We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Nina Livingston. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Nina below.
Nina , we are so appreciative of you taking the time to open up about the extremely important, albeit personal, topic of mental health. Can you talk to us about your journey and how you were able to overcome the challenges related to mental issues? For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.
Mental health has always been important to me because I have struggled with it throughout my whole life. I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression when I was about 11 or 12. Growing up I was constantly criticized for everything. What I wore, what I looked like, what I sounded like, even for my likes and dislikes. Having both anxiety and depression while in high school and college was really difficult for me. I remember that there were several moments that I felt lost, alone and like I didn’t belong.
Then earlier this year, I was diagnosed with BPD (Borderline Personality Disorder) and RAD.
In every situation, I have had the support of friends to help me see that I am worthy of being around and that I do have a purpose. I have been in therapy for almost a year now and making sure to check in on myself. I am very lucky to have the support system that I have now.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hello! My name is Nina and I am a professional portrait and event photographer located in Ankeny, Iowa. I started photographing when I was a junior in high school. It started out as a course I needed to graduate but turned into a passion very quickly. The passion started with taking pictures of objects, architecture and nature. I wanted to capture the beauty that the world had to offer because I feel like we as a society often focus on what we need to do to keep moving forward and forget to stop, look at the beautiful things around us and enjoy life. After high school, I ended up going to college to become a professional photographer.
During my time in college, I was able to learn that one of my favorite subjects to photograph was people. Being able to connect, share ideas, and getting to see my subjects vision come to life was incredible! So once I left college, I knew that I wanted to continue helping people bring their most precious moments to life.
Fast forward to where we are today, I am still continuing to help my clients bring their creative insights into every shoot I do. I love being apart of all the moments that my clients want to capture in time no matter how big or small.
Additionally, I am proud to announce that Nina Grace Imagery is now offering mini sessions for all portrait style shoots!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
A piece of knowledge that has been very impactful for my journey is that I grew up in a low income family and I saw how much we struggled. I noticed how hard it was for my family to not be able to afford the special things like family photos or just moments that we wanted captured forever but couldn’t due to money. That’s why I have made my business and prices the way that it is. So low income families can afford me because I believe everyone deserves to have all their special moments captured.
Looking back, one skill or quality I have learned is how to become more social. When I started, I was very shy and intimidated when it came to approaching and talking to people that I didn’t know. It wasn’t until I was in college that I became more confident in my my work and ability to approach new people.
In the last several years I have found that no matter how much you have learned or experienced, new and unexpected situations can always arise. A favorite quote of mine from Donald Rumsfeld is, “you don’t know what you don’t know until it shows up”. This quote always reminds me that no matter how much I think I know, there is always something more out there.
My advice for my readers and fellow entrepreneurs is, don’t give up on your dreams no matter how hard it gets. Always be open to learning and don’t be ashamed of your past by any means. Use it to help guide and push you to where you want to be.
What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?
In the last 12 months I have moved and i’m finally settled in. One of my favorite improvements since moving has been getting my studio set up, working on building my portfolio and having more opportunities to take pictures of clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ninagraceimagery.wixsite.com/nina-grace-imagery-2
- Instagram: ninagraceimagery
- Facebook: Nina Grace
- Other: Tiktok: @ninagraceimagery
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
