I first met Nick when I held the No Life/Road Runner Bags pop-up photo show in LA. We clicked, talked food, talked cameras and bikes, and have been chatting ever since. Nick works as a messenger in LA, and has been bringing a film camera with him along daily as part of his life. It’s been rad to see him grow as a cyclist/photographer and it’s rad to see him grow as a person. Someone I’d definitely call “my people”, and the breed of photographer that really fits the No Life ethos. I kind of put Nick on the spot and asked him to write a few words for this post. Sorry, not sorry Nick!. Check out a bunch of great shots by him, and give him a follow on the gram if you’d like…
I started shooting with a digital SLR in Portland in 2016, mostly when I was out on the bike during work. I think that the unplanned and explorative nature of riding around to new and often unanticipated places for work, and shooting whatever I found interesting along the way, helped me to form my current preferences and approach to photography.
Almost a year ago, I moved to Los Angeles, and in addition to shooting with my digital SLR, started shooting with an Olympus Stylus film point and shoot that my friend gave me. I immediately fell in love with shooting film and not long after, the same friend who gave me my Olympus gifted me a film SLR, a Canon EOS Rebel 2000. Without much extra money to invest in new equipment, I’ve since been pretty happy shooting almost exclusively with those two cameras, and all of the photos you see here were shot with them. Quick thank you to Deven and Gavin (not necessarily in that order) for helping me out so much and providing the inspiration, tools, and perspective that have enabled me to enjoy photography.
Working on the bike continues to provide me with enjoyable subject material and the motivation to shoot photos, and inversely, shooting photos helps me to avoid taking for granted a job that allows a lot more freedom, exploration, and whacky shit than most others.
Thank you to JP for the opportunity to contribute to the site and share some photos.
Nick
