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

Hi Nichole, what’s one piece of conventional advice that you disagree with?
That you HAVE to find a “niche” in your photography and stick to it. I absolutely see the benefit of sticking to what you’re good at and becoming the best at it. But being a creative, one of the main reasons I LOVE photography is the variety it brings! I tend to get bored easily doing the same types of shoots over and over. I love trying something new to challenge myself and get out of my box. It gets my creative juices flowing.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
“Photographer” can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. Almost every one has a camera. The “all you do is push a button’ mentality is still extremely prevalent.
But it’s more than that for me. I think beyond all the technicalities of photography itself, there is the opportunity to connect with people in a way that is simple. Simple, yet, can be extremely profound.
Families are one of my biggest clientele groups. I love to observe the dynamics of each family. Sometimes, I get people who are just plain fun. And sometimes, I have to act a fool to get a smile out of them. Every family has their own vibe.
You have the privilege to be with these people in some state of emotion: be it vulnerable, excited, happy, sad…it can be anything. And yet, you can have the power to influence that feeling in some way. I always tell my kids to “speak life” to one another. You can do that in the moments you spend with your clients at a session. That’s what I hope to do. I hope people leave being with me feeling even a little bit happier and filled. I LOVE having that opportunity! And while many professionals will tell you to be consistent in all your editing, I enjoy making each session unique to my clients. So sometimes my style is a little more dark and moody, and sometimes it is a little more warm and colorful.
The biggest challenge of this profession is our success is based on what other people think of our art. It’s easy to follow trends and sway to opinions. And sometimes those opinions are harsh.
But being a little rebellious and putting your heart and art out there and being okay with those harsh opinions is something you learn. Something I continue to learn. So I put it out there, and if it sparks something in someone- yay! If not, that’s 0k. There are a ton of amazing artists out there! God didn’t create me to be a copy of someone else and do all the things they do. I want the world to know that you are created unique on purpose, and I want to take photos of people that display and encourage and capture the beauty of that uniqueness!

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?
My sister and I had the opportunity to stay with some friends and visit Colorado for the first time in September of 2022. We crammed about as much in as we possibly could in a 4 day trip. We wanted to see everything! When we flew in, we went straight to Red Rock Amphitheatre and explored the surrounding area. It was incredible- new goal is to hit it up next time one of our favorite musicians in playing.
But, let’s be honest: you go to Colorado for the mountains, right? So the next day we drove to Rocky Mountain National Park to take in the majesty of the Rockies. We made it into Estes Park to do a little tourist shopping, grab some lunch and then hike the trails up to Emerald Lake. Those views and that mountain air did NOT disappoint. A literal mountain top experience for me!
We had the chance to see elk, moose, and tons of other beautiful wildlife.
For breakfast one morning we were told we had to try Snooze! It’s a fun, funky MCM spot with some of the most delicious pancakes, a breakfast pot pie, and a ton of other mouth-watering options that left this foodie hoping to come back for more.
We also took a half day to roam and drive around the beautiful Breckenridge area. We ate lunch at one of the local taverns, and did some shopping in some of our favorite stores.
And I absolutely cannot leave out Garden of the Gods. You just can’t go to the area and NOT visit this place. I think that is one of the spots I am most looking forward to visiting again when I bring my family. There are trails for every level, from walker to rock-climbers, and everything in between.
I tell everyone that I don’t know if it’s the contrast of the beautiful red rocks, or if the skies are just THAT much more blue in Colorado.
I am definitely coming back for more!

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?
When I first started with photography, I had no one to help. No one in my family had ever started a business, and the only photographer I knew of was my wedding photographer. I just found something that I enjoyed doing, and actually WANTED to keep doing.
I didn’t know any technical terms for anything I did. I just played around with settings until I found something I liked.
I was already adjusting to being a new mom at the time, and finding other photographers in the same position, or leaving my baby to do it was very challenging.
Then I had a friend reach out and ask if I could second shoot a wedding for a photographer friend of hers. I saw some of her work and jumped on the opportunity! And when working together, Kelli and I just clicked. We had so much fun, and she had been in the photography business for years and knew all the ins and outs. Every time I had a question, she would help me without hesitation. She would send clients my way. She encouraged me to be proud of my work. She walked me through everything from pricing to what sites to use for clients. We still love to shoot together when we get the chance, and I still keep her busy with questions.
Another person who has helped me in the business aspect a ton is my pastor and friend Darryl. He is an extremely wise and – I know it’s not the normal thing to say of a pastor- but business savvy guy, He has poured in countless hours helping me come up with business goals, pricing, ideas, and knowing my worth as a person and photographer. I usually say he believed in me more than I believed in myself. Everyone needs someone in their life to do that!
I am so very grateful for it.

Website: https://book.usesession.com/i/XntOx93t_

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nicholedavisphotography?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicholedavisphotography

Image Credits
Nichole Davis Photography

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