Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Gunn.

Hi Nick, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I got my start in photography by accident. I have always taken photos, playing with disposable cameras on school field trips, borrowing my mom’s camera, and using my phone later on. I had also been a musician since elementary school and never expected to be any other kind of artist until I stumbled into photography out of necessity from my other creative projects. When I finally picked up a camera of my own, it all clicked at once.

After several years of building a small following, and taking the craft more and more seriously, I made some pretty huge life changes that meant I could travel full-time and really prioritize photography along the way. I still work a full-time remote job to support myself, so my journey has been as much about career growth as it has been about artistic growth so far.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has absolutely NOT been a smooth road. I think most creatives struggle inherently in a society that demands so much strength and courage to veer from the more traditional paths. From varying degrees of support from friends and family to brutal competition in the real world, it is often not an easy life to live.

On that note, my most notable struggles have always been outside of art.

Finding a career and a job that is positive for me both financially and in terms of mental health and maintaining the freedom to create and travel has been challenging. Not to mention growing in my field without a formal education.

Taking art so seriously in the remaining free time is a lot to balance, and I’m frequently reminded of the fact that I am a human with limitations and the need for sleep and rest too. In fact, I think I’m still very much trying to find a balance with all of these moving parts.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work has undergone so much growth and change, but the undercurrent has always been travel, cities, cinematography, and film. For me, there is a special kind of beauty in the romanticization of our lives. Capturing not just what’s going on around us, but highlighting specifically what it is that’s beautiful or captivating about it.

That’s what drew me to the specific kind of street and travel photography that I do. I’m less interested in capturing the identity or personality of human beings than in how they fit into the fabric of our shared surroundings. I try to capture how people fit into MY experience, and I pursue aesthetic beauty above all else.

In focusing on my perspective, I’m not only documenting my life and experiences to look back on later but also giving the viewer a way of seeing the world through a different lens- even if it’s just a glimpse of a moment in time.

And that’s exactly what draws me to the work of other photographers. The “How did you see that??” moment is my favorite thing about discovering new artists.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
Networking has been hugely positive for me. It’s how I’ve connected with plenty of brilliant friends and some of the most inspiring figures in my life. For instance, Sam Aikans, who I thoroughly believe will change the world, or my friend Evelyn Goroza who has one of the most unique and eclectic artistic visions and personalities of anyone I’ve ever known, as well as so, so many others.

It’s also how I met- and fell in love with- my partner. Building connections with fellow artists on social media has absolutely changed my life. It’s one of the few remaining positive things about these platforms that allow us to share our work online.

The best advice I have about networking is that there is a much better chance than you think that an artist will want to connect with you. Even if they seem too busy, too big, above your skill level, etc.

Many people I look up to have been so much more responsive to me than I ever would have guessed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.gunairy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gunairy/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@gunairy

Image Credits
All photos are self-portraits/shot by me