The Regulars: An Interview with Nick Spector
Photographer: Nick SpectorÂ
Studio: Nick Spector Photography
Type of Photos Taken: Fashion, Street
Tell us a bit about yourself…
I'm Toronto-born and raised. I've been shooting for five years. I studied journalism at Ryerson. The photojournalism instructor at Ryerson, Peter Bregg, taught me everything about photography. Thanks to Peter, my first photo job out of school was shooting a fundraising climb up Mt. Kilimanjaro.
After that, I did lots of corporate and event jobs, but still craved something more creative.
I hit the reset button on my photography career two years ago; I took a continuing education fashion photography course at OCAD, taught by FASHION Magazine’s photo editor Erin Reynolds. We kept in touch, and a few months after the class, I reached out to ask if she knew any photographers looking for assistants. I figured it was a long shot. After all, I didn’t have much of a portfolio and no experience assisting. She recommended I get in touch with Chris Nicholls. I did, and I’ve been one of his assistants for about a year now. I’m totally using this platform to shout him out and show appreciation. I’ve learned so much from him and his whole team over the last year. They’ve all been really patient and helpful with me. It’s an incredible opportunity to get to be there and not one I take for granted.
What drew you into photography?
I always say that I wish I had one of those "I picked up a camera at five years old/this was destiny" type of stories. I was drawn to cameras at Ryerson. We had these broadcast news classes and they made you get into groups and either be a reporter, writer, editor or camera operator. I liked being a reporter, but I found camera work more creative and meditative (I also really hated writing for TV!). I remember playing with my friend Pedram’s DSLR at a party once, and wanting desperately to know how to use it properly. I was trying to take someone’s picture but I couldn’t get the photo to look like the lighting I was seeing in front of me. I remember feeling like I needed to master this. It became an obsession: seeing a moment of a scene and wanting to be able to capture the elements of it to evoke a mood or a feeling.
What is your philosophy regarding photo taking? Any personal rules you stick to?
There are politics to everything you shoot.
To me it goes beyond the baseline "respect your subject." As someone who shoots human subjects primarily, I believe that you should understand your subject; understand that beyond depicting who they are, you are also creating a visual representation of a sex, gender, identity, race, ethnicity, religion, etc.
That has the potential to be very impactful to your viewer, especially now that a majority of us are sharing our work online. We don't know who is seeing it, or how they're interpreting it. I think that it's important to remember that. There's a story beyond the photo, but the photo also shapes that story. I think the same set of rules can apply to photographing a city, a place, nature, everything.
I can’t say that I always (or ever) do a perfect job of it, but I think it's something that is of absolute importance to strive for.
Other than that, I really believe in that idea that the best camera is the one you have on you. If you understand the strengths and limitations of the tool you’re using, you’ll always get good
results.
Tell us about a photographic challenge?
I guess the root is fear. Fear of never reaching the calibre of photographer I want to be. Fear that what I’m doing isn’t good, or isn’t good enough. Fear that I won’t “make it,” whatever making it means.
For a long time, I was looking at photography as a business. My roommate Lily had to berate me into referring to myself as an artist instead. She made a fair point, that by not doing so I wasn’t taking any real responsibility for the work I was producing.
The satisfaction that I feel from work I produce is short-lived. I’m definitely very critical of myself. Those fears I mention are all still very prevalent. I’ve learned to just embrace it. Behind it all is an intense love for this art form. Rather than let my own criticisms get me down about what I’m doing, I try to recognize the passion fuelling it and harness that energy into creating the kinds of images I want to make.
What is one thing you could not go into a shoot without?
Inspiration. You can spend thousands and thousands of dollars on gear but if you don’t know what you really like, what moves you, what excites you, if you don’t know where you want to go and where you want to take the viewer, you’ll always come up short. I try to look beyond photography for inspiration. Paintings, music, my own life experiences - all that stuff gets weaved into the work I do.
What gear do you prefer to shoot with?
Like I said earlier, hand me a camera, let me figure out its functions and feel; what it can and can’t do; and I’m happy.
I know that’s not the answer you’re looking for though…
A majority of my fashion work is shot on a Nikon D800 and 85mm lens. Almost all of my street photos were shot with a Fuji x100T. All bought at Downtown Camera. I just did a trade-in with you guys for a used Nikon F80, I’ve been playing around with shooting some of my fashion stuff on film.
When did you first come to Downtown Camera? Anyone in particular you remember?
I don’t remember the first time I was there, but I do remember coming in to buy an Elinchrom lighting kit, and John told me to wait a month for the newer kit to come out. He emailed me when it came in and everything. From that point on I’ve been a loyal customer.
George has always been very kind and helpful with me (and he takes great passport photos!). Sheldon helped my mother pick out a point-and-shoot. I don’t know everyone’s name there, but
they’ve always been really nice and super helpful. I follow a couple of them on Instagram.
Any advice to fresh photographers?
Stop looking at the back of your camera after every shot. Take one test to make sure the light is
right and then focus on shooting what you’re shooting.
Don’t give up. Ever. No matter what. If you feel discouraged, embrace that and get better.
Buy photo books.
Study light. Just watch it throughout the day. Be aware of it. Think about how it makes you feel: the thoughts, memories, and ideas it conjures. Use that.
No but seriously, don’t ever give up.
Follow @nickspector on Instagram.
