We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Linda Nickell. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Linda below.
Linda, so great to be with you and I think a lot of folks are going to benefit from hearing your story and lessons and wisdom. Imposter Syndrome is something that we know how words to describe, but it’s something that has held people back forever and so we’re really interested to hear about your story and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
As a creative it’s easy to fall into the imposter syndrome black hole. Fortunately, I have great mentors at the ready that can talk me through the dips when doubt slips into my projects. As a photographer, I’ve been fortunate to work with writers, editors, and designers that are great communicators and it makes projects run smoothly when candid conversations can be part of the equation.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Linda is a Texas-based photographer and the host of a weekly photography webinar, The Happiness Hour. She has been recognized by texashighways.com as one of the “Top 25 Travel Photographers to Follow on Instagram” and is the co-author, of “Composition: 15 Photography Tips to Creating Captivating Images.” Her images and articles have been published and used in digital and marketing campaigns and are included in private collections. As an active user of Instagram, she curates multiple feature accounts to inspire and promote the work of other photographers. She recently curated a exhibition for the Williamson Museum and frequently judges photo contests for local camera clubs.
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?
The three skills that have helped me on every project I have ever worked on always begin with surrounding myself with talented people that bring a skill set that I don’t employ. My “contact” list includes an impressive list of photographers that are great resources when I need someone to bounce ideas off. Find your people, offer your time to help others out — it will pay off in spades. Secondly, take every deadline seriously. In my case, publishers, editors, and designers rely. on me to turn in my work on time so I often turn it in a week prior to the due date. This simple act has given me opportunities and invitations to work on other projects. Lastly, don’t be afraid to turn down work that doesn’t inspire you. It’s the most difficult thing to do but learning to say “no” saves you a lot of time, and unnecessary stress.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
As the host of a weekly photography webinar, I invite photographers from every genre to do presentations for my group. Attendees join us from every time zone in the country and occasionally photographers from outside of the United States join us. So I’m always looking for talented creatives that are willing to share their photography to inspire others.
Contact Info:
- Website: lindanickell.com
- Instagram: @coznlinda
- Linkedin: Linda Nickell
Image Credits
Linda Nickell
