— An advocate for wolves, a brilliant wildlife photographer, and an incredibly talented photo artist, Nicole Wilde was the Featured Artist of Issue No. 21 (November 2016) of Living the Photo Artistic Life magazine. It’s exciting to finally get a chance to present my interview with Nicole here on Quill and Camera . . .
Q. Animals feature heavily in your most popular compositions. Do you have any special background with animals, or do you simply prefer them as subjects?
From a young age, I’ve always had an affinity for animals and I’ve always felt close to them. Goes back to our family dogs, really. And I’ve even gone on to become a professional dog trainer. I’ve worked extensively with shelter dogs, and I co-ran a rescue center for wolves and wolfdog mixes, three of whom ended up living with my husband and me for 10 years until their passing. I’ve always had a strong, easy connection with animals, whether wild or domestic, and that has allowed me to get photographs I believe I wouldn’t have been able to capture otherwise. I do explore other themes as well, and I feel I’m still finding myself artistically, but it does always seem to come back to animals! Using the skills I’ve learned in the Photoshop Artistry course and elsewhere has allowed me to elevate my photos into art, which is, to me, nothing short of miraculous.
Q. What got you started in digital photo artistry?
I’ve always seen things “photographically” in that I notice nature, light, color, and composition. But I had no visual artistic outlet. Four years ago, I purchased my first DSLR. Until then I’d only had a point and shoot camera, so I had to learn the technology from the ground up. I also knew a bit of Photoshop, mostly from removing digital leashes from rescue dogs who I donate my time photographing. I couldn’t paint or even draw well, but I had an incredibly strong longing to create art. I threw myself headlong into learning both photography and post-processing. My husband laughs that when I get excited about something I have a “bee in my bonnet.” Well, this particular bee never left!
Then, in 2015, during a very difficult year of care-giving and incredible stress (a year in which I lost both of my parents), the Awake Facebook group became my happy place, a soft place to land. I spent a lot of time immersed in the process of learning and creating, which really helped save my sanity. From then on, I was all in.
Q. What is it that most inspires your work?
Animals, nature, beauty, and so much more. It could be anything from the way a flower bends toward the sun to the expression on a child’s face. Thematically, my work is tied closely to emotion and connection, whether between two animals, a person and an animal, or a loved one who has passed. The unseen world that surrounds us, that sacred energy, is a definite influence. I love that through the use of digital artistry, I can pull a sort of veil over the world that allows others to see it through a kinder, softer lens … and through that lens glimpse some of its magic.
Q. Do you have a process you tend to follow when working on your compositions?
I’ve created complicated images that have dozens and dozens of layers and a number of careful extractions, as well as images that are very simple and feature a single subject. Ironically, the easier-to-create images are sometimes better received! But regardless, almost all of my work begins with one or more of my own photos. I may have an idea going in, but an image frequently seems to navigate elsewhere on its own and I’m happy to ride the muse’s coattails. If I can get out of my own way mentally, that allows the work to take shape in a way that I’m convinced does not come entirely from me. And that is a beautiful and magical collaboration. Those are the moments I live for as an artist.
Q. Any advice for the aspiring photo artists out there?
Don’t get discouraged. It’s easy after creating something wonderful to suddenly feel that you will never create something that good again, or to find yourself in a slump. That’s normal. The tide will change and you’ll soon be creating again. Also, don’t compare your work to others. I often feel like a fish out of water with my subject matter and style, but I’ve learned that’s it’s a pretty cool thing to breathe on land! Be yourself, stay true to your vision, and just keep practicing, learning, and creating. You’re building the foundation that allows the magic to happen. And believe me, it will!