From Memphis to the main stage

Nathan Armstrong is an acclaimed music photographer known for capturing renowned names in country, rock, and pop. From arena tours to studio sets, his work has documented the defining performances of artists like Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Madonna, and Sir Paul McCartney.

Behind the camera, Nathan is the President and Chief Creative Officer of NLA Projects, a Memphis-based creative solutions agency specializing in video production, commercial photography, and live event production. Their work has been featured across major brands and platforms, including Amazon Prime Video, Rolling Stone, Ford, Spotify, Dolby, and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

“We’re not just creating content,” Nathan says. “We’re stewarding stories. We don’t see ourselves as owners or creatives with rights, but as stewards – responsible for honoring the brands, relationships, and resources entrusted to us. That’s why we rely on tools that let us move fast, stay agile, and never compromise on quality.”

For NLA, the Atomos Ninja monitor-recorder is the cornerstone of their production setup. Their rigs – built around Leica SL2-S cameras, Angelbird SSDs, and Anton Bauer Titon Base Kits – are designed for versatility, including shooting run and gun b-roll, managing client reviews on set, and working with large crews in the studio. “When timecode is required, we jam it to both the Leicas and the Sound Devices MixPre-10 II – that keeps timecode in the Ninja files for easy multi-cam and audio sync in Final Cut Pro,” Nathan explains.

In post-production, editors work from Mac Pro towers connected to QNAP NAS units via Ubiquiti 10G switches, enabling the team to edit ProRes RAW files directly in Final Cut Pro. “This infrastructure eliminates the need for transcoding or proxies, and lets us deliver content quickly to clients, even in multi-cam scenarios, without compromise,” he says.

Nathan records in ProRes RAW HQ to simplify his editing workflow and reduce time spent in post. “We were previously using another RAW codec that required transcoding before editing, which added time and complexity,” he explains. “With ProRes RAW, we edit directly from the Ninja SSDs – no proxies, no conversions, just fast turnaround and full fidelity.”

Image flexibility is crucial when working with Leica sensors. “ProRes RAW gives us incredibly malleable files,” Nathan adds. “We’re pulling every ounce of data from the sensor, which gives us grading latitude we simply couldn’t achieve with a non-RAW workflow.”

Nathan and his team also rely on Ninja’s built-in monitoring tools including live LUT preview, waveforms, as well as using HDMI output to display camera feeds to Teradek or studio multi-view setups. “False color is huge for us when lighting sets,” Nathan explains. “Waveforms keep us sharp during fast-paced b-roll shoots. And with HDMI output, our clients can see exactly what we’re capturing in real-time.”

“With ProRes RAW, we edit directly from the Ninja – no proxies, no conversions, just fast turnaround and full fidelity.”