We were lucky to catch up with Nicolette Lambright recently and have shared our conversation below.

Nicolette, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Before we talk about all of your success, let’s start with a story of failure. Can you open up about a time when you’ve failed?

I like this question because I am at a year that I have accepted failure. I have, one could say.. enjoyed accepting failure the last few years. I think the best artists ( and perhaps the best humans) have failed the most. We can’t translate much.. if we haven’t lived a lot.

Not continuing to do things the way things have always been through failure, is a great blessing. I have sort of taught myself most of the way I have been doing things in the last decade. Maybe I’m not “successful” to some, but to others I have lived a dream. Every project I have done, has been for the most part, more than I could have imagined. Being from a small town in Indiana, just two generations away from being an Amish woman.. it seems so romantic to me. I’d be a terrible Amish Wife, and Traveling to places all over the world, working with Mariah Carey, Famous Athletes, Individuals with Unique Brains.. mothers having babies at home… you name it I feel I’ve been in Oceans and Rooms I Never knew I’d be in all because of my camera.

Through the failures the last few years I have grown more into what works for me and more as an artist and woman.. As I navigate balance of being a present mother, the endless hours of editing, social or community pulls from the goal list.. and just trying to always better myself in all areas andddd trying to stay creative!?? Failure is going to happen. I think the failure to be able to do all of those things perfectly, have paved a path I know one day will be my greatest strength. I love my art with so much passion, I want it so bad.. but every single day.. until he doesn’t need me anymore.. I’ll choose my son. It’s an interesting way to live honestly. Loving every single day, yet feeling you’re failing yourself every .. single .. day.

I think once you have been in photography with celebrities, or athletes, or kids, or large groups of people long enough.. you get to the conclusion you’ll never please everyone. You will always let someone down.. not have something done the way you or someone else wanted.. Many in my field all discuss.. that we just go for it and understand on a daily basis… “failure” is part of the game. How Strong photographers are to continue to dive back in. I think through that we become even better artists.. we know what works, we know what works for us, through every single failure we become even more patient and present and understanding in our crafts.

Failure in little things like exposure or shutter, can sometimes turn into favorite images or learning of a new skill

Failure in charging what you’re worth, results in never wanting to spread yourself to thin ever again. Don’t go hungry for someone who owns the grocery store.. I’ve learned.

Failure in being really successful in a business, have made me a more present parent.. has also allowed me to better value my time and be more selective on projects and people I choose to work with.

All of these failures.. I now realize.. have brought me peace.

I share these because I know I’m not alone, and I hope upcoming and new creatives have boundaries I never understood.. and accept failure with grace and learn from it rather than to fear or be ashamed of it. Creative Careers are expensive, and in this time a lot to sustain. There will be good days and bad days.. there will be wait and rush.. there will be knowledge and fake it till you make it.

There will be failure and there will be Success. What’s that quote.. perhaps who you become in the journey is the reward. In my years of being a photographer.. to be the person I am, the people I choose to photograph, the person and artist I will become.. that is the success.

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?

I first learned photography on film. I was young, I didn’t take it as seriously as I would now.. but I loved it. Taking it, developing it, all of it. Sort of setting it aside a lot of my 20’s, I was working on a show called Project Runway, and Lisa Fletcher, one of the sweetest and Talented Producers in TV, gave me a small digital camera. I remember being in New York City playin with the silly little features like “panoramic” and falling in love with photography again. I worked on the Keeping Up with The Kardashian Series working mainly with the cast for so long it was sort of normal for me to take a photo of a child walking or doing something cute while mom was at work, or Scott Looking dapper in the middle of 5th ave while being mic’s up.. so many random times in all of our set journeys before everyone had personal photogs and set photogs.. I often became that person.. Through that trust on that show and many other shows, it became a normal aspect with my work. I’d produce, but also take photos. Many of which are images no one will ever see! Sometimes it hurts, but sometimes it makes it more special. Through those experiences people encouraged me to take set photos, event photos, family photos, which led to birth photography and more. I remember when I got my first real camera, a Canon T6 while filming Mrs. Eastwood and Company in Carmel California. I’ll never forget thinking of all the dreams I had and first hours playing with that camera with my friends in Big Sur and Central Coast.

I am still learning as I go and I think so many of us photographers are alike.. empathy, active observant brains, some more technical than others… we speak a language sometimes only we get.. but guess I’d say what people tell me.. or the photos i love the most are capturing candies. I’ve been called the “queen of candids,” a time or too.. and I don’t dislike that. Sometimes I just get into the room by being me. I’m willing to be flexible, patient, I love people, I love stories, I like to work in a team mentality , I like to think we are all in this together. I work hard to be worthy of being in that room.

I like to offer images that make you feel like you are right there too.. I like to offer images that make you think or have empathy to another life. I like to take daily images of mundane activities and remind everyone how magical that mundane moment is. I am aware I can’t change peoples minds, or change the world especially in todays social climate, but I think with some series or photos I take.. I have hope that I C O U L D.

I am most proud of the moments I’ve given people when I’ve listened to myself. When someone tells me “you don’t need to take that,” or my brain distracting me from conversation because of something I see.. and the feedback with the images should have never taken.. is that it is a new favorite.. I like that.. When people say “ I’ve never seen myself like this,” “ This was my favorite shoot ever” from someone who has been acting their whole life.. I like that. I guess I just want to give people their own poem.

I am most proud of the journey I have been on that taught me how to be a better mom, a better woman, which in turn has let me to at 42 years old even a better artist. I can’t wait for my next decade. I am still here.. haven’t quit.. and don’t intend do.

I think the main things I want anyone to know about my work, my brand? This is way to hard of a question.. I’m sort of in the very middle of figuring that all out as you ask.

I guess it would be this. When I show up, and I’m in the room.. my soul, my heart and my eyes will only be focused on telling the story of that time and space. If you’re in front of me, I want to know your story.. I will feel you, I will feel the energy in the room .. in the space.. and I want to take images that when others will see .. will know you.. if being emotional in photography is wrong,, Ill never be right.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I think like many Covid was a time for pivot. For me I feel my career was starting to take off before covid hit. During covid my Marriage was also changing. It was all a lot to keep up with. The pivot I experienced was deciding what comes first. I wanted to keep going in my photography work just as fast and free in time to create as I was before, I even had work during Covid days.. but between lockdowns, changes at home, school at home, and being a mom to a kid going through it all.. priorities changed. I am so grateful that even though I feel my work path in where id like to be is slower.. I know with all of my heart it is a journey and even in that journey I have done great things. If going to other countries, tv show work, and too many requests for family photos is still slow.. I’ll take it. The pivot probably in the long wrong make me learn to prioritize and to leave behind unsupportive people, habits and goals.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Getting to do what my brain calls to do is number one. I’d be suffering if I couldn’t make art. And even though freelance can be rough in Los Angeles, having a flexible schedule, sometimes surprises in the schedule. Life being different every single day, sometimes moment.. is something I love.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @photobynicolette