Nathan Tran
Self-portrait of Nathan Tran smiling and adjusting his glasses, in a white T-shirt and olive trousers against a pale blue studio backdrop

A practice that keeps growing.

I’m a product designer and AI builder in San Jose. I picked up a camera in 2020, turned it into two businesses, and now design products and direct AI to build them.

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Experience

Work, study,
and community.

  1. 2020

    Nate Tran Photography

    Started as a hobby in June 2020 and became a portrait business the following year, mostly graduation and couples sessions.

  2. 2022

    West Coast Creatives

    Organized 10+ events for a network of 1,000+ Bay Area creatives.

  3. 2024

    Graphic Design, SJSU

    B.A. Graphic Design, Dean’s Scholar twice. Also earned the Google UX Design Professional Certificate.

  4. 2025

    Stella Booth and 529 Haus

    Founded a hosted photo booth business and co-founded a creative community. Different settings, both built around how people experience an event.

  5. Now

    Product design and AI-directed builds

    Designing interfaces, setting product direction, and directing agents through implementation and review.

Photography

Still behind the camera.

Portrait sessions from Nate Tran Photography, mostly graduations and couples. The business runs separately at natetranphoto.com ↗

A bride in a white dress under a large tree at golden hour A graduate in a stole standing under palm trees A couple walking hand in hand down a garden path A group of graduates seated on stone steps in front of a green door
Off the clock

More than screens.

I’m Vietnamese, born and raised in San Jose. My first trip to Vietnam at 19 changed how I saw the country and made me proud of where my family comes from, and Ho Chi Minh City keeps pulling me back.

Japan, the same year, showed me how good a city feels when the small things are designed well, from walkable streets to affordable food. At home, I read psychology, philosophy, and history, mostly to understand why people make the choices they do.