Nic Nichols

We've Moved!

2008-06-25T19:30:00.003-04:00

This will be the last post in the Blogger.com blog.. I have moved my blog onto my own server to take better control of it and expand it. Have a look at fourcornersdark.com for news, images, product reviews as well as featured artists each month.

Thanks for all that had a read here, and hope to see you there!

New Blog: fourcornersdark.com

Cheers

NIC

Update: Diana Soare Speaks and writes Romanian...

2008-06-18T17:40:00.005-04:00

I got an email from Diana Soare who writes the 'Display Column' in the Romanian Magazine "Supplement of Culture" she came across the site on the web and wrote a very nice piece about me and my work, and I just wanted to extend a thank you to her and her readers. Here is a pretty close translation of the writeup , thanks again to Diana who sent over the English translation....
--------------------------------

Traslated from "Suplimentul de cultura," Romania.

An ordinary man and a cement cat

I like my name and it is always funny to find things baptized the same. I owned once a very long-lived hair dryer labeled "Diana"; when I first came to Iassy (that's the city I live in) I found a store called like that, probably after its owner. A butcher shop, some hotels, even a "Diana 5" gun rack... And now I see that "Diana" was also Nic Nichols' first camera.

People don't know much about the photographers. The pictures don't have a face behind, you just admire them in glossy magazines, maybe catch a glimpse at some gallery, but the camera seems kind of an "anonymous artist". Nic Nichols is not a star. He has probably never won a big award, he doesn't have worldwide exhibitions, he doesn't give interviews every day. But he is happy.

"I want to document the world. Every last bit of it. Not just the good times, not just the beautiful places, but the real, true world. Is that a farm in middle America? Is it the view from the Empire State Building? Or is it a family simply enjoying a meal together. It's all part of our life. Everyday, I see things completely unexpected that inspire me, that might be overlooked or ignored by most. I've developed a deep appreciation for the deconstructed world and the interesting and colorful characters that occupy it", says Nichols, and you only have to take a look at his pictures to believe it. He lives in Wilmington, Delaware. He chose photography because he didn't draw very well. For the past two decades, he never put the camera away, and last month his online gallery (nicnichols.com) celebrated its 10th anniversary. He uses "toy cameras", plastic devices that cost less than 20$. He buys expired film roles from eBay, impressed by the unintentional, but spectacular effects. For him, art is fun.

Art is giant living thing

His camera is always ready, the film rolls wait quietly. His images are being created in that very moment when the shutter is released, not in the lab. Nichols doesn't like conceptual photography because he thinks anyone can stage a setting. He prefers reality and he sometimes wanders around the world in search of strange places, such as insane asylums, abandoned prisons, and old civil war forts...

The pictures in the Eastern State Penitentiary series are among my favorites. In one of them, among debris, a white cat statue looks like an abstract poem. "When Eastern State Penitentiary was abandoned in 1971, a gentleman named Dan McClould came several times a week to care for the 40 or so stray cats that had made the complex their home. Linda Brenner, a sculptor, made 39 cement cats, and placed them around the prison to represent both the animals and their caregiver. While documenting the Prison, they seemed to follow me everywhere that I went, and when I put my bag on the ground to change film, it was almost as if they came up to watch me… I took a few photographs, and that image resulted is one of personal favorites. It represents the survivors, and those who cared for them."

Nic Nichols' happinesses are Holga, his camera, and Kristen, his wife. And he's sharing his secret to the others in short sentences: "Keep making art. Keep creating, no matter what. Don't worry about what others say, don't worry if no one ever sees what you do. Just keep doing it. Art is a giant living thing that requires each of us to keep feeding it everyday".

Site Featured in Book on Web Design

2008-06-18T09:10:00.002-04:00

Thanks to Patrick McNeil, the guy behind designmeltdown.com, a site providing examples and discussions about web design and ideas. The site is a great resource for inspiration, and now a book! "The Web Designer's Idea Book" is available for pre-order, and nicnichols.com was selected to be published in the Photo Blog section. I get quite a few clicks a day from the site, so thanks to all the viewers as well for stopping by to have a look. Pre-Order the book HERE and you can get a t-shirt as well, Order quick and get free shipping!

Anyone Speak Romanian?

2008-06-18T09:02:00.003-04:00

Its always nice to get featured in foreign press, and thanks to some generous editors, motivated viewers (and emails begging to be published..) I have been added to sites around the world. Its always a great opportunity to do an interview and tell a few stories about how the images came to be. (My personal favorites are The NeoZine and StrangeFruits.nl) This week I got a link from a Newspaper in Romania (as best I can tell..) and hopefully they liked my work, because have no idea what they are saying. If anyone can get this to English shoot me an email!

10 Years Online!

2008-05-11T19:11:00.004-04:00

I almost forgot that this month was the 10th anniversary of the site! So I added a few new galleries, changed the layout a bit and opened the online store. In cooperation with Milk Maid Press, you can now purchase limited edition prints from any image on the site. Editions will change around a bit in the next few months, and I am (really) putting the wraps on the book which we hope to have available in a few months.

Bored and have an iPhone? Check out the iPhone site for your mobile fix of Holga and Toy Camera images. Its a great way to kill some time when you are waiting for the doctor or something..

More galleries coming soon! Cheers + keep shooting-- N IC

Finally, some new stuff...

2007-12-22T07:49:00.000-05:00

So the arm is back together.. and I finally got around to updating the site. New galleries include a day spent with the crew setting up a County Fair (more cows, the chicken girl, and yes, cows.) An old Gas Station that we passed driving from Richmond to Dover- which was interesting enough to turn around, chat with the owners (who tried to sell it to me..) and take a few pics. Have you ever been to a tractor pull? This is how they do it without monster trucks.. and The first of several Forts along the Delaware river that I shot this fall.. more to come.
Cheers + Happy Holidays--
NIC

Its been a long time...

2007-11-28T07:27:00.000-05:00

I just got a few emails over the last month asking why I haven't updated the site, blog or published anything in the last few months.. so now that I can actually type, here is my really, really good excuse for not getting much work done... that mess up there is my new, improved right shoulder!
I say right shoulder, cas those of you who know me well, know that I had the other one done a few years back. So I have been couching it for the last few months, but before that, I did travel and shoot quite a bit.
So stop back at the site in a week or so, I am going to add galleries for the projects I was working on before the sudden shoulder explosion... we chased actual chickens and farm animals, toured a bunch of old Forts, travelled from Mass to Virgina and more... I will post up some jpegs of assorted stuff in a bit..
Until then- special thanks to all who helped out over the last 2 months, friends, family, surgeons, and especially my wife, who has the patience of a saint.
New stuff soon! Cheers-- NIC

New Interview on Strangefruits.com

2007-07-14T17:40:00.000-04:00

I am really honored to be one of the select few Artists to be featured on Strangefruits.nl, one of the webs best portals for art and design. Check out the interview here, and be sure to check out the rest of the work on the site as well. Thanks to the crew at Strangefruits for the chance to be 'exposed' as an emerging international artist. They had some really well thought out questions for me, so be sure to check it out!

---> New images and galleries online this week include a day in Lancaster, walking among the farms, cows and chicken coops, we had a great day and met some really down to earth folks up there... and just started is another long term project on the Forts along the Delaware river, which battled the British Armada, and later defended the North in the Civil War...

Portrait Gallery Online...

2007-05-18T21:11:00.000-04:00

Just added, a group of portraits on the main page. Have a look here. Gearing up to shoot some new ones this month.. now that its warmed up a bit!

New Documentary Project online today...

2007-05-18T21:07:00.000-04:00

The first section of my long term project on Delaware's Route 13 is now online.. its been a while in the works, and will be four or five sections before its finished.. but you can get a preview now on its main page.

...and as always, there are some new bits on the main page!

No updates, been a little busy!

2007-05-12T08:23:00.000-04:00

Sorry for the lack of updates, I was a little busy getting married! Thanks to all for the good wishes, and emails. I married my lovely fiance Kristen Hudson, a very beautiful actress and designer. Thanks to MilkMaid Press, Monika Broz and Andrew Wilkinson, and EMD entertainment for all of their hard work.

After a much need few weeks off, I have been shooting like a mad man, so expect a ton of new stuff on the site soon- until then, have a look at some of the recent work.

New Interview with Phase Magazine...

2007-03-29T14:29:00.000-04:00

A Big Thanks to Gabe and friends at Phase Magazine for the interview and spread in this months issue. If you have not had a chance to download it or check the site- do it now! Nine Artists from around the world make up this issue titled "Play" and I am honored to be a part of it.

A New Look for nicnichols.com

2007-03-29T14:17:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Kristen Hudson of MilkMaid Design, nicnichols.com has finally begun the long overhaul process! In an attempt to make navigation, news, images all easier to see and get to, we have restyled the page. News will be on the left, images in the middle, featured galleries on the right. Thanks for the great feedback that you have sent already- and keep checking back as we start to update the galleries to their new format as well.

Interview at NeoZine Magazine!

2007-03-15T18:35:00.000-04:00

Big thanks to Nuno Soares and Cristina Correia of NeoZine Magazine from Portugal, for posting my work- and then catching up for an interview. While you are there, check out some of the other great Artists they are interviewed, and bookmark it for up to date news and links for tons of great sites. Click here for the link.

Is that you? Thanks also to reinvigorate.net's new Google map feature, you can track visitors by geographic location, among many other methods. Check out: reinvigorate.net

I'm Not Nic Nichols, I am Nic Nichols!

2007-01-23T21:51:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while I get an email saying just how much someone loves my work in National Geographic, and that they cannot believe that I would go to such lengths to get an image... Well, I wish I could take credit for that, but that was another Nic Nichols. His real name is Michael, and he has been an idol of mine since I first picked a camera up- not because we share the same name, but because he is one of the greatest photographers to ever pack his bags and head into the jungle. Have a good look at his work here: I am certain that you will recognize the photos once you have seen them... (* on a side note, 1. My real first name is not Nic, I am a 'fourth' and we have all been called Nic, since 1886. 2. I am not a motivational speaker, but if I was, I would sure be Nick Nichols!)

Aside from that, thanks for all of your emails, really. Even the odd ones are amusing. Cheers to all my mates in London who remembered the May Day Riots.. Thanks to Juxtapoz magazine for giving me a feature, and to PixelSurgeon as well.

If you would like to purchase one of the limited 2007 print series, contact Irisf64, who will be representing me on all online print sales. Thanks to Brent and Trevor for taking me on!

And if you are wondering about the image up there.. well, I started a new long term project on Delaware's Route 13- and trust me, it's a shithole! Hookers, Used Cars, Junkyards, and that was just the first morning.. check back soon for part one of the photos and essay.

New Work Online...

2007-01-14T16:19:00.000-05:00

A few new galleries are up... one from the return to the 'junk store' we found on a roadside in Maryland.. and another of an abandoned WWII themed resturant... more to come in the weeks ahead..

Happy New Year?!

2007-01-08T20:59:00.001-05:00

Ya.. so its 2007 now? Amazing.. I have to send a big thanks out to all the Magazines, Collectives and Sites that made 2006 the biggest year ever for my little site. We had over 500,000 unique visitors from over 70 countries. Thanks to File Magazine for featuring my beach series, to Zone Zero, Bending Light Magazine, Nothing Fancy Volumes, Boonika, Art Dorks, Light Leaks Magazine, ToyCamera.com, Wurzeltod.ch, NewsToday.com, Carl Designs, RoboCore, Heavy Backpack, Gouw.nu, NowGoCreate, Scene360, Featured.se, DrawerFlat, MoonCruise.. and to everyone's favorite German Fetish Blog: Hopsakee. And to everyone else who made it all possible.

I just got back from shooting a lot, and I mean a lot, of film.. its been crazy warm up here, and I finally got to start some of the new projects I have been putting off... Look out this year for a whole new site, hundreds of new images... and I (hopefully) me finishing my first book.

Thanks to all: and here's to a great New Year!

England was a Riot, really....

2006-12-17T17:42:00.000-05:00

London is my favorite city in the world, I could go there once a month and never get tired of it.. it has an energy that you just can't get in the States. So while in London, we decide to venture out on 'May Day' when all of the English folk protest stuff like Starbucks and McDonalds. They call it "Anti-Globalization. " I call it a day off to drink and then throw stuff. Most of the day was pretty relaxed, aside from the fact that my friend and I are both American. And they hate Americans on that day. So long story short, we actually end up drinking Pints with the riot cops, that is until the line broke and a few thousand drunkards plowed through. We ran like little bitches. Little bitches who were getting beer bottles thrown at us... in the end we never really figured the whole thing out- honestly, how can a bunch of people drinking mass produced beer, wearing their Ben Shermans' protest about capitalism taking hold of the world? They can't.. but check out the images that made it here...

More from Port Deposit, Maryland....

2006-12-14T19:52:00.000-05:00

Being a city boy, rural areas are always more fascinating to me then urban ones... kinda like when you see a guy in overalls staring up at the buildings in New York City. So back I go, each time finding a new road (or dirt road as it may be...) to drive down. Ya, some of those roads don't go anywhere.. but once in a while you find one that leads to a new, interesting place. And once in while you find one with a big guy at the end telling you that you have a 'pretty mouth'.. regardless- enjoy some new images from Port Deposit, Maryland.. and if you are ever down there, have a look off of the beaten path...

The Return to Eastern State...

2006-12-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

Eastern State Penitentiary is one of my favorite places to shoot, because you actually do find something new each time you visit. Like for instance they were shooting a promo for WWE Wrestling when I wanted to shoot the yard, and didn't post it on their website. So instead of actually being able to finish the project, I got to watch a bunch of grips move lights. Like I said, it was something new.... no worries, there is always next year. Eastern State is closed for the winter, so I actually had time to narrow down this year's images into two galleries- have a look for some new stuff. I have also been working on my 'Statues Freak Me Out' project, so look for that soon as well. Until then, check out the new stuff and have a great holiday season.

... and turn off your computer and go take some pictures.

New work + Some new friends as well...

2006-11-09T15:49:00.000-05:00

Check the menu and you'll notice that its bigger.. and not just for the sake of being bigger.. but to hold some new galleries. The Holga has been getting quite a workout, as has the Nikon 9000 scanner.... Check out summer at Longwood Gardens, The ever changing Holga Board, and go face to face with a Cow. I have no idea why I am fascinated by Cows, but I just am.. so look out for more in the future..

Then have a look at Bending Light Magazine's newest issue, which I am proud to both sponsor and have an image included! Ariela Pelaia and company are doing an amazing job collecting images from all over the globe. Make it a point to visit Filmwasters daily, and show some love for those of us who still shoot real film! And why not participate in the monthly collaboration?

Thanks also to Zone Zero for publishing a selection of my New Jersey Farms project in their Documentary Photography Section, they have some brilliant images, so stop over and have a look...

Until then, thanks for all of the emails + keep shooting!

Updates + New Galleries up now!

2006-10-27T11:48:00.000-04:00

What is it about junk? People love junk. Love to have junk, keep junk and collect junk. My goal is to throw one thing out every day. Get rid of junk. That photo is actually a store! A junk store! I honestly could have spent all day photographing their junk, but their were Cows next door, so I wanted to go see them. More on all that once I finish scanning and re-building the new site.. in the mean time.. go throw one thing out- it will make you feel better. So for all the odd shots that I have that don't really fit into a gallery, I now have a the Holga Board. A dozen or so random shots that will change every month or so... have a look. I also finally got to meet a cow. Kick ass.

That is a Gorilla, and those are RailRoad Tracks.

2006-10-10T15:20:00.000-04:00

Its funny.. I get pretty cool emails from all over the world, and I appreciate each one. But I get the most emails about one image in particular, the Gorilla on the Tracks. So I thought I would share the story and set the record straight. First, that is not a real Gorilla, its a guy in a Gorilla suit. I don't just have them sitting around the house, but since my Mom owned a costume store, I did have access to some odd stuff... So here was the idea: We had to do an Ad while I was going to school in Philly, and I had a great idea. I won't say what that idea is, as someday I will actually pull it off, but lets just say it involved a guy in a Gorilla suit and some innocent bystanders. As we soon found out, you can't just walk into places with a Gorilla suit. People have no sense of humor. So while we were taking a break, the model wandered down the tracks, sat down, and picked up a discarded boom box. I quickly got off exactly one shot, and that was it. Something about the Gorilla staring at the radio that just seemed poetic.. this primitive beast staring at a discarded chunk of technology.

Or, just some guy in a costume sitting on the rail road tracks.

Many, Many Thanks...

2006-09-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

Just wanted to say thanks again to all of the sites, magazines, portals and people who have featured my images this year... Thanks to Berzie and Co. at File Magazine, for not only featuring my images, but also giving me a front page image as well... To ToyCamera.com, for constantly inspiring me to keep my Holga loaded, our guys at Robocore... and to NothingFancy Magazine for putting my name in Plastic! (image above)

Keep coming back for more, I am hitting the road this week.. then taking a week off to shoot later this month- so check for new galleries soon, and for the debut of "Street Level" my first Book! (Coming in November...)

Thanks to all, for stopping by, and to all the people around the world who have emailed me about the site- Cheers + Look for all new stuff in the next few weeks....

Yeah, that's a Goat!

2006-08-29T09:19:00.000-04:00

That's a goat, a real one. The last time I tried to photograph that little bastard his buddy snuck around and bit me on the ass. So there it is. My Goat photo. Also thanks to Scene360.com for posting the site in their news section- Check them out for Art, Film and Literature news that is updated daily. Also thanks to Zach Gibson and the crew at Nothing Fancy for publishing some images in next month's volume!

New Links + v2.0 of the nicnichols.com font!

2006-08-19T14:00:00.000-04:00

Finally updated the links page with some great new sites- thanks for all the sites that have linked back... also added new truetype and opentype versions of the nicnichols.com font, so that it will work better on PC (us Mac folks seem to have it much easier...)

Updated and New galleries are marked on the menu + there are some more images going up this week... as soon as I get scannin'

Check back soon- and use the 'send this site to a friend' function to send the site to your friends-

New Orleans and Santa Rosa Island

2006-07-16T16:16:00.000-04:00

A little while back I got an email from a guy in Santa Rosa Island, Florida- who had seen the images on the site. After the hurricanes, there was little left of places where I stayed while traveling through the Island. He said the the beaches, the motels, the bars.... all devastated by the rain and wind. So I went back and took a look at the film I had, scanned some more and put it up on the site. Check the Santa Rosa Island section for updates and new images. Also have a look at a new gallery- New Orleans. A few years back I took a train from Delaware to New Orleans, (which was a great adventure by itself.. ) we stayed for a few days, picked up a car and proceeded to get lost. We ended up on Santa Rosa Island, and a few days later we were still there. Just couldn't bring myself to leave the warm beaches, key lime pie and cold margaritas...

Updates, Updates, and One Really Old Camera.

2006-06-23T20:05:00.000-04:00

Finally started getting all those scans sorted and up on the site... Check for the Angry Street Magician, who for 10 minutes just yelled about how NYC was better then Philly, then did some really bad slight of hand tricks. Then did the 'pull the long rag out of my hand trick' which was followed by burning himself with a lit cigarette. Then he yelled some more, and asked us for money. I threw him a buck, only because I stood there snapping shots with the Holga.

For all you Polaroid lovers out there, I added a gallery of Polaroid images taken with a 1938 Speed Graphic 4x5.. you know the one's you see in the old movies? That one.. I happened to have one handy at a party, and couldn't help but see if we could get it to work.. it did.

Expanded Street gallery coming soon, soon as I get the scans goin' and for you car nuts, there will be a new collection of the infamous Gt3 Porsche.

Oh, and I noticed that the nicnichols.com font has been downloaded close to 1,000 times- so if you used it in something cool (but of course, not commercial...) send me a jpeg! Best use gets a free 12" print of your choice. Really.

Statues freak me out...

2006-06-20T13:53:00.000-04:00

I thought clowns were bad.. but I ran across these two statues in this field, so I thought I would get some Holga grabs of them.. after I shot a few frames they seemed to be just about to speak, and I started to feel sick.. needless to say I was off in a hurry, but got a bunch of images to put up this week.

More update and links this week, as well as version 2.o of the nicnichols.com font!

auf Wiedersehen GT3...

2006-06-11T09:26:00.000-04:00

How many locations can you squeeze into one weekend? A lot if you don't sleep..
after a marathon 18 hours yesterday, we are ready for day two of our GT3 shoot-a-thon..
Why? Its for sale, so we are getting as many shots as we can to remember it by.. (and pad our portfolios with...) I will update the site this week with new auto images, as well as a few new galleries that I finally got around to scanning.. but here is one image from the D200 Nikon, (ya, I know this is an all film site, but we wanted to make sure we got something before the rent-a-cop kicked us out of the parking garage..)

Summer heat, Stinky Tourists...

2006-05-31T20:05:00.000-04:00

Back from the Holiday weekend.. but instead of hitting the beach, we hit the city for some shopping and dining.. take a good look at the couple above. While dining at our favorite lunch spot, at our favorite table, this couple brazenly requested our table- While we were still eating!
No offense to tourists, but please don't vulture tables while in Philly. Or at least not at the Pontiac Grill. They were none too pleased that I wanted a photo to remember them by...

Other then that.. finally got to scanning, and getting some new work up on the site. I tried to find some farm animals during a trip south, but instead found a flock of sheep made of metal. I also toured a beautiful garden and met the angriest street magician ever, but more on that later..

Also thanks to Boonika.com, Artdorks.com and Wurzeltod.ch for posting my images.. Check them out for some great imagery!

40 Countries this month?

2006-05-24T15:24:00.000-04:00

There must be quite a few people with some extra time on their hands, cas in the last month there were over 5,000 unique visitors from over 40 countries...

Just want to say a big thanks- and give some shout outs to my peeps in Estonia.

Oh, and Italy, Netherlands, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Sweden, England, Ireland, Scotland, Japan, Singapore, Portugal, Taiwan, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Mexico, Poland, Uraguay, Switzerland, Malaysia, New Zealand, Argentine Republic, Hungary, Norway, Romania, Turkey, Chile, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Philippines, Russian Federation, Slovak Republic and Vietnam!

How you found the site, I have no idea- but keep coming back!
I will be adding a ton of new stuff this month, and more great links..

....email me the oddest place you are on the planet, and if you win, I will personally send you a 12x12 inch print of your choice!

London images on ToyCamera.com

2006-05-16T12:54:00.000-04:00

Check out Hogla images of London on T oyCamera.com-
while you are there, make sure to have a look at some great images from toy camera photographers from all over the world.. and if you have some toy camera images, submit them and support this great site!

New Street Images

2006-05-11T17:04:00.000-04:00

Check out the Streets section for some new street photography images.. from all across America, I have met some pretty interesting folks.. and some even let me take their photo..

Also have a look at the updated links page for some great photo and design sites!

Links...

2006-04-28T16:49:00.000-04:00

Added a new links page.. so check out some of the other great sites out there,
and if you have a site you'd like to link back to, drop me a line.

Check out Gommamag.com- they add nicnichols.com to the review section, so hit them up and be generous when you rate my site..

And from the far reaches of I-don't-know-where.. La Tu Vu put a link to my site on their photo section.. check them out for some pretty interesting stuff.. and thanks to berth99.com for finding me..

File Magazine features Beach Series!

2006-04-20T10:43:00.000-04:00

I am really honored to be included in File Magazine's collection. They have put together a really inspiring group of images and photographers. Have a look at the Beach series here, and make sure to take in the other projects as well. The BBC named them one of the best in the web!

Thanks again to the guys at File Magazine for a chance to be included with all of their other great projects.

Updates...

2006-04-19T14:40:00.000-04:00

Back from Philly, and new images from Eastern State Penitentiary- if you haven't had the chance to visit them, take a day and head up... while you are there, try out a Segway Tour from iglidetours.com.. We did that in the morning, and could have stayed on those things all day! If you are in the area, its worth the time- and you get to learn a few things about Philly as well...

For those of you on a PC that are having issues with the nicnichols.com font, don't worry- version 2.0 is on the way very soon..

New Images, New Newsletter....

2006-04-03T20:18:00.000-04:00

Spent last weekend among some of the strangest areas in rural Maryland.. its amazing what you find driving through some of those back roads. Got a few of the new images up in the Port Deposit section on the site.. have a look and let me know what you think!

Some of you may have seen the new update in your inbox.. if not,
get on the mailing list!

Free Font from nicnichols.com!

2006-03-23T17:38:00.000-05:00

Check out the menu page and download the official nicnichols.com font from our friends at Chank.com. Available for both Mac and PC, its just a little thanks for all of you who have supported the site, bought prints, hit the shows or just stopped by for a look...

Thanks go out to Chank.com for creating a great font!

New Images from Eastern State Penitentiary...

2006-03-19T18:20:00.000-05:00

More images from Eastern State are up, and with the Historic prison about to open for the spring next week, I will be back up shooting more as soon as possible. Check out the new gallery, and visit easternstate.org for more info!

nicnichols.com featured in "LightLeaks" Magazine!

2006-02-22T17:55:00.000-05:00

I just got word that Light Leaks magazine will be publishing my work in their next issue (Issue #2), and if you have not had a chance to check it out, go order a copy now! Its a great visual forum for film photographers using toy cameras. Its a little pricey, but hey.. you'll get a hell of alot better inspiration from one issue then from the last 5 years of Communication Arts!

Toy camera vs. Digital Camera?

2006-02-22T17:48:00.000-05:00

I have received several emails in the last few weeks about how I created the ‘effects’ and ‘light leak textures’ in my images, so to answer them all in a few quick notes: All the images you see on the site were created on film. Most using ‘toy cameras’. What is a toy camera? It’s a camera made of plastic, costing less then a few rolls of film. People ask me, if I work for one of the most cutting edge digital photography companies, and teach advanced photoshop to college students, why do I choose to create my images using a $19 Holga and 4 year old film?
I guess it would come down to the organic nature of the image.. while digitial photography has made tremendous progress over the last ten years, I see so many photographers spending hours in photoshop trying to create an organic look to their digital captures. Do you need a $5,000 camera, a big G5 and Photoshop to create a great image? Of course not..
Why struggle with photoshop filters and cheap effects, when you can simply grab a Holga, a $1 roll of 120 film and go shoot? My philosophy on images comes down to this: If you need to add effects, filters and embellishment to your image to make it better, then you didn’t start with a very good image.
Ya.. I admit it, I was the first person around to get a Nikon D200, its great for images of my family and my dog loves having her photo taken… but that’s about all it will ever be used for.

What is the best Toy camera, and where do I get one?

2006-02-14T17:30:00.000-05:00

My first choice has always been a Holga, they are cheap, you can change the image shape from square to rectangle, (6x6 or 6x4.5) and you can make modifications to them pretty easily. The new ones even have film tensioners, tripod mounts, shutter speeds and interchangeable film plates. Dont bother going to the local camera store and spending five bucks for a roll of 120 film, hit up eBay, and buy a big box of out dated film and just go shoot..After all, its a $20 plastic camera- why use good film? If 35mm is your film size of choice, then you need to pick up a Lomo, and while you are there, check out some of the other cameras they offer, like the action sampler.. its the only camera I took to Vegas, cas if youre going to be seeing double, you might as well photograph like that..
eBay is the best resource for film and some of the cameras, but watch their prices on the Holga.. Freestyle Photo has the new ones cheap, and Maine Photographic Resource even gives you a discount when you buy a bunch at time. Buy a half dozen, and set up each one a little differently I have one for square, one for rectangle, one with a flash even one with the Lomo tunnel vision lens.. its like getting 6 different cameras for a whopping hundred bucks.

Whats up with the Impaled Teddy Bears?

2006-01-25T19:43:00.000-05:00

Driving down a side road in the farms of Maryland, I was surprised to see a row of stuffed animals nailed to trees… my girlfriend said it started with the farm owner finding a lost stuffed animal, and sticking it on a branch so the owner could hopefully see it while driving by and get it back. Instead, more people pulled over and nailed more of the stuffed bears to the trees.. the last time we went back, there was even a giant stuffed monkey. I don’t know if its gruesome or just odd, but I keep going back to see what’s been stuck up there.. I have seen a lot of weird stuff, but I have to say this is right up there.. keep checking their gallery, because I’ll be heading back every few months to see the new arrivals and document the teddy bears as the wind, rain and snow starts to tear them apart…

Where is the American Pitbull Terrier Info?

2006-01-20T16:39:00.000-05:00

I have received quite a few emails from people asking where my website with information on the American PitBull Terrier and Breed Specific Legislation went, and when I googled my own name, 90% of the returns were for my previous site, dedicated to the positive image of the American Pitbull Terrier. I live in Wilmington, Delaware, and a few years back, our inept city council decided that to get some media attention, they would ban the American Pitbull Terrier and a few related breeds from the city limits. As you all know, I am a proud owner of a beautiful Female American Pitbull Terrier, and as a city resident, I was shocked to hear that they city wanted to make it a crime to own a dog of this great breed. So a group of responsible dog owners banded together, and with a strong grass roots effort, got the ban repealed. I am proud to say that the animal rights and rescue group that I helped found, which has now evolved into Faithful Friends, inc, still contues the effort that we started five years ago. Visit them for more information, and I will soon be adding a APBT resource page with links and info back to my site.

More Images Online today...

2006-01-14T12:24:00.000-05:00

The 2006 updates are almost finished.. with new galleries coming every week or so. Check out what happens when we get to borrow a Porsche GT3 for the weekend, and some odd images of travels around the US.. Keep and eye out for the expanded Eastern State Penitentiary Gallery, and more info on Toy Cameras..

New Images Featured on ToyCamera.com

2006-01-10T19:59:00.000-05:00

New images taken in rural Maryland are being featured on ToyCamera.com! Check them out and support this great site. While you are there, have a look at some other great images created with toy cameras.Check out this link: Nic on toycamera.com for my gallery, and this link for the main page.

2006! @ nicnichols.com

2006-01-05T15:49:00.000-05:00

Finally added the new galleries to the site, so have a look at what's been going on for the last few months. Lots of new images, places and adventures... Been tromping through the hills of Maryland to find impaled Teddy Bears (More on that later).. Spending more time at Eastern State Penitentiary shooting, so look for more Eastern State Galleries soon.. Keep checking back, over the next month the 2006 changes should be complete and the new site will be up and running.. Until then, thanks to all of the returning visitors and welcome to the new ones! --> NIC