We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nesta Wright a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nesta, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar you earn in a new endeavor is always special. We’d love to hear about how you got your first client that wasn’t a friend or family.

Becoming a photographer didn’t start as a business; it started with my daughter, KayLee. She was my first model, always patient, always expressive. I didn’t charge her, of course, just paid in candy. But through her, I learned how to capture emotion, connection, and real life. Her photos helped me build a portfolio without even realizing it. In addition, I wanted to tell a story with each caption.

My first real client, the first person who didn’t know me at all, found me through Instagram. I had been posting photos of KayLee and doing some street photography, with no real strategy behind it. One day in NYC, I was testing a new lens when I met a woman named Tyler. She’d just gotten engaged and was with her daughter, Miyelle. She asked if I was a photographer, said she’d seen one of my photos, and told me, “This is the kind of happy I want to look in pictures with my daughter.” I was nervous that this wasn’t practice anymore. But I said yes.

That shoot turned into my first paid session. It was raw, real, and emotional, exactly what she wanted. When she paid me, it hit different. That first dollar wasn’t just income it was the moment I realized this could actually be something. It turned my passion into a path.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m a photographer who came into this work through love, not business. My journey started behind the lens, trying to capture the essence of my daughter, KayLee. She was my first subject, my first muse. What began as a way to document her life quickly turned into a way for me to express something deeper: emotion, connection, and the quiet beauty in everyday moments.

At first, I didn’t see myself as a professional. I didn’t plan for a brand. I was just sharing images that felt honest. But over time, people started to respond. They saw something in my work that resonated with something real, unpolished, and deeply human. That’s when I realized this wasn’t just something I loved doing it was something I could do for others.

What I Offer

I specialize in lifestyle, portrait, and family photography sessions that focus on storytelling over staging. Whether I’m working with couples, parents and kids, or individuals, my goal is always the same: capture emotion, not perfection. I don’t believe in forced smiles or stiff poses. I want to give my clients something they’ll feel every time they look at it.

Alongside portrait work, I also do street and documentary-style photography, and I’m beginning to offer personal brand sessions for creators and small business owners who want authentic, soulful visuals.

What Makes My Brand Different

I don’t just take pictures. I pay attention. I slow down. I listen. The people I work with often tell me they feel seen during our sessions, not just photographed. That means everything to me.

There’s a vulnerability to being in front of a camera, and I respect that. I try to create a space where people can be themselves, especially those who don’t feel “camera-ready.” You don’t need to be a model. I bring patience, empathy, and the technical precision I’ve developed through years in IT. You just need to show up, and I’ll meet you where you are.

What I’m Most Proud Of

I’m proud that I built this from the ground up no marketing degree, no studio background, no fancy setup. Just a camera, a lot of trial and error, and a deep belief in the beauty of real moments. I’m proud that my daughter was part of the foundation and continues to inspire how I shoot.

And I’m proud every time someone tells me, “This photo made me cry,” or “I didn’t think I could look like this in a picture.” That means I did my job.

What I Want You To Know

If you’re looking for photos that feel alive, not staged, I’m your photographer. If you’re a parent who wants to remember what love looks like on an ordinary day, or someone stepping into a new chapter and needing to see yourself in it, I’m here for that.

This isn’t just business to me. It’s personal. It’s art. It’s a way of giving people back a piece of themselves, the piece they didn’t know they were missing until they saw it in a photograph.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes, my mission is to capture the kind of moments people don’t realize are beautiful until they see them frozen in time. I also want to show parents the way their child looks at them, to show couples how real their love looks when no one’s posing, to help people see their own beauty without filters or fake smiles. I’m not here to stage perfection, I’m here to document truth.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

As someone who works in IT by day, I’ve always been the person behind the scenes, solving problems quietly. Photography gives me a different kind of problem to solve: how to help people feel seen. My goal is to make photography feel safe, comfortable, and real,l especially for people who think they’re not “photogenic.” My mission is to create space for authenticity and give people images that feel like them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nestaphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nesta_da_great/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nesta-wright

Image Credits

All images credited to: Nigel Photographer ig @_connorlens) https://www.connorlenz.com/