We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nickolas Wolf. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nickolas below.

Nickolas, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

Acting and Photography, go hand in hand with learning the craft on the job. Whether you make mistakes and learn during projects or learn from watching other individuals you work with, both art forms I feel are best improved upon with real working experience, even if in the beginning it’s only a small amount of work opportunity. While you can learn technical aspects of both crafts from watching videos, attending classes or listening to stories, many real-world lessons and adjustments to your own style and comfort come from doing any sort of work. You find ways to challenge yourself and ask questions to peers. You can even learn from other individuals growing in both art forms as well.

For acting, the biggest challenge and thing I’ve learned to understand is that there will be many rejections, and many missed opportunities that mostly are just out of your control, even with maximum effort. It’s something that needs to be expected, but you must never let it ruin your ambition and enjoyment of the process.

For Photography, the biggest hurdle is finding clients and work. In my specific corner of the profession, dealing in the world of motorsport is a very competitive space. Whether it’s because of money, time or other photographers and companies vying for work and clients, the threat of losing your clients and opportunities is always looming year after year. You come to learn that the most important part of the job is your relationship with the teams and drivers. Even with experience or a resume to show, trust and confidence is what really is needed to grow and succeed. You still need to be creative and knowledgeable with imagery but being a people person and energetic professional allows for clients to more easily make the decision on if they want to work with you, especially long term.

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 back background and context?

My name is Nickolas Wolf, and I am an Actor and Motorsport Photographer.

Before I started my journey as a photographer I grew up growing my acting career, going to classes, working on TV shows and feature length movies, and simply trying to better enjoy the craft. Eventually I was able to join SAG AFTRA, and a new host of opportunities and benefits were found once this big milestone was reached. While photography has taken over more of my focus and time, acting remains a beloved job, and I continue to search for and welcome opportunities.

Before acting, I was a racing fan first, always attending NASCAR races and eventually learning about the world of Sports Car and Endurance racing. Around 2016 I began experimenting with a camera and soon learned that this was an art form I too wanted to learn more about, and eventually applied it to my favorite form of sport I enjoyed for so many years. I then went on to volunteer as a photographer for various events to obtain credentials and a media vest to grow a resume and learn. Now, 6 years after my first time obtaining media credentials, I work with a company through much of the year in the IMSA and SRO America racing series, with some NASCAR events filling up my schedule as well. I’ve been lucky enough to capture images for TOYOTA, Audi Sport and now currently Lexus Racing. It’s been a massive privilege, and I continue to grow every event and every year.

There’s something so addicting about wanting to tell stories, whether it’s through photos, or acting. There’s always an urge to want to tell stories, and to share experience with the world. I’m proud of my work so far, and I look forward to what remains in the future, just around the corner.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

In both acting and photography, I’ve had many moments where opportunities are just as quickly lost as obtained. One moment you’re preparing for a job and the next it may be gone, whether it’s due to budgeting, a different direction chosen during the creative process or something else out of your control In these moments you feel sad, and question what may have gone wrong in the process. Instead of falling apart and quitting, you move on and find new opportunities. You don’t let the bad times bring down your energy.

For acting I’ve had people tell me I’m not good enough. I’ve had job opportunities simply say they are going a different direction, or they don’t say anything at all, and I was left wondering what happened, and whether it was me or some other outside event 0or process. While not all questions were ever answered, I readjusted my mindset and continued on when the next audition or job arrived. I now never let those missed opportunities or negative comments destroy my motivation or interests.

For photography there have been times when jobs that have been planned in advance fall through due to budgeting, or time. Things change all the time, and in an increasingly more difficult economy, many teams or groups or individuals are struggling with money, and how much they can afford during event weekends. While it’s tough removing events from the schedule, new ones have taken their place and like with acting you keep moving forward towards the next journey. I never take any job for granted. In a way, you can never truly rest or relax through the year as anything could happen.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I simply enjoy telling stories, whether through my acting and being part of a greater production or capturing my experiences and the experiences of others through still frames. I appreciate any art form that tells stories, and while I may not be the most experienced or knowledgeable in all art forms, they nonetheless excite me and give me inspiration and motivation to want to tell more stories and be part of something important, unique, and simply cool.

A thousand words and emotions could be said and or expressed in a single image. It can affect you in ways indescribable in written words. It must be experienced with your own eyes, and then you can truly understand the magic of the moment.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nickolasphotography.smugmug.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickolaswolf/
• Facebook: Nickolas Wolf
• Twitter: @Nickolasawolf
• Other: IMDB (Nickolas Wolf): https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4234640/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Image Credits

Motorsport Images captured (by me) while on assignment for Sideline Sports Photography

Black and White image of me captured by Kyle Schwab

Second image of me with camera in hand captured by Fred Hardy