Katie McCurdy: The Power of Making Work Before You're Ready

Episode Summary In this episode of Artist Date, Nicole sits down with New York-based photographer and director Katie McCurdy. From interning at Nylon and Vogue to photographing celebrities and building a successful commercial and editorial career, Katie shares how curiosity, persistence, and a commitment to making personal work have shaped her journey. Together they discuss creativity, networking, commercial photography, film versus digital, finding inspiration, and why the best thing you can do as an artist is simply keep making the work. Key Takeaways Make the work first. Stop waiting for permission, perfect conditions, or the right opportunity. Consistent creation is what builds momentum and reveals your voice. Relationships matter. Many of Katie's biggest opportunities came from conversations, connections, and showing genuine interest in the people around her. Your personal work is your strongest marketing tool. The projects you create for yourself often lead directly to the client work you want to attract. Stay curious and keep learning. Whether interning at magazines, assisting, or studying photographers you admire, every experience adds to your creative foundation. Leave room for life outside of work. Inspiration comes from experiences, friendships, movies, museums, travel, and everyday moments, not just from sitting behind a computer. Build your career brick by brick. Success rarely happens overnight. Small opportunities, handled well, often lead to bigger ones over time. Don't overthink the next step. Focus on what excites you now, trust the process, and allow your creative direction to evolve naturally. Develop resilience. The photography industry will continue to change, but adaptability, persistence, and confidence in your work remain valuable assets. Loved This Conversation? If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe, leave a review, and share it with a fellow creative. Follow along for more conversations with photographers and artists: Katie's Instagram: @katiemccurdy_ Instagram: @nicoleromanoffphoto Instagram: @artistdatepodcast You can now watch full episodes of Artist Date on YouTube. Search Artist Date Podcast and subscribe to follow along visually.