I have an eye for truth, detail, and clarity.

 

My name is Natalia. My last name is pronounced awe-shah–TIN–skah.

I specialize in communication through writing, giving things a name, and capturing meaning in images. My work distills information to its essence and organizes it to create harmony. As a writer and namer I work mainly in English and Polish—the two languages I speak with native fluency. As a photographer I like to combine clutter-free simplicity with an element of surprise.

I am also a cook, baker, sewist, diarist, and explorer of contact improvisation My interests may seem broad, but in everything I do, I’m always searching for truth, removing the unnecessary, and celebrating clarity.

I have an MA in Linguistics from Syracuse University and a BA in Drama with a Photography minor from Colorado College. I got my start in business as a strategic planner at DDB New York, where I learned all about writing powerful briefs and applying linguistics to branding.

I live in Stary Mokotów, Warsaw.


Why hire me? Pick a reason. Pick a few!

Attention to detail
I am uncommonly organized and precise for a creative type, so I’m often the odd one out in a crowd of chaotic, rule-averse people. (Admittedly, they’re more likely to party with you after a day’s work.) As a writer, I produce clean first drafts and virtually perfect print-ready materials. As a photographer, I create clean files, clear workflows, and easy-to-navigate folders and archives.

A way with language
I speak and write proficiently in both English and Polish. My work is applicable to diverse client needs and communication styles. I am also in the unique position to apply the science of linguistics to naming, writing, and communication. And as a rapid language learner, I can readily incorporate aspects of pretty much any foreign grammar or vocabulary into the analytical or creative process.

A different view
Thanks to a non-traditional upbringing and lifestyle, I’m a natural at providing the outsider’s perspective. Teams gain new ideas by putting me in the room.

Perspicacity
I’m highly perceptive and attentive to contradictions, so I tend to pick up on the interesting tensions that often lead to great ideas.

Inquisitiveness
My sensitivity and curious nature mean I notice a lot of details and I’m always analyzing the origins of everyday habits and the ergonomics of spaces and objects. I’ve considered improving everything from yogurt containers and rules for punctuation to bicycling laws and email practices. I always look for the “because” and the “easier.”

Dedication
I am serious, idealistic, optimistic, and determined. This makes me a convincing advocate for a good idea.

Diligence
I go the extra mile. When it comes to writing, I fact-check and proofread my work. When it comes to naming, I have years of practice in verifying the legal viability of potential brand names, as well as their domain availability and SEO potential. Many namers can generate lists of great names, but few can do what I do when it comes to the pragmatic side of name selection and making the most of the available screening tools.

Professionalism
I’m transparent without being blunt and diplomatic without being phony. And my need for clarity and order keeps me organized and ahead of my deadlines.

Visual awareness
I’ve been taking photographs for thirty years and I often address visual communication as part of my branding work. Every time I look at anything, I am analyzing the composition. Color, value, balance, tension, negative space, movement, weight—this is where my mind is when it isn’t attending to words.

A distinctive style
As an artist and documentarian, I approach photography as a discipline of patience, presence, honesty, and observation. My aim is to leave out all the unnecessary parts to capture an essential quality of a place, a moment, or a person. My images may be stills, but they often convey physical and mental movement, internal and external transformation.

Two neat origin stories
In one I had to list exactly two interests along with submitting a photo to my college freshman “New Faces” catalog. I recall finding it impossible to choose, then settling on “languages” and “photography.” Now, nearly thirty years later, these selections strike me as spot-on—not just for back then, but as harbingers of the life to come. The second memory is more ancient—family lore has it that as a three- or four-year-old, I was visiting my dad’s new office after a move, and when he asked if I’d like to help him unbox all the books, my eyes lit up and I shot back if we should do it by topic or by format. All that is to say I’ve always been me, but the older I get the more agile I get at embracing this.


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