Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalie Wilson.
Hi Natalie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I moved to Houston from Florida back in 2012, and I’ve been constantly amazed by the diverse and ever-evolving restaurant, bar & art scene here. All the while I’ve lived here, I’ve made sure to take advantage of everything Houston has to offer, and I’ve loved documenting my experiences along the way through photography. In January 2021 I decided I wanted to share with others my passion for photography & discovering new finds around Houston (from restaurants to fun cocktail spots to happy hour specials to dog friendly places to artsy happenings, and more!), and even traveling beyond Houston. Thus, LetsRendezHOU was born! Call it a New Years resolution of sorts ~ I followed through with something I had been thinking of doing for a while. If I can inspire even one person to check out a fun new spot in vibrant Houston & fall in love with the city like I have or even inspire the inner wanderlust in someone, I’m happy!
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?
It’s all about consistent content creation that catches the eye of Instagram users in order to build an engaged audience – this can be challenging especially with the ever-changing Instagram algorithm. Not to mention, visiting new spots & creating captivating posts & stories takes quite a lot of time & effort, more than some may think! I also work full time as a pharmacist in the Medical Center, so balancing that with my LetsRendezHOU account and just with life, in general, can be tough at times! But I just have to be patient with myself and remember to enjoy the work I put into LetsRendezHOU! I have really loved how this platform has connected me to so many different people!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Through my photography, I focus on capturing the essence & ambience of the restaurants and cocktail bars I visit, rather than just a single drink or food item, so that my followers can imagine what it would be like to actually be there. I like to feature not only the new spots that everyone hears about, but also lesser known “hidden” gems that may have been around for a bit. I’m proud of my photos and all the detailed information I include in my post captions, which I hope prevents my audience from having to do research on their own. It’s fun to know that through my page I can help inspire someone’s next date night, celebratory occasion, girls’ night out, etc! And occasionally I will dedicate a post to “Throwback Travel Thursday” where I showcase photos I’ve taken during my travels in the hopes I can encourage others to venture out to the same beautiful places!
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Be confident and try not to get discouraged by comparing yourself to others! And make sure you are doing what you love – this will help keep you inspired & it will also come across in your work!
Contact Info:
- Email: LetsrendezHOU@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsrendezhou/
