be seen and you will be loved, whether you are ready or not.”

— Natti Vogel

“Natalie brings out the unseen and locked beauty that is in every person. When I had my first photography session with Natalie I cried, laughed hysterically, and embodied calmness. I felt incredibly self conscious to get my photos taken but desired a collection that represented the work I create. Natalie took the precious time to make me feel comfortable, listen to my hopes for the photos, and break down the walls I had built up around my own perspective of myself. I will also recommend Natalie to others, especially those wanting to show every realm of themselves. Natalie is a gift to the work and working with them is such a treat.”

— Kelly Ashton Todd

“Natalie took photos of me when I was 8 months pregnant. The whole experience felt like a dance, a prayer, and a magic spell all at once. The final images captured the singular and remarkable precipice I was on at that moment, while also seeming to capture some deeper layers of truth, longing, and becoming just below the surface.”

— Coco Karol

“When I booked a photo shoot with Natalie it had been 5 years since my last shoot. I felt nervous and unsure but Natalie was so remarkably patient, kind, and invested in my comfort. Her studio is calm, inviting and gorgeous, and her presence is effervescent. By the end of the shoot I actually felt confident, and I owe that to Natalie’s encouragement and perceptive practical advice in suggesting small practical ways for me to get within my body and enjoy the process. As such, Natalie was able to beautifully capture a side of me I’ve never seen on camera before. Very pleased overall with how the shoot turned out!”

— ELYSSE

Natalie is magic! She created a space where we could experience and express our love for each other. What a gift to be witnessed in that way. By the end of the session, we felt like we had gone through so many stages of deepening, accessing our most honest love, we felt so open and held and cared for. The photos themselves are portals back to those cherished moments.

— Erin + Jonah

“Natalie has a special skill of capturing the sensations of a moment. Not only is the photo beautifully framed, but within that frame, the intangible feelings of the moment become vivid. Working with Natalie is a comfortable and illuminating experience.”

Maggie Segale

“Natalie’s images speak for themselves, but, I will try to capture with my words the ineffable quality of being in her presence. With her I feel held, seen, challenged, and deeply loved. (The perfect elixir for a transformative experience…and photos that will make your jaw drop). Natalie is skilled when it comes to cultivating trust. She demonstrates authenticity and leads the way with light. With her, I feel safe enough to be right at the edge of my own self discovery. It is through her witnessing and supportive container I am able to lean into unknown territory…an inner playscape, boundless, and abundant. She emphasizes process in a way that inspires deep presence. AND produces out-of-this-world images.

I am excited to develop a long lasting relationship with Natalie and call her when I am in need of a witness for the many phases of my life.”

— Lillian S.

"Though a live performer by nature, put me behind a camera to capture something 'still' and I am stiff at best, terrified at worst. Not only did Natalie help me thaw into my natural self, her images captured what I feel is my spirit. The stills carried with them all the momentum, warmth, and ease of me in motion. Each session we have had together has not been about getting 'the shot' but has actually been a way for me to capture myself, to hold my body in confidence and take back ownership of my flesh and bones and soul because I feel truly seen - not by the lens, but by the blue eye behind it."

Short version: Better than therapy

—Holly Ledbetter

“I actually hate having my photograph taken, but being pregnant was so exciting for me and I had to document it. I could not have dreamt of a better experience in sharing such a special moment with someone I did not even know at the time. Natalie created an intimate, inviting and beautiful space. She instantly made me feel safe and comfortable. The photos were incredible. She perfectly captured the excitement and magic of that moment in my life. It was the perfect way for me to celebrate my Self in that moment and I felt that she was really celebrating me as well. All the insecurities I have had about being photographed in the past melted away during our session and it is really evident in the photos. I have never seen myself so at ease.”

—Leah Mo

“I could not recommend Natalie highly enough! She’s very friendly and easy to work with, and my pictures came out great. We did a photoshoot for my musical album in central park and she captured the aesthetic that I wanted perfectly as well as highlighting the beautiful landscape of the park around me. She made the editing process very pleasant too, putting in lots time and effort into helping me decide on what pictures to use and for what purpose. I will definitely use Natalie again for my next shoot and you should too!

— Adam Moezinia

“Working with Natalie on the photo shoot was an absolute joy. Super professional, a pleasant joyful experience, and the photos turned out phenomenal! She has such a wonderful creative spirit!”

— Jon lampley

NYC artists, I can’t recommend Natalie enough for your photography needs. As someone who struggles with taking photos, and creating visibility around my career as an artist and somatic practitioner, working with Natalie was truly a gift. Her talent, sensitivity, knowledge, and adventurous nature are beyond clear in her photography, and how she works intimately with those she shoots with. She captures the unique you, with ease and efficiency.

if you’re looking for headshots, portraits, dance shots, and beyond, Natalie is the artist to contact. Always making magic, and always making everyone she is around laugh.

—Caitlin Javech

"Natalie brought me into such a serene headspace for the photos. She knew how to craft an environment and language facilitating to creative flow. She gave me guidance at the same time that she gave me freedom to follow my impulses. I recommend!" -

—Andrea Ward - Choreographer 

"Natalie has a great ability to create a very fruitful environment that allows you the space to be free as she captures the most beautiful, fleeting moments of improvisation. She is very knowledgeable, able to direct and can craft a wide spread of looks in a short amount of time." -

—LAJAMARTIN - Choreographers

“Working with Natalie was such a pleasure. She brought out a side of me I had not seen of myself before. She seeks the genuine portrayal of self in the ever-changing moment of the present.” 

— Abdiel 

“I do not enjoy having my picture taken. Strange that I should choose to be an actor yet struggle to relax when asked to pose for a picture. However, working with Natalie was a wonderfully releasing and organic experience. It felt more like a two hour conversation than it did a shoot. Natalie is able to at once put her clients at ease, and draw out their individuality. With Natalie, the camera does not dictate what you do, it simply captures it when you do it.'“

— Chukwudi Iwuji

“Got to hang out with my soul mate and listen to our favorite song of the time on repeat while Lady unobtrusively did her thing, rarely and gently making her presence known only to adjust our position to capture the somehow already setting sun.”

— Joelle + River

“My photo/healing session was a one of a kind experience. Natalie created a space that was safe, playful and honest. She gave me a gift that I didn’t know I needed. A place to be fully who I am and to celebrate it. To honor it and to capture it.”

— Tilly

“Natalie is pure intuition. She seems to be able to step graciously into anyone's creative space and tune instantly and precisely to what the work is wanting to say. Her photographs of Welcome to Campfire's live, original danceplay in 2020 are each independent and whole works of art in themselves.”

— Ingrid

“I’m a nervous person, especially when it comes to my dreams and manifestations. I really don’t want to fail. On the day of our shoot I got my period (this seems to happen on only important days *sigh). I knew I wanted to shoot in lingerie which was new for me and I was concerned it wouldn’t work because I was fixated on how short I am (I long for length, I always have) and now I felt bloated as well. All this to say I showed up feeling like half of what I should be…

Natalie allowed all of those feelings to exist while covertly guiding me back to whole again. I laughed, I wept, I revealed and shared, Natalie acting as my net, catching all of me. This series is one of my favorites, it’s timeless and intimate. Undone and pure while also feeling glamorous and luxurious. Thank you Natalie. I highly recommend working with this wildly talented wonderful human. xx

—Audrey

“Natalie was an absolute joy to work with; I came in nervous and they made me feel at ease in front of the camera, inviting me into a world of play and possibility.”

— Tim Nottage

“It was so fun and relaxing to have Natalie photograph us in our home. My partner and I don’t take many photos together and can feel camera-shy. She made us feel super comfortable, observed us and captured our essence in a beautiful, authentic way. Her film and digital photography is so natural, artistic and soulful. Truly so much better than what we could’ve imagined. We can’t wait to work with her again!!”

—Allison + Tom

“I LOVE my portraits — a friend commented that they capture my spirit so well and I fully agree. Natalie took my portraits with ease and patience and she set aside any expectations of needing to perform for anyone or anything — she allowed me space to be myself. Being around her is a joy - full of love and playfulness. Everything flowed together like we were just hanging out because of Natalie's foto expertise in smoothly switching lighting and settings and being willing to experiment in the moment. That photoshoot is a cherished memory of mine - thank you, Natalie, a thousand times over and over!”

—Allina

“Natalie evokes a palpably electric energy in every space she encounters, and it’s with this vitality that she brings her photographs to life. It is my experience that Natalie views her work as play, and that is what I believe brings so much raw vivaciousness to her lens. As equally calm as she is exuberant, Natalie’s images ignite a sense of urgency that can only be captured with the steadiness of her eye.”

— Gracie Coats of Gracie + Rachel

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Natalie on several shoots over the past few years. Not only do I admire her technical creativity and skill, but also her energy and presence that consistently brings out the best in all of her subjects. The final product always reflects how easy and comfortable it is to work with her and I continue to use her work every chance I get. Would not hesitate to book her for all my photo needs!”

— Dan Chmielinski

"I first became familiar with Natalie’s work through a portrait series of hers in which the subjects were jazz musicians and a few of them happened to be friends of mine. I had been on the lookout for a photographer to take headshots and portraits since all of my previous ones were outdated. After seeing those jazz portraits I knew that Natalie would be the right person for the job - her pictures are full of life, color and character but also professional and poised. The photoshoot itself was a really fun experience as well - and I have never liked getting my pictures taken! Between walking around all over the Upper West Side on a humid summer day to hoisting myself and my violin up the fire escape of her building to get to the roof for some pretty epic backdrop, I forgot all about the fact that I was being photographed but instead it became an adventure and collaboration. There’s really no need to mention this, but the pictures turned out great and I’m sure I’ll be using them for years!"

— Hulda Jónsdóttir - Musician

"Natalie Deryn Johnson is by far the best live shooter I have ever had the pleasure of working with and easily the best in New York City. She is able to constantly capture nuanced storytelling of any project by simply walking into a space and taking in the temperature of the performers and their work. From portraits to events, fashion, and live performances, she captures the true essence of her subjects while framing them authentically."

-Breton Tyner-Bryan - Director, Choreographer and Performer