Today we’d like to introduce you to Nate Skinner.
Nate, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in Texas City, TX on Galveston Bay, and have been infatuated with the outdoors since I was a little boy. My love and passion for the outdoors started with fishing — Growing on the upper Texas coast, I went fishing often with Dad. In my late teens and early twenties, I really got into hunting, while still maintaining my love/passion for fishing/angling. While attending college at Texas A&M University, I knew I wanted to figure out how to obtain a successful career in the outdoor industry. At first, I thought becoming a fishing guide would be the right avenue for me. So I obtained a Captain’s license from the USCG and gave that a try. During my senior year of college I also recognized that I had a knack for writing — I reached out to some outdoor/fishing publications, and had my first paid/published article in a fishing magazine at age 21. From there, my career as a freelance outdoor writer began to grow, evolve and develop over the next 9 years. I started shooting photos for the articles I was writing for various publications, and started developing a network with other folks, brands, and business in the outdoor industry. At age 30, after pursuing my outdoor career in addition to having a day job, I took the leap of faith and started working for myself full time in the outdoor industry, as a freelance writer, photographer, and videographer. I now own and operate a content creation and production company that focuses on building bold content for outdoor brands. I still do quite a bit of freelance writing and photography for outdoor publications as well. I’m just a guy that wanted to go fishing and hunting for a living, and I have been blessed to call that my full-time for over 8 years now.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Heck no! But nothing worth doing in life is easy in my opinion. I knew nothing about owning and operating a business when I started out, so learning the ins and outs of that has definitely brought its fair share of hurdles and challenges. Also, this economy we are living in sucks. It started with Covid and the aftermath of that, but it’s a tough time to be a small business owner. When you work for yourself full-time as a freelancer, you have to constantly keep the pipe full. There are no guarantees — You’ve got to produce if you want to eat. I’ve had to constantly evolve and keep an open mind about the services I offer, and I’ve had to learn how to adapt and change with the market. When I started writing 17 years ago, things were a lot different. Social media was barely a thing — Now, its THE THING. Print has all but gone by the wayside and digital media is where it’s at — I’ve had to learn how to evolve and continue to offer quality services that align with the needs of my clients in the outdoor industry. A lot of this process has involved taking some risks and learning new things on the fly. Another thing I will say about this rough economy we are living in — Marketing budgets are the first thing companies cut when times get tough — So I’ve seen a lot of doors close because of the tough economic times. And therefore, I’ve had to figure out ways to open up new doors.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I create content in the form of still images and videos for outdoor brands/entities. These brands/entities then, use this content for marketing purposes. I am not a “content creator” in modern day terms — I don’t have a massive following and constantly document my life on social media. I create bold, credible, and valuable content to help outdoor brands/entities tell their story or advertise their products/services. I have directed and been apart of various forms of content production, from “Joe Blow” TikTok videos filmed on an iPhone, to 30 second commercial broadcast ads that have aired on national television networks.
In addition, I also still operate as a freelance outdoor writer/photographer and work with many regional and national publications.
I’m probably best known for capturing candid, action shots “in the moment” in the outdoors. From a hardworking gun dog retrieving a game bird, to a fishing thrashing on the water’s surface — I excel at knowing what’s going to happen in a hunting or fishing setting, and putting myself in the best position to capture it, all the while not interfering with the actual act of fishing and hunting. Put me in your blind, field, woods, boat, etc. — I’ll get the shots you need, without hindering your experience.
I’m most proud that I’ve been able to turn my passion into a successful career. Knowing that I’m able to support my family while pursuing my dream means everything to me. My job isn’t just work — It’s my lifestyle.
I believe 2 things set me apart from others: 1. I’m not some nerd with a camera. I am an avid hunter and angler, and I know what to expect in the field or on the water. 2. I always go above and beyond for my clients, whether that be in the way I communicate or overproducing on the level or amount of assets I agreed to create. My level of customer service is second to none. If I don’t respond to your call, text or email in a timely manner, I probably died.
In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I see video continuing to take over the outdoor industry in terms of marketing content. And short form video at that — Nowadays, everyones ideal customer has an extremely short attention, and figuring out how to captivate their attention in the shortest amount of time possible is crucial.
I also see AI becoming more and more prominent in content production, and I think eventually folks will realize the AI stuff isn’t as realistic and effective as more raw and organic forms of content.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.sl-outdoor.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skinneroutdoors/ & https://www.instagram.com/sandloutdoor/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nate.skinner.791932
