Nate Townsend

©Nate Townsend

Nate Townsend
SOUTHERN SYMMETRY, 2023
Fiber Base B&W
Image: 12X18, Paper: 14X20
Leica M10 Monochrom
1/10

©Per Bernal

Nate Townsend is a writer and director based in Los Angeles, California. His commercial work has been featured in Ad Age, Ad Week, and Billboard, and awarded by the Emmys, Cannes Lions, and D&AD. His feature documentary Wake Up — about the American suicide epidemic — premiered at Tribeca’s We Are One Film Festival, and subsequently received acclaim in Variety, Hollywood Reporter, and Indiewire. Wake Up is available for rent on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and most other major streaming platforms.

Q&A:
When did you start using Leica?
I was introduced to Leica in my early teens, but didn’t own my first leica until 2019. My good friend, DP Kyle Krupinski, lent me his M4-2 and I fell in love. I then bought an M4-2 and 35mm Summicron V3 and never looked back.

What is your favorite camera?
My favorite camera is the Leica M10 Monochrom. The M10m has an innate understanding of mycreative vision and uncanny ability to execute. The way in which the M10m records shadows and light is super-human. It has the ability to strip a moment to its rawest form – a shape, a streak of light, a person’s expression, etc.

What is your favorite subject matter to shoot?
My favorite subjects to capture are real people in real environments. As a filmmaker, I’m constantly seeking scenes and moments that tell a story. My aim is to elicit emotion from the viewer – particularly feelings of nostalgia, curiosity, and wonderment.

How has Leica changed your life?
As an artist, Leica cameras have unlocked a form of raw, creative expression within me that has since changed the way that I see and interact with the world. Through Leica, I have evolved and refined my approach to film making, established a safe and solitary space for creative expression, and learned to experience life with greater patience, care, and wonder. More than any camera or product, Leica’s greatest impact on me has been its tight knit community of photographers and creators, who encourage and inspire me on a daily basis.

What other Leica camera are you thinking of getting?
I would like to own an M6 and Q3 – after fully mastering my M10m and 35mm Summicron.