Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Alejo.
Hi Nicole, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I was influenced by my older cousin, who’s now a professional photographer/videographer in Canada. Prior to him taking on photography as his career, he would travel and post photos that had great quality, which sparked my interest. I started with an affordable camera just to familiarize myself with the mechanics and was later advised by my cousin to invest in a better lens instead of buying a whole new camera. I would practice taking portraits of my family and friends, shoot photos of random objects or scenes on the streets, and I eventually found my style and appreciation for street photography. I still very much enjoy taking others’ portraits, but not for a price–I simply like helping boost people’s confidence when I show them the results. Oftentimes, too, their creative side comes out, and they strike different poses or will request me to shoot the details of their outfit, and it’s overall a fun experience. But with street photography, I truly enjoy the candidness of the moment–there’s no script or posing, yet I feel like those moments are the best ones to capture.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It’s been a fairly smooth ride; I don’t like to stress in general and most especially not when I’m doing this as a hobby. I’ve been asked before to take people’s photos for a rate, but I would decline the pay to relieve myself of the pressure. The only struggle I’ve really faced in photography is not feeling satisfied with my work. I have a friend, who’s also a professional photographer, who has been encouraging me to print my work or create a photo book/album, but I keep telling him that I’m not satisfied enough yet. Though I truly appreciate his encouragement and support.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Most of my work consists of street photography. I love capturing people in their most candid moments and think those turn out better for me. Honestly, I don’t know what I’m most known for haha. But from the top of my head, I’d say that a few of my nature works were recognized for good composition. There are two pieces I’m most proud of–one of them being a B&W piece since I don’t normally shoot in B&W. I think what sets me apart from others is that I don’t overthink when I shoot. I don’t plan before I go out to shoot and kind of just wing it. Usually, it isn’t till later, when I’m going through the photos I took, that I realize I actually took some good shots.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
From a creative point of view, I’d say just go out there. See more. Expand your world and knowledge.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/voirplus_/
