Check Out Nicholas Pagan’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicholas Pagan.

Hi Nicholas, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My journey as a photographer began 22 years ago, in the year 2000. I was a middle school student with no clear direction in life. I didn’t have many friends and my parents had just gone through a divorce. I was a little disconnected in school and forgot to sign up for my classes on time. I ended up stuck in the last remaining elective class that was available, photography.

I had no previous knowledge or even interest in photography prior to this. That class ended up being a ton of fun and helped me tap into a creative side that I didn’t know I had. However, I wouldn’t be able to revisit this newfound passion of mine until the year 2013. I was fresh out of the Marine Corps and I was once again lost in life. I had no idea what I would do with myself after returning to civilian life.

I tried quite a few bad jobs before I finally picked up a camera again. In 2015, I decided to put all of my eggs into the “photography” basket. I have been taking photos professionally ever since and I have loved every minute of it.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
There were a number of struggles for me. My first major struggle was just convincing my family that photography was a real profession. I am a Puerto Rican from Bronx, NY and where I’m from the arts are not a career choice. To this day a number of my family members don’t acknowledge that what I do is a real profession.

Then there is the cost associated with pursuing photography on a professional level. I’m the type of person that believes in investing in the right tools for the job, and in photography, those tools are not cheap. Growing up poor and with zero financial literacy made it incredibly difficult for me to secure the funds necessary to obtain what I needed to be successful.

Lastly, I was my own biggest obstacle. Or rather, I suffered from imposter syndrome. It caused me to always feel like I wasn’t good enough for this. Others undervalued me so much that I began to undervalue myself.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional photographer and videographer. I specialize in fashion and lifestyle photography, but I also do product, food, and automotive photography professionally.

I am most proud of my ability to make my clients feel something. Whether I can help build their confidence, help them to love themselves, there is nothing more gratifying to me than to make a difference in the lives of the people on the end of my lens.

The thing that sets me apart from others is that I genuinely care about providing the best possible experience during my sessions. I want to get to know you, I want to know what makes you tick so that I know how to provide the best experience and capture the best possible images.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I truly believe that there will always be a need for creative professionals. Cellphone cameras continue to evolve and people are once again realizing that a photographer is more than a person that presses a button. There are many intangibles that can’t be duplicated by technology.

Pricing:

• $350 (standard 2-3 hour session for portraits, fashion, lifestyle, etc.)
• $350 (standard automotive session)
• Contact for Food/Product/Commercial pricing

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.nickapagan.com
• Instagram: @nick_a_pagan
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NPagan.Photo
• Other: www.nickpphotos.com