Meet Courtney Hicks | Figure Skater, Photographer, and Social Media Influencer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Courtney Hicks and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Courtney, how do you think about risk?
I think taking risks is so incredibly important. Risks help to keep a sense of trajectory and provide constant room for growth and discovery. Throughout my career taking risks has led to me finding things that ended up working so much better than the way that I had been operating, plus I’ve found new habits that keep me from getting bored or burning out.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I first started taking an interest in photography when I was about 11 and I went on a trip for skating and asked to use my uncle’s point and shoot little camera just about every other second. Now I have a lovely DSLR that I’m very fond of and it comes absolutely everywhere with me. I specialize in nature photography and also in candid shooting around town. I’m very proud of how I’ve developed my eye for angles and framing, and that’s a big part of what I think sets my photography apart. I like finding new and intriguing angles that guide the eye through the shot. I like the shot to tell a story, even if it’s a simple photo of a tree or a flower; I want the lines to guide the viewers through the beauty that I saw in capturing the moment.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely spend a day around Downtown Colorado Springs and Old Colorado City. OCC has a lovely little farmers market on Saturdays during the summer and there are a ton of cute local businesses lining the main street. Downtown would have to include a visit to Tejon Street and the shops and bars/breweries along there. I would also want to take a day or even an overnight to go down to Great Sand Dunes National Park to hike around the dunes and show off the night sky out there. It has very low light pollution with insane views of the Milky Way, and I’m a huge fan of astrophotography. I also like hiking Fourteeners so I would try to do d one that they could manage, plus other nice hikes around Colorado Springs. Definitely Pulpit Rock and Cheyenne Cañon would have to be on the list. Finally, I would want to do a quick trip to the Royal Gorge down by Cañon City; it’s absolutely breathtaking.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom and the rest of my family have played such an important role in getting me to where I’m at! They supported me for years and I never would have accomplished half of what I have without them. I also am lucky to have an extremely supportive friend group that is very encouraging to me now that I love in a different state from my family, and I’m grateful to be surrounded by people who aren’t afraid to hold me accountable.

Instagram: @courtneynhicks/courtneyhicksphotography

Twitter: Courtneynhicks