Meet Nico Padilla

We recently connected with Nico Padilla and have shared our conversation below.

Nico, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I’ve always believed that creativity isn’t a linear process, but rather a call to create. You can’t force or mass-produce something real, it must be authentic, coming from the source of your inspiration, from the deepest longing of the spirit.

We live in a world where hustle culture is incentivized and doing nothing is frowned upon. Yet it’s often in those quiet moments of nothingness that we can truly listen to our inner selves.

For me, my camera has become an extension of myself. When I’m taking photographs, I feel as though I disappear, becoming merely a tool for creation, as if energy is flowing through me, trying to get a message out into the world.

Creativity shows up in every aspect of life, from solving complex problems to making art, to expressing oneself. The possibilities are endless. It’s not about what you do, but how you do it.

To me, creativity means listening to the spirit and acting accordingly and that can look completely different for everyone.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I am an independent photographer who likes to capture magic, movement, and life. I see my photography as my life’s project, I don’t rush it, I don’t pressure myself to create, and I don’t have an agenda behind my images.

In fact, I often learn from my own work. I like to analyze my photographs after a shoot and try to figure out: what was it that caught my attention about that particular subject? What message is the universe trying to convey through my lens? What role do I play in the photograph, and what does that even mean? These questions play an important role in how I put my work out into the world.

Throughout my career, I’ve had the opportunity to share my work in exhibitions and galleries, work with different brands, cover action events, and collaborate with various magazines. I have many ideas about what I’d like to do, like creating books, hosting solo exhibitions with sensory elements, and much more, but as I mentioned before, I don’t rush my process. This is my life’s work, and I will continue creating what my soul asks of me until the day I die.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

First and foremost: curiosity. I believe curiosity is the mother of all knowledge, wisdom, breakthroughs, and more. It’s what keeps the fire alive, what makes your inner child cry out of happiness, and what brings meaning when nothing else does. If you keep your inner curiosity alive, you will achieve great things in life.

Second, I would say consistency. Once you find your passion (or obsession), never let it go. Consistency is the king of all progress. It’s not about quantity, but rather quality and repeated practice over time, this is what turns something good into something great, and eventually into mastery.

And lastly, I’m going to say confidence. What is confidence? It’s like credit with yourself, the ability to believe in yourself because you’ve proven, time and time again, that you won’t let yourself down. Confidence means keeping promises to yourself. But don’t get me wrong, no one is perfect. It’s about stacking more wins than losses. It can be as simple as promising yourself you’ll wake up at 4:00 a.m., and actually doing it. The more promises you keep to yourself, the more confident you become in your ability to achieve whatever you set your mind to.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

This might sound as simple as it gets, but I truly believe there’s no greater medicine than going for a walk on a sunny day, getting some fresh air and trying not to think about whatever is overwhelming you. If there’s nature around, even better.

I often think back to my childhood, when I used to walk to the nearest park, lay down barefoot beneath a tree, and just be for a while. Sometimes I would write, sometimes listen to music, sometimes read, and sometimes just sit in stillness. Every time I returned home, I felt as if the tree had absorbed all my heavy energy and foggy thoughts. I always came back with a clearer sense of what I needed to do, or sometimes, the problem would seem to vanish altogether.

It’s all about perspective. Feeling overwhelmed is inevitable, but pushing through when your brain is steaming rarely leads to the best outcomes. We are human beings, not machines. Give your body and your spirit a rest, and your mind will follow.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.nicopadillaphoto.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicopxdillx

Image Credits

Nico Padilla