Industry Perspective From One Coast to The Other: Blog Exchange with accomplished Washington photographer Zach Nichols

Industry Perspective From One Coast to The Other: Blog Exchange with accomplished Washington photographer Zach Nichols

2020 has been quite the strange year for all of us with some industries getting pushed to near stand-still from the virus. The wedding photography industry is right in the middle of it! I spoke recently with my buddy and superbly accomplished photographer in Washington State, Zach Nichols. (www.instagram.com/zachicholz).

As artists and, in general, humans it is good to take account of your journey. Tell your story. Recall where you have come from, where you are and where you are inspired to go. Times like Quarantine can push you to strain in your vision for your life. Some will say it is not a welcome process but I would definitely argue that most difficult and straining things in life do work to propel you to greater places if you retain your God-given inspiration for your own life and journey.

Zach and I decided to trade blogs and drop each other some questions to get each other’s perspective on business on opposite coasts. While I absolutely love my Carolina coast I have to say Zach lives in probably one of the most beautiful and epic areas of the country. Just research the tag #PNW and you’ll be quickly floored with the results.

Here are the questions Zach posed to me and which he will also be answering in his own blog:

1) Tell me a little bit about yourself and how your wedding business got started. 

I started my love affair with the camera easily 20 years ago when I picked-up the simple wind-up Kodak point and shoot disposable cameras (if you remember, you know). I’d take a trip, take pictures and get back excited to see the beauty I recalled from my trip only to be disappointed with the results of the pictures. I was challenged to capture and translate the same amazing moment of a sunset off the Caribbean islands or epic waterfall deep in the forrest. My journey for a long time was only landscape and is still one of my favorite personal exercises but I soon found I longed to develop my art further.

What is greater than putting a romantic couple in the middle of that epic landscape moment? It became a new challenge in my art and is one I seek to push the envelope on how I translate and tell the story of my wonderful clients connection.

I like to be selective in my clients and work to pour myself into telling their love story. One of the greatest honors I think is to walk that epic wedding day with a couple and then be their sole person to translate that day back to them in photos for them to cherish the rest of their life.

2) What is it like to take photos on the coast? What kind of conditions/settings do you look for or favor? 

Well unlike the PNW, the east coast is mostly flat landscape but we have the beautiful ocean and you don’t have to look far in my gallery before you find the sun setting over the marsh grass or the waterway. I think finding love of where you shoot is important to being able to shoot there. The beauty here along the ocean is definitely a favorite of mine and I love shooting sunrise or sunset sessions. The light is magic and that is what I’m usually trying to capture.

3) What are some of the wedding photography trends on the East Coast?

Good question. I think we are in the midst of alot of change right now. Zoom weddings are new across the country I know. I’m seeing alot smaller ceremonies now.

When you think about it maybe that isn’t such a bad thing. For so long there were so many expectations for weddings that the “Love” that brought the event together pretty much got lost in the process. Maybe the new norm can push people back to celebrating their connection? It’s a novel thought! 🙂

4) What sets your business apart from others in that area? 

I always encourage my potential clients to research their photographers work prior to booking. Make sure you dig their style and when you meet up with them, which you definitely should, can you see spending your wedding day with them tagging along?

I find my style to be both true to life and also on the moody/romantic side. I bring that love of landscape to my wedding work which I think is very different from your average wedding photographer.

I am interested to hear Zach’s answers to the same questions on his side of the country and if you haven’t already, make sure to give him a follow. His work is incredible and I’m constantly wondering how he gets some of the shots he does!