Meet Nicole Rall | Photographer

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

Hi Nicole, what’s your definition for success?
Success looks different to all of us. For me it’s a feeling I get when I talk to my clients after a session. Entrepreneurs that feel like a weight has lifted and they now have more ease in their business. It’s the texts from clients after family sessions telling me they’re crying in the grocery store because they just opened up their families photo gallery. It’s A feeling when I get to sleep in and cuddle my babies for as long as I want. It’s the feeling I get when I am able to spend my time homeschooling my 3 girls and taking them on adventures with me. My business, like many entrepreneurs, isn’t foolproof or smooth sailing all the time. But I have a feeling of peace about me. That feels like success to me.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I started out as a makeup artist. It was such a fun creative field to be in. As I began needing quality photos of my work I started taking photos myself and soon fell in love with it. For several years I did both. After having a few kids I decided to give more attention to my photography business. I love that in a creative field you can really reinvent yourself over and over.

I absolutely love supporting small businesses in a big way. I come from a family of entrepreneurs. I really understand the beauty and the struggle of working for yourself. I also have a knack for showing people how freaking awesome they are even if they can’t see it. So working with small businesses has really given me so much joy. Seeing them grow both professionally and personally is pretty cool.

Family is also hugely important to me. I absolutely love to document real moments of connection within families. I prefer less posed and more lifestyle. More interaction & movements. I love to see who people really are together. Which we all know isn’t perfect. That is what makes life special. The in between.

I do not limit my creativity in my field. Even though many professionals will tell you to niche down. I can not. It’s too much fun to be creative. It’s what keeps me going.

If there is anything I’ve learned along the way it’s be true to yourself. Listen to your intuition. Set boundaries. Charge what you’re worth. Always have backup equipment. If you’re going to start a family, prepare your business as much as possible so when the time comes you can ease into parenthood and into the new hood of family & business with more ease and less angst.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

I am a homebody these days and love to hang in my little hometown of Milford. To show my friends the best time I would take them on a hike to any of the awesome parks nearby like Highland rec, Kensington, Island lake, and Indian Springs!

I know some pretty quiet watering-holes. We would probably go kayaking in the Huron river or a trail ride through Kensington.

We would visit all of the downtown Milford shops, like After the Rain, Hoot, Bubs and Bettys, Blue Birch, and Your nesting place.

I’m also a sucker for resale and vintage. I’d take them to Odds & Inns, the Three Little Peas and Our blessings. We would get our yoga on at In Harmony and some coffee at Proving Grounds.

A MUST is to take them to the Farmers market in Milford on Thursdays. On the weekend likely hoping through the nearby towns farmers markets.
Packing up our market goodies and having delightful picnics wherever we fancy. We would have to have dinner at the Palate, Gravity and Charlies. I love cooking for my friends so a home cooked meal would be a huge part of their stay.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am so grateful for the community. Photography can be a very competitive field. There can be lots of uncomfortable interactions if you think everyone is out to get your clients. Honestly, I’ve been so fortunate to meet others who want the same thing. Community and collaboration. I have learned from so many other photographers willing to share helpful information, tips, advice and resources. I strive to do the same for anyone starting out or a seasoned pro. We can never know it all and the curiosity to keep learning and growing together really is inspiring. A few wonderful professionals that helped me out early on were Emily Berger, an incredibly talented photographer & Renee Swan an amazing graphic designer. I met Emily years ago. I was the makeup artist on the shoot, and she was the photographer. Anytime I ever had questions she did not hesitate to help. Renee and I used to work together at Sephora way back when I was 16!! We kept in contact and she has worked her magic on so many projects of mine. I have been able to connect with so many talented photographers and entrepreneurs over the years and I’m so grateful for every single one of them. I can’t forget all the family and friends that supported me during the early years of figuring it out when I started off. Thank you for sticking with me! I can’t forget to mention my husband who encourages me and fully supports all my crazy ideas. With three kids that I homeschool it would be impossible to run this business without him.

Website: https://www.nicolerallphotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicolerallphotography/

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