Meet Nicodemas Nimmo | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicodemas Nimmo and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicodemas, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I have struggled to compose an answer for this that doesn’t sound cheesy or melodramatic in my own head, and I’m not sure I’ve succeeded, but here goes.

I love people. Upon taking the time to truly see the people around you, recognizing that every individual walking by is a fully-formed person, loaded with thoughts and feelings and hopes and dreams and fears, a lifetime of stories and all the things, this realization kindles an urge to seek out and better understand those stories. To step outside myself just as much as I can and experience life through as many different eyes and perspectives as possible. I think many of us walk through life with varying degrees of awareness that the people we encounter are part of our stories, but we rarely take the time to reflect on the truth that we are also a part of theirs, let alone what it might look like to embrace that role.

If I’m being completely honest, I’m keenly aware that there are so many other photographers out there who’s technical experience far exceeds my own. Folks who are better with lighting, better with post-processing, they know their equipment better or just plain have a bunch more experience than I do. I believe what sets me apart from those who’s technical knowledge eclipses my own is my willingness, eagerness really, to answer the question, “what does it look like to be a part of another person’s story?” To see, be with and capture the actual you as you happen, and to do so in a way that helps you see your own story from a different perspective and move the narrative forward a bit. To recognize when you might have fear about being in front of the lens and connecting with you in that. To feel the same degree of excitement and inspiration for your business or passion project that you do, and channel that collective energy into the photos I take with you. To take part in the joy you feel in the presence of your family and loved ones, anchoring that moment to a picture you’ll have forever. At the end of the day, as much as I love photography, I realize it’s really just a vehicle to rich and ongoing connections with the people around me. The income I make doing this is great and all, but those connections are fuel for the soul, and that’s what I’m really after.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I moved to southern WI six years ago from Anchorage, AK with a goal of growing a business in this community. However, selling my work has always been a challenge for me, not because the work isn’t up to snuff, but because I hate promoting myself. Even writing out answers to an article like this is incredibly difficult because I just do not like hyping myself. There is an old proverb that says “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips,” and I’ve taken that to heart. Additionally, I didn’t have a very relevant body of work to lead with when I got down here, given how very different Alaska looks compared to Wisconsin; showing engagement photos with mountains and glaciers in the background or wildlife shots full of moose, sea otters and whales doesn’t easily translate to backdrops of barns and fields and herds of cattle. I was starting from ground zero, for sure.

Knowing and accepting my shortcomings, I started driving for Uber on the weekends to keep the bank account happy while I got involved in the community I’ve chosen to settle in. I joined the local Rotary group and took up a seat on the Crimestoppers board to start connecting with the people who value where they live and want to make a positive impact in the lives of their neighbors. I wanted to grow my reputation as a person before I grew one as a photographer, so I took the first year or two to volunteer my photo skills for fundraisers, charity events, community outreach and other useful programs wherever I could. There were many times I left the camera behind and just helped. I made a huge amount of connections along the way, and it wasn’t too long before people started looking to hire me for paid work. This, too, was likely a slower process than it potentially needed to be, because I relied entirely on word of mouth. I think the term these days is “organic growth.” Moving slower and more methodically has provided opportunities to make deep connections with my clients that I wouldn’t trade for anything. Nearly every project I complete now leaves me with new friendships and an entire community of advocates who go out of their way to help me succeed. While this slower, more qualitative approach didn’t (and still hasn’t) made me a millionaire, the enrichment my life has seen, both personally and professionally, is priceless.

I think if there was any one thing I want people to know about my brand and story, I suppose it would be that I’m a partner first and photographer second. I’m not just here to take a few quick photos for you and move on to the next thing. I am excited to come alongside your vision and see your business, your family, or your passion project through your eyes. Nothing is more gratifying to me as a professional than folks who look at the work I’ve done for them and say to each other, “see, this guy gets it!”

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I think Janesville is a great place to be right now. The downtown area is constantly growing, there are a ton of parks and trails around to enjoy the outdoors, and it’s a great, centralized landing pad for some longer excursions to some of the smaller, surrounding communities.

I would spend most mealtimes downtown, for sure. Between the Drafthouse, Genisa, Lark, the Sandwich Bar and some classic favorites like Whiskey Ranch and the Looking Glass, there is a delightful variety of places to get a great meal and enjoy some fantastic ambiance as well. Considering my history in AK, I would do my level best to spend the days outside, for sure. My best friend in life is a fellow shutterbug, so I would take him to the Rotary Botanical Gardens, wander through the newly renovated downtown and tour all the incredible murals that have cropped up around the cityscape, hit up a few segments of the Ice Age trail and take a stroll through the Memorial Arboretum as well. I would also walk him through some of the historic neighborhoods in town, as the architecture in some of those old homes is incredibly unique.

Should the weather decide not to cooperate, I’d switch gears and visit the Rock County Historical Society and the Tallman house, a beautifully preserved 1850’s mansion rich in history and very photogenic. If his family came along, we would haul the kids out to the splash pads in both Milton and Janesville, as well as some of the massive playgrounds at Palmer and Rockport parks. Janesville is quickly becoming one of those “best kept secret” kind of places, and I enjoy showing off what this community has to offer.
The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would not have gotten the foothold I have in the community without the tireless efforts of Christine Rebout, Sue Melton and the crew at the Janesville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. I moved into this community six years ago from across the continent and knew next to nobody here. Fortunately, I crossed paths with Christine early on and she put me to work without hesitation. Through an abundance of commonalities we have become good friends and she has been a constant advocate, not just for my work, but for myself and my family as people. Sue has been equally as supportive, and is always quick to promote what I do in the abundance of things she’s involved with. JACVB is a wonderful, hard working bunch of people, and I would not be where I am without them.

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