Heather Nicole Photography (2024)

20/05/2024

Over the last few weeks, I have been working on a list of tips and tricks to help you understand photography and portraits better. I recently shared my finalized list of topics to my stories. It will have a permanent home in the highlights section on my profile. Go screenshot the list so you can reference back through the month.

The challenge is to create 30 unique portraits within the month of June. This does not have to be one photo made per day. Like the last few years, I will be setting aside time on my weekends and time away from the salon to dive into creating, this time with the intention to learn. Each individual portrait will be shared daily, in its own post, with a caption full of information about the topic of the day. Feel free to complete this challenge however it fits you best!

The information of each day’s topic will work as a starting point for experimentation and expanding your understanding. It will also work as a building block for the next day’s portrait.

In the past, I would build a subject prompt, giving so much room for creativity, but little purpose other than to just create. At the turn of the new year, I set an intention to continue pushing myself to learn more in my hobby like I do for my career behind the styling chair. If I am dedicated to learning everything I can, I may as well dive back into the fundamentals of photography, too!

I am so excited to see what everyone creates this next month! There are so many great lessons to come!

This portrait was taken using a three-light setup, with a white key light, and two fill lights in magenta and blue.

19/03/2024

Spring in the Northern Hemisphere officially begins tonight at 11:06pm, and I couldn't be happier!!!

For the last few weeks, we've been having warm, spring-like temperatures, waking up all the plants and animals around.

My front yard is turning green, and things are starting to grow again.
It's a great reminder that you can take a pause for a season.
Then pick it back up when the weather is more inviting.

As long as that's the path you're on, it'll always be there for you when you're ready to come back.

Spring is here, and I am so excited!

01/03/2024

Macro March is finally here!!!

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the time I have and how I spend it. This has also led to many hard questions about what I actually want to do with my time, and how different reality actually is. I've uncovered some answers that moved me to make some changes.

I don't have a ton of free time between commuting an hour each way, working 40 hours a week, and having a family to spend quality time with at home. But what I can do is dedicate certain pieces of time to the things I feel are most important.

A new friend reminded me recently that time isn't something you make. You have a set number of minutes and hours in a day, and it's up to you to decide how you use it.

This realization helped me uncover the fact I need a dedicated project to drive myself to being active in my hobbies. I want to change that, but for now, I'll just keep adding little challenges here and there throughout the calendar to bring some personal motivation to my creativity.

Which brings us to !

I'll be editing and sharing macro images everyday for the month of March! Follow along to see what tiny details some creative friends and I discover this month!

26/01/2024

What a week.
I hope to never repeat it.

My migraines have been getting more severe lately, sending me to urgent care every time now. I finally said enough and am seeking professional help.

I think I've truly boiled it down to what is causing them, and it's really exciting.

Years ago, in my past life, I had gone through several of the neurological tests and tried several preventatives to stop them with no relief.

Later, I found out about an unknown food allergy, and that seemed to help for a while. For six years, it was rare, unless I had eaten wheat.

Meanwhile, my marriage ends, and I'm single again. I had made the decision to receive long-term birth control as a way to ensure my future decision were still mine. When it came time to remove the implant, I was certain I didn't want to use chemical hormones ever again.

That was until the debilitating brain pain returned. This time, with a serious vengeance.

Now, I am on the journey to seeing if what worked for me in my 20s will also be good to me in my 30s.

Birth control is not always used for contraception. It is also used for regulating internal workings of the body that just aren't quite right. And I am so glad I live in a state willing to help me find relief without demonizing me for my choices.

20/01/2024

Today marks our 20th day of and I am feeling all sorts of ways about it.

It's been an interesting start to the year. I've felt pulled in literally every direction, with little desire to leave where I'm sitting.

I've heard this is pretty normal when you go on a healing journey. I'm trying to find my place, where I feel most at home. The closer I get to feeling like I've found it, more options present themselves.

Sometimes I feel like I've picked the wrong paths, chosen the wrong turns.

Then I look around at where all these choices have taken me, and I feel at peace.

There will always be these times of questioning, and I look forward to them (most of the time) because it reassures me I'm going in the direction I know will support me the best.

I want to thank each and every one of you for being along for this ride. It's been a wild one, and I hope for more twists, turns, and loops to laugh, cry, and find joy.

19/01/2024

I remember the first time I almost gave up on photography.

I was on a creative hike with my husband, and found this colony of Hoof Fungus on a tree that looked like a fairy colony could live on. I tried for so long to capture an image that resembled something close to what I had envisioned.

After too many attempts, I gave up and went on, feeling defeated. I took the images home and used Lightroom to help bring them closer to what my mind saw. Yet again, I was left with disappointment. I watched tutorials, read blogs, followed step by steps, and still couldn't create what I was looking for.

That was so many years ago, and until recently, I have felt like my work hasn't really stood up to my desires. I've studied all the camera education to learn this new brand of camera and learned all the features and modifiers in the editing software, and still came away feeling unsatisfied.

In these last few weeks of playing around in , I've found so many tools to help push my real world images closer to my artist's eye!

My favorite tool in Capture One? The color balance wheel.
My second favorite tool? The background/subject smart mask.

These two tools in combination have been giving me all sorts of creative freedom to truly make the image match what my mind is dreaming!

This opens the doors to creative potentials I was waiting for, and cannot wait to see what is made along the way!

18/01/2024

Imposter Syndrome.

It's so difficult to see exactly where you are in your journey if you don't look back on how far you've come.

Lately, I've been battling some pretty intense feelings of imposter syndrome, and not feeling like I'm 'good enough' for the title photographer. I haven't made many images lately. I when I do, I struggle with seeing the art within the trials.

When I go back months later, I can then see how many are beautiful, and how few should be tossed.

This is a huge reason why I can't seem to keep the momentum. I get excited about something I'm working on, then the intrusive thoughts start to roll, and take over.

This post isn't to garner sympathy, but to be the start to the examination and first steps to the journey of OVERCOMING this struggle.

Yesterday made me realize even though I haven't picked up my camera much this month, I've been working in my sketchbook daily, looking everywhere for inspiring views, and using my creative brain in exciting ways.

Experimenting with ideas, playing with lighting and colors, learning how things are done, and making some pretty epic art along the way is so healing. Spending a couple hours in my bedroom studio was so much fun though. I only have a few days left of my staycation. I get to spend them in front of my camera and I'm excited to get back at it.

06/01/2024

Creative January.
It's been a whirlwind already.

I've battled imposter syndrome so much already, which is no fun.
However, I've been reassured I am not the only one who feels this way this year.

Yesterday was my first day off since the start of this challenge. This allowed me to truly let go of all the pressures I've been putting on myself and allow the creativity to flow free.

I started the day by organizing some areas of the apartment that were causing me to feel chaos. That then gave me the physical space to be creative whenever the moment hit.

This then reminded me I didn't have editing software currently installed on my computer. While I was installing the trial of Capture One Pro, I gathered up a few items to make some portraits.

Shower, Check.
Elf ears, Check.
Sunset lamps, Check.
New dress, Check!

The test shots were so fun to play with. I thought I had captured something useful, but found they were all way too dark. After waiting for the sun to set, creating the dark ambience, I was able to experiment with lighting placement, posing, and even adding some smoke.

This was exactly what I needed to kick my motivation back into gear.

Now to watch all the videos and tutorials to learn ALL the things!
If you've got some favorites to learn from, send them my way!!!

21/12/2023

Hello Winter, my old friend.

Today marks the first day of Winter, the darkest day of the year. This day marks the start of the resting season.

Rest, reflection, and rejuvenation.

Everything in nature is slowing down, finding that safe space to relax and rest until the days are longer.

The same should be for you.

This season is the best season to snuggle with a hot coffee or chocolate, reflecting on the years past, and looking forward with hope to the new futures.

If I could ask one thing of you, it would be to find some comfort in today, knowing it's necessary to let go of the old to make room for the new.

Allow yourself to slow down a little. Look for those pockets of rest, and allow yourself the freedom to do so.

Happy Winter Solstice, friends. 🎄❄️🍄

I wish you love and light for the rest of your year.

This image was created for Creative January 2021.
It'll be our fifth year of intentionally adding a bit of creativity into the start of your year. If you're interested in joining or even just following along, feel free to send me a message or drop your name below! I'm so excited for all the new friends joining this year!

29/11/2023

It’s official!!!
I’m taking pre-orders on wall calendars until Saturday! I will be ordering a few extras to have on hand, but that selection will be limited!

Head to the google form link in my bio to submit your preorder!

I’ll be sending invoices out Saturday at 6pm MST

Spread the word! This is an amazing opportunity to hang some of my art on your walls! The best part?! You can always frame these pages after the year ends!

Thank you so much to every single one of you who support my creativity by liking, commenting, and sharing! All those small gestures mean so much to me!

27/09/2023

This past weekend was my husband's birthday and our 11th anniversary together.

To celebrate both events, we went on a drive through the mountains. We'd never been through Guanella Pass, and wanted to see if the trees had started changing yet. I think we were a week early, but the signs of change were definitely there!

One of these days, I would love to hike the trail that takes you near that lake and up to the peak!

01/06/2023

It's finally June!!!!
And that means I can share with you my first self-portrait in my June challenge.

I have been patiently waiting for June to roll around again. After all the hurdles I had to go through last time, I am so excited to go back to the notebooks, search through all the ideas and concepts I've written down, and bring them to life.

I've been riding the train for two years next month. It's been such a crazy journey. I've found sections of the track I am lost in the scenery, others i get lost in a good book. Sometimes, not very often, I find a kind human looking for conversation.

My creative eye is constantly searching for something to capture. I've wanted many times to bring my camera on the train and photograph the life happenings, but I'm too nervous.

This idea is one I've only ever kept in my head. There weren't words to describe what I wanted to capture, just visions. Pockets of light here, textured shadows there. It was all so intriguing, so I brought my camera along and photographed myself.

I hope you enjoy "The Lady on the Train" as much as I do.

31/05/2023

Three Years.

I've been looking at the mountains for three years.
I've been learning so much for three years.
I've been pushing myself past my limits for three years.

and finally for once

I've been finding peace over the last three years.

Today marks three years since we closed the door to our Missouri home for the last time.

Today is a reminder of what I can achieve.

Being here today shows me what is possible.

Three years later, I am still so excited for all the joy and happiness this decision has brought and continues to bring to me.

Thank you for being here and following along my journey of self-discovery.

Tomorrow starts one of my favorite months. June is the perfect time to explore my creative side, dream new images, and make them come to life.

I hope you stick around to see.

22/04/2023

It's Earth Day, and there's snow on the ground, so I'm digging through my archives, looking at work I've never shared, unearthing the seeds I left in the depths.

Sometimes I catch myself missing my Nikon cameras. I miss the ease of use, navigating the menus without second guessing. I miss the lens options I had, finally owning my dream lens. I miss the simplicity of editing, the vibrancy of colors and the contrast.

Then I remember how many photos I've deleted because the focus was so far off, the images were absolutely unusable. I remember the complete frustration due to the waste of extra time trying to capture at least ONE image where my eyes were in focus. I remember how many times I gave up because my card was full of trash and going home defeated.

I don't regret anything about switching to Sony for our digital camera use. There's a major learning curve to making this jump, and over time, I've become more comfortable with navigating the obstacles.

But there will always be a small part of me that will miss my Nikon.

Maybe that's just the macro lens talking. 😆

16/04/2023

The desire to drive to the middle of nowhere and hike through wilflowers all day is growing more and more with every warm, sunny day.

This year I hear we're in for a superbloom, and I couldn't be more excited!

Taken during my 30 portraits in 30 days challenge 2021, this set feeds my need to be surrounded by the waves of colors and fragrances!

Soon.

Warmer weather is upon us.

The florals will be blooming soon.

My summer challenge is on it's way!

Anyone want to join? Let me know in the comments!

04/03/2023

This week has been the best.

Birthdays are my favorite, and so many friends were celebrating theirs too!

In honor of my birthday, I updated my print gallery with some new photos for sale! Head over to my site to snag one for yourself!

If you run into any issues, let me know! I'm constantly trying to make this space an easy one to navigate!

The link is up top! 🤍

02/03/2023

Goodbye 33. Hello 34!

As I sit here typing this, a flood of emotions hit me.

Thinking back on the last 365 days has got me in my feels. I experienced a grief I never expected. In that pain came so many realizations, understandings, and more growth than I imagined possible. There were also some pretty great times too, but the heavy cloud loomed everywhere.

This year, however, I can feel a difference. I was commuting on the light rail last week and had this image flash into my mind from childhood. I was standing in the mirror, wishing I had a different body, different hair, maybe even a different name. I wished to be happier. I wished to be different. Looking in that train window, I couldn't help but smile. All it took was that one moment of quiet examination to realize I am on the path I had always dreamed to be on.

This time spent healing, hiding, resting, it was spent well. The chrysalis of grief is lifting, and a new becoming is happening. Creativity is flowing and I couldn't be happier!

Thank you to all of you for being here, following my journey, reaching out to offer support, to celebrate, and for being you.

31/01/2023

This is me, joyfully running away from the insecurities. Running from the pressures of society. Running away from the things that held me back. Laughing gleefully, at the challenges I've overcome.

This is me excitedly running toward the future. Running toward the opportunities. Running toward the creativity I've cultivated in my life.

At the end of every I list out the 15 lessons learned through the month. This year was different in so many ways.

I pushed myself to create outside my normal box. I blended different creative interests into beautiful art. I sat in discomfort and challenged myself to make art when I didn't feel like it. I pushed through times of frustration and didn't allow perfection as a hurdle. I am proud of the art I've created this month, and will continue to push myself in this direction.

I'm really starting to feel like the art I make is the art I dream of. And that is truly something to celebrate.

18/01/2023

I've been doing a lot of reflecting over my past, and how I want my future to look, and have found so many inconsistencies to work out. So many things I was taught do not assist me in building the life I want to live. So many times I feel like a shell of myself because everything I thought I knew is different than the reality I need.

As I travel this path, I find pieces of me that were buried deep. They're slowly resurfacing, shining light on the traits that make me, Me.

🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

I had originally shot something different for today. I loved the images that came out, and had an awesome idea to do some digital creating this morning.
However.
When I came to do the edits, it didn't feel right. I wasn't settled with the idea. So I came back to a session I had done in 2021, to find a silhouette that fit my mood, my style, my personality currently.

17/01/2023

Beauty. noun. A quality or combination of qualities that gives pleasure to the mind or senses and is often associated with properties such as harmony of form or color, proportion, authenticity, and originality.

I am almost 34. I have prominent veins and gray hair. Fine lines and wrinkles contour my face, and so many stretch marks and skin spots dot my skin.

All these things only show you what's on the surface. Until you look closer, deeper, with a more compassionate eye, you will miss all the details that make a person so beautiful.

The veins tell me I am alive. My heart is doing what it's supposed to as long as I keep it healthy. The gray hairs show the layers and layers of experimentation and learning I've done on myself over the years of cosmetology training. Those fine lines and wrinkles tell me I had so many things to be joyful about. So much time spent smiling and laughing, and that's so beautiful in it's own. Those stretch marks? They might mean the most. They show me how resilient my body is, how it can grow and change, move and flex, just like my mind.

All these things are not considered beautiful by today's standards, but to me, they are signs of a life well lived.

12/01/2023

Even if you’ve taken off every stitch of clothing, you still have your secrets, your history, your true name. It’s hard to be really naked. You have to work hard at it. Just getting into a bath isn’t being naked, not really. It’s just showing skin.
- Catherynne M. Valente

Creative January day 11 - Naked

I have been so impatiently waiting for today to post this photo. It is my most vulnerable to date, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out.

As I was looking at this photo, I see so much.

This is the first time in my life I have been this comfortable in my own body. There have been months where I couldn’t look at myself.

I have stretch marks from health issues, scars from adventures, sagging spots and loose skin from losing weight, and so many other complaints.

Those don’t stop me from loving the bones that carry me, the skin that protects me, and the organs that sustain me.

I am so happy to be where I am.

01/01/2023

Happy 2023 friends!!!

There is so much hope for this year! I can feel lots of change in the air and so many things on the horizon.

Creative January is FOUR this year! I am forever grateful for for creating this challenge all those years ago! 🤩 I was so excited to share these, I couldn't sleep last night! 😂

I am so grateful to be here, to have all of you along with me, and to be starting this challenge! I've got photos planned, digital creations in the works, a brand new watercolor book to fill with 11 spreads of awesome, and many other surprises! I cannot wait to see what's created this month! 😍

Let's kick this gallery off right!
(Instagram crop made me repost. 🙄)

10/12/2022

I miss the snow.

Lately, it has been so cold outside. It feels like it should snow, but it's just bitter.

At least when it snows, there's something pretty to look at.

13/11/2022

Catch a full set of next Friday, 11/19 at

09/10/2022

Normally, stage lighting has me saying a few choice words during the editing process.

This time, I’m left speechless. I imported 429 images, and have flagged just over half to choose from. 😳 This may take a while! I mean, it already has, but soon that will change!

This image of George of slaying the keys stopped me in my tracks. 🤩

01/10/2022

Domo Juju is taking stage in downtown Denver again tonight!

Come join the party at tonight! Show starts at 8pm!

21/09/2022

Happy Birthday to the best drummer I have ever met. 🤍

I've known Bryan for 10 birthdays now, and am so excited for the rest! Thank you for being the rhythm and rock to my life.

There's more to say about this man, but I'll save that for tomorrow. 😉

15/09/2022

After several very long years, graced the stage with a couple new faces, and many familiar tunes. This was my first full-band Leftmore show and it blew me away! I am so ready for the next!

Stage:
Humans:

14/09/2022

This band came all the way from Lincoln, Nebraska to play at a dive bar in Colorado Springs with Bryan’s bands. I love the sound, the presence on stage, and energy they brought! Thanks for sharing your art with this part of the country!

Venue:
Band:
Photographer: .nicolephoto

13/09/2022

Plastic Apollo rocked their set Friday night at Vultures in Colorado Springs! They even played a T. Swift cover!

Thanks for the great jams, guys!

Heather Nicole Photography