While there’s no ‘silver bullet’ to crushing it on Instagram, a strong aesthetic is always a winner. It’s a concept that super talented creative director Natalie Turnbull has fully embraced. The Melbourne native uses her on-point account to showcase a crisp and minimal vibe that has become her trademark — and led to countless cool collaborations.
For Nat, an image should not only look good, but it should serve a purpose, too. Which is why you’ll find plenty of quirky shots on her IG — we recommend you go follow pronto: @natturnbull. To give you a taster, we chatted to Nat about her social media strategy and how the ‘gram has become a true career booster.
Tell us how your creative career began…
I’ve tried and tested a lot of things, worked in a lot of places and been a jack of all trades. I studied Fine Art Sculpture and Spatial Practise at the Victorian College of Art, from there I worked part time at The Design Files where I discovered styling. Previous to that I had worked for many small businesses and even started up a bag label, Witu. Now I focus on styling and creative direction full time. It’s amazing to have had so many experiences across different businesses and fields, every little bit informs how and why I do things today.
How did you build such a unique creative vision on Instagram?
I like my Instagram to be my online portfolio, so it needs to be a good representation of my work and style. It is important to me that it looks nice and showcases my most recent creative work, which is typically minimal. The key is to be true to you and/or the work that you are putting out there. Put up things you love even if you think they aren’t going to get the most likes. I think if you believe in it, it’s worth sharing and that’s what will build your USP.
How has Instagram boosted your creative career?
Instagram is my greatest tool for sharing projects I have been working on – without this platform, I can’t even imagine how people would be able to view it. I’ll often see a direct correlation between sharing certain images and getting a similar type of commissions coming in. Most potential clients look through my Instagram profile before they look at my website to get an idea of my style so it’s important to keep it fresh and updated. For more a behind-the-scenes look, I also share footage from shoots on my Stories — it gives people a little insight into what my work actually entails.
“Most potential clients look through my Instagram profile before they look at my website to get an idea of my style so it’s important to keep it fresh and updated.”
How do you edit your images before sharing?
I use the VSCO app and I think adding a slight grain to an image on Stories always looks cool.
Where do you find creative inspiration?
Inspiration is everywhere! I find myself documenting the most random things on my phone because they have sparked some kind of idea. I always keep my eyes open wherever I am.
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Any tips for upping your following?
My advice would be to keep posting regular, interesting content. Also, stay true to you and post what you want to post, not what you think you should post.
“Post what you want to post, not what you think you should post.”
And what’s the best (and worst thing) about Instagram?
I was recently in Milan for Salone del Mobile and I was able to connect with a photographer who lives in Stockholm but was also there for the week. We arranged to meet and it was great. It completely would not have been possible without Instagram as we would have both been another faceless email in each other’s inbox. It’s an amazing tool to connect with like minded people. And the worst part? How long I spend on it!
