We had the good fortune of connecting with Nenah Eve and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Nenah, why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
My passion for photography began in high school when I would photograph my girlfriends on the weekends. My best friends Mackenzie and Allison were models and hair / makeup artists, and together we would always come up with the most creative photo ideas. From my Zodiac series to floral photos to underwater experiments, my photography portfolio was super expansive! But when I started applying for colleges, my family realllllllyyyy wanted me to study something more ‘professional’ so that I would ‘make it’, so I hunkered down and pursued a business marketing degree.
Throughout college, I was always the creative one in group projects, so I would volunteer to design our final presentations. By the time I graduated, I had built a whole second portfolio of ‘marketing designs’ and was able to land my dream job as a Marketing Design Specialist at AEG, one of the world’s leading live entertainment companies. At first I was a little bummed to not study something more artistic in school like graphic design or photography, but after completing my degree I felt super grateful because that was truly the education I needed to lay strong business foundations for my career.
Alongside my corporate job, I began attending and photographing an annual women’s gathering in Southern Oregon. It wasn’t long before I grew passionate about serving this beautiful community of women artisans, teachers, earth-lovers, and activists. The pull to start my career as an independent artist grew stronger and stronger. Finally, I decided to leave corporate and combined everything I learned in marketing with my lifelong passion for helping women be seen. Now I run a photography and website design studio that helps ambitious women grow their businesses with confidence, magnetically attract opportunities, and share their heart with the world. I couldn’t be more grateful to be on this path!
Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I have a holistic way of approaching my design work, and always consider both the bigger picture and the finer details. I often find myself at intersections of creative and technical, form and function, qualitative and quantitative. I love to integrate everything I learn along the way, and I gather inspiration across many industries. I’ve always been artistically inclined but I think lately what I’m most proud of is my taste level. I look forward to developing an even more refined, professional aesthetic as I hone in on my craft – designing elevated websites for ambitious women.
Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Monday: Venice extravaganza. We’d start strong with a trip to the Venice Beach Boardwalk, where there’s not a dull moment to be found. I’d also stop by Abbot Kinney for a nice lil’ fancy lunch and would spend the sunset strolling around, admiring all the unique architecture along the streets and canals.
Tuesday: Vegan food tasting. Breakfast at Kitchen Mouse in Highland Park (chilaquiles, duh!), Lunch at My Vegan Thai Food in Pasadena, and finally Pura Vita’s Italian food for dinner. Cafe Gratitude for a yummy dessert.
Wednesday: Museums galore. I’d spend as much time as possible at The Huntington Gardens. Read a book, take a nap. Followed by a quick stop at the Bunny Museum nearby in Altadena, and finally the Hammer for some later night happenings.
Thursday: Even more museums. I’d make my way to the Getty Villa in the daytime and the Getty Center at night for an evening concert.
Friday: Day Trip. One of the best adventures in Los Angeles is day-tripping out to Deep Creek Hot Springs with loved ones. It’s a little hidden oasis. NO LITTERING!
Saturday: All about the music. I’d spend the daytime thrift and record store hopping and then would check out “Listen to Music Outside in the Daylight Under a Tree” in Highland Park. I’d also check up on Resident Advisor to see what warehouse shows are going on that evening.
Sunday: Go Inward. The end of the week is for slowing down, which is why I’d visit Malibu’s Hindu Temple and would attend a free meditation class at Sri Chinmoy’s Centre in West LA.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Of course, my career totally pivoted when I started photographing Spirit Weavers, an annual women’s gathering that welcomes 1,000+ women to Cedar Bloom Farm to share skills with each other. My entire portfolio is currently centered around the natural beauty at Cedar Bloom and the freedom women experience here, joining together in sisterhood. I have Mea Woodruff to thank for giving me this opportunity to connect deeply with so many kindred spirits and to spend time in such a nourishing space, building my portfolio. Many of the women in this community commission me for custom website designs as well.
Website: www.nenaheve.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nenah.eve/
Other: studio@nenaheve.com