Nathan Militante isn’t your average photographer. The 20-year-old doesn’t only focus on where his next photoshoot will be taking place, but he is full-time, microbiology major student who attends the University of Nevada, Reno.

While managing a heavy load of science courses, Militante works for an agency known as HYPEBEAST and Highsnobiety, which deals with up-and-coming and established clothing brands. He has done multiple photo shoots for clothing brands like Obey, Brandy Melville, and local brands like The Golden Choke. Militante, influenced by cinema photography and music, is ahead of the game for having only five years of experience with photography.

Photography first started out as a job for Militante which soon became a hobby, and drove him to become a freelance photographer. His job has him roaming around whether it’s somewhere local in Reno, or San Francisco, where he has an upcoming photo shoot to do for Brandy Melville.

“Another reason I do photography is because it’s kind of a de-stressor for microbiology,” says Militante.

One would think that with these accomplishments, Militante plans on pursuing a career in photography, however, the microbiology student plans on becoming an epidemiologist and hopes to work for the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO).

“The thing about this job that I’m doing right now is that it requires a lot of traveling, it requires a lot of work, and I hope one day to have a family … with that job and having a family I see it coinciding a lot,” says Militante.

In the meantime, Militante enjoys photography and the people he meets through it. Currently he uses Instagram, a blog on HYPEBEAST and Highsnobiety, and VSCO, a website where people can express artistic impression, as social media platforms for his work. He intends on opening up a website for his photography in the near future because Militante says it is something he can fall back on since social media is constantly changing.

“Recently I’ve been shooting portraits and that’s what I want to shoot more in the future … with a model or someone to shoot, the picture immediately changes … a different story is told,” says Militante.

One of his models, Casidie Gil, posed for Militante not too long ago. Gil, 20, attends UNR, and is majoring in journalism.

“I was so impressed with his photography even before I met him …. it was cool to be a part of his vision. He made me feel so comfortable and really let me just be myself,” says Gil.

Even though the microbiology major does not seek a career in photography, he still doesn’t put it passed him.

“I do keep the door open for photography thinking maybe I will open a photography business, maybe on the side or maybe get a full-time job,” says Militante.

Portrait of Gil posing for Militante with a string of lights wrapped around her hands at one of the recent photoshoots she did with him.