Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mitch Nicklas. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Mitch, appreciate you joining us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?

I’m self taught in photography. I started out with a film camera and learned by reading books about cameras and photography. It was a lot of trial and error (it still is!), shooting rolls of film, waiting for them to be developed, and learning as I went. Knowing what I know now, I would have spent time with other photographers to learn from them. Now, it’s easy to learn with the internet, but when I started it was a lot of time and patience.

I think the most essential skill I learned in the beginning was the mechanics of exposure and the technical aspects of photography. That’s where the books came in. I was always drawn to things like subject matter and composition, but learning the camera as an instrument was another matter.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?

I first got into photography when my parents gave me a camera for high school graduation. Since then, it’s gone from a hobby, to a passion, and now a business. I’ve had the pleasure of working with all kinds of people, and been fortunate to be able to shoot many different things. From portraits to lifestyle, businesses, bike races, concerts, street, food and travel (among others), I’ve learned a lot just from jumping in and saying yes. I’m proud that I have the ability to help people connect and grow their own business, and make some great working relationships along the way!

My services include profile photos, lifestyle and portrait, pets, family sessions, headshots and speaker/event photography. I work for myself and am able to accommodate a clients needs and requests.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being creative in your experience?

I think the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is sharing what I do with others. We are all creative beings, and I believe that sharing our creativity makes life interesting and valuable.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The best source of new clients is always references and word of mouth. I’ve met people by chance who turned into great friends and clients, and I’ve had people come out of the woodwork because they know someone that I worked with before. I don’t do any marketing, and my business is small. It’s really a side hustle, but I love it when I get to work with new people!

Contact Info:

• Website: mitchnicklas.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitchnicklasphoto/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchnicklas/

Image Credits
Mitch Nicklas Photography, LLC