Meet Dr. Natiya Guin of Portrait of Health

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Natiya Guin.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I was a fitness and beauty photographer for nearly twenty years when I realized that I was as inspired by the gorgeous editorial photos I took of my models as I was by their health journey to get to our photo shoot day.

I noticed that while prepping in hair and makeup and on set I would chat with my models about the powerful stories that made them turn their lives around often from a very dark place to place of empowerment. For some models, they were overweight and unhealthy as children and chose to change their lives when they became adults, for others they turned a thirst for connection to their roots and absent parent guidance into a passion for teaching others and for others they shared stories of loss to educate and empower.

Onset and in my own life I have always focused on supporting inner beauty to promote outer beauty, I encouraged my models to prepare for their shoots with healthy practices for their mind and body. We talked about prioritizing, sleep, joy, anti-inflammatory foods, and reducing pesticides in their food and beauty products. I found that the more involved I was supporting my models with their health regimen before our shoot, the less I needed to photoshop images or counsel my clients through nervousness and self-doubt. My models became more and more inspired by our wellness coaching and emotional support prior to shoot day.

Women began to come to me who were survivors of cancer and wanted to tell their story and have their image taken by a photographer who deeply cared about their experience. It took nearly two decades of editorial work for the likes of Yoga Journal, Om Yoga Magazine, Yogitimes, LA Yoga, Play Boy, Origin, People, etc… to realize that I wanted to be a true medical professional and continue to support my beautiful clients by telling their stories on and off camera. I am now a primary care practitioner focusing on optimizing health not just for photo day, but every day.

Portrait of Health provides clients with a platform to be seen for all their medical conditions in a whole person an approach, to be offered support around self-care products and nutrition, and to be fully supported when they are ready to take their powerful portrait and share their story. I also photograph and support fitness and medical professionals that I believe in, in order to increase their reach and support of empowering people through health and fitness.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Photography and empathy have always come naturally to me so that was not a challenge. However, deciding to go back to school in my thirties and as a mother was beyond a bumpy road. I had two children while in school and continued my photography business while becoming a Doctor. For someone who believes it is important to “live their medicine”, I struggled with how to pass my classes, continue to be published worldwide, and magically also keep my health up and be the best mother to three children that I could possibly be.

When I graduated I immediately took a full-time medical position at one of the most renowned clinics in the area. I did so because it was the job everyone wanted right out of school, and I was “suppose” to want it. Within 6 months I missed my kids desperately, I barely touched my camera, and I developed daily tension headaches that were relentless. I was not “living my medicine” and felt like a fraud to my patients who came to me to learn how to balance their lives and be able to get healthy.

My mom reminded me to embrace imperfection, my family told me they could care less if I worked at a fancy clinic, and my friends told me they missed me making art. I left my big Doctor job and created Portrait of Health.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Portrait of Health – what should we know?
Portrait of Health celebrates the art of health and beauty. We specialize in optimizing health and celebrating that acquired health through photography. Clients can choose to do both or see us just for wellness coaching or for a health and beauty photoshoot.

We plan health packages based entirely around the individual client and their needs. As a primary care doctor, I work with my medical colleagues to integrate approaches to optimize health and collaborate to evaluate the client’s labs, chronic and acute conditions, clinical presentation and to recommend a plan based on their specific goals. I often work with MDs, DO’s, NDs, personal trainers, Acupuncturists, and Chiropractors in order to offer integrative and well-rounded support.

With my client, we determine the most appropriate ways to optimize their health and if they have a goal of creating a beautiful portrait once they reach their goal, we plan a photoshoot as a culmination of their journey. Some clients prefer to take portraits during the process of healing (after a surgery for example) in order to share their journey and offer hope to others in a similar position.

Professional fitness coaches and doctors often hire portrait of health solely for their business photography (but we usually end up talking about activated charcoal and yoga anyway)…

Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Portrait of Health has gained incredible success in its first year. I think this is because physical and emotional health are intimately connected and that art and creative expression are extremely healing. The experiences I have had with my clients on set after months of working together on their health or beyond words.

I have cried with my clients, I have laughed with my clients, and I have been a part of their healing journey in a powerful way. I cherish the vulnerability that my clients express because they open up their lives to me by sharing their health journey, and they open their hearts to me when they allow me to have them in front of my lens.

Pricing:

• Initial health consult $250
• Photo packages starting at $400

Contact Info:

• Website: www.portraitofhealth.com
• Phone: 310.266.8929
• Email: info@natiya.com
• Instagram: Portrait_of_health
• Facebook: Portrait of Health by Dr.Natiya
• Twitter: @natiyaguin
• Other: www.natiya.com

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