Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Estremera.
Hi Nicole, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I have the typical Photography ‘start-up’ story. I was given a polaroid when I was 9 by my dad. I took pictures of every and anything I could: my dog, my dolls, my friends, etc. Once I outgrew the polaroid, I graduated to digital cameras, then I was a vacation photographer (not a good one, lol) and took photos anytime I visited somewhere new. Around mid to end of high school, in ’07, the iPhone had come out and that changed everything. I loved taking pictures and with convenience now. I would quickly fill up my photo storage, each time with every phone. My first “big break” was when my sister-in-law wanted me to take some maternity pictures for her…yes, with my iPhone! And for that experience, I will never forget her or that day. Finally, 2018 my then boyfriend, convinced me to save for a professional DSLR camera. Then I was on a spree to book as many shoots as I could, free ones though because, humble beginnings, you know? I did this for about a year until I knew I wanted to get good enough to do this professionally.
It was only a few months of booking shoots and building my clientele in the family photography realm that the COVID19 Pandemic hit the world and swiftly slowed everything down. I didn’t shoot for a while but there were some people who continued on with “normal” life, even social distancing and wanted some photos done, from a distance of course. It was still really slow though. So this gave me a lot of time to actually practice on my own and find out what photo genre I really wanted to pursue. By 2020 I knew I wanted to get into editorial photography.
However, by the summer of 2020, my now husband and I decided we wanted to move to Atlanta, GA to break out of our hometown mindset and truly test what we’re made of. We were going to start over and chase our dreams. It was going to be tough and I had no idea how I was going to do it, but I knew this is where I was going to re-establish my brand and I would dive into my editorial journey. This was of course before I knew about the conglomerate that is Atlanta, and just how many editorial photographers there were here. It took 10 months before I was booked for my first fashion show! I was booked by Q&A Fabrics Studio to cover their line featured in Atlanta Sustainable Fashion Week! It was one of the most thrilling events of my life and I had fun from start to finish. I knew I only wanted to get better and return to the end of the runway.
Since ATLSFW, I’ve shot for look-books, clothing brands and musicians. I’ve even been published twice, one being a magazine cover. Never would I have imagined. I thought I’d have to be dead before something like that happened. It is really something to be amongst other artists and be engulfed in this type of industry. You almost can’t get enough of it because you always get excited to see the next artistic expression someone’s come up with. It’s a beautiful way of learning about people.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I suppose on the outside, it’s been a “seamless” road. It looks a lot better than it was/is. I’ve stayed within the editorial industry and moved about from designer to designer, I suppose that’s the nature of the business.
It’s really the internal battle that no one sees that has given me the greatest obstacles.
While I did have a professional camera, my Nikon d3400, my baby, ‘ol’ reliable’- she was a beginner camera. She held it down though! It took a whole wedding to save for a Canon and then another two years to save for a lens! To this day, I wonder why I had to be passionate about photography? Arguably one of the most expensive hobbies/occupations in the world. And then moving from one state to another and losing my clientele and having to start from scratch again has been a beast in itself.
It’s been hard picking back up to bookings and paid shoots. But I love photography and I don’t ever see myself stopping no matter the obstacle. That’s the difference between profession and passion.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a professional photographer. I’m seasoned in Family Photography, Newborn Photography, Couples (and Engagement), Graduation and even Pets. Since moving to Atlanta, I’ve worked in Fashion Photography, Editorial and Runway. My favorite genre, however has been Journalistic, documenting travels and moments among people!
One time I asked on an Instagram questionnaire, ‘What does my photography style look like?” And I loved the responses of “cinematic”, “romantic,” “vintage,” “like out of an old movie”. I’m an oldie at heart and it’s amazing, and beautiful, that I can reflect that in my craft. Things like photos, that last longer than the people in them should be timeless, should be classic. And I take pride in my contribution to that phenomenon.
A lot of our [photographers] start-up stories may sound the same, same narrative captions, same motivation, and inspiration. Some of our photos may even look the same. What sets us all apart is the experience we give you. How we work with our clients. That’s what’s important and what I hope everyone considers when choosing a photographer to work with. The more the photographer connects with you, the better they can help tell your story. It’s not only what sets me apart but what sets us all apart.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you and any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
Oh man, the COVID19 pandemic has taught us all a very valuable lesson. An idle mind is indeed the devil’s playground. Keep busy! When the bookings stopped coming, a lot of my photographer friends got creative and started offering “Facetime Photoshoots”. It’s almost exactly how it sounds but of course, they all have their own touch on it. Other photographers started offering classes, presets, prints, and editing photo submissions by commission. I was actually really impressed to see how possible it was to branch outside of just photoshoots.
The business aspect may have slowed down during the pandemic but the creativity sure didn’t. Thank goodness my husband supports my photography so much. He was so patient to help me get creative and add to my portfolio.
Pricing:
- Solo/Couples Begin at $200
- Families Begin at $350
- Stock Images Begin at $150
- Editorial Begin at $200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://nthenestremera.wixsite.com/reservedandradiant/investment
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reservedandradiant/
Image Credits:
Daphane Warren; Q&A Fabric Studio; Shun “Real” Gordon; House of Dionne; Offbrand.Company; Emily Knott; Patrick Fortune
