We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kristi Neilson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kristi, thank you so much for joining us. You are such a positive person and it’s something we really admire and so we wanted to start by asking you where you think your optimism comes from?
Being optimistic and confident is a choice. If you choose to be, it is a very powerful tool. I think there are two ways people can deal with the hardships and traumas that unfold in their lives. One option is to succumb to them and use them as an excuse for lack in personal growth. The other option is to use your hardship as a means of growth. There will always be a silver lining to every terrible thing that happens to people. Identifying that, learning from your experiences, giving yourself grace and taking care of yourself every way you can, ensures growth.
It takes more energy to be happy than it does to be sad. Being happy and staying optimistic is a day to day job that takes effort and attention.
I haven’t always been the type of person to choose happiness but the older I get, the easier it is. Life is too uncertain and short to not put in the effort to make it the best it can be. Positivity, optimism and sincerity attract.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Over the last few years my professional priorities have yo-yoed. The pandemic changed my career path and put my goals into perspective.
I fortunately have a personal project called “I miss that blue coming through the door” that kept me busy and stimulated. I have been working on this project for over ten years and am excited to share it in book form in the next year or two. It has been a true labor of love.
However, I did lose steam on my commercial work in the meantime.
I enjoy shooting portraiture, lifestyle and fashion and have shot a handful of campaigns over the last couple years. For various reasons I stopped putting in the energy and effort into that type of work.
I am at a place now, where I am excited and eager to create more.
I’m planning more shoots, saying yes to all opportunities and taking a step forward in putting myself and my photography out into the world.
I sincerely love meeting and connecting with people. Photography is a beautiful way to do so and in return makes my artistic process that much easier. I’m excited to make art with many new people in the months to come.
I’m optimistic it will be a transcendent and fruitful year.
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?
I find it’s most important to figure out what drives your artwork and finding your voice within that. When you have a vision, a voice, an aesthetic that is true to you, it’s impossible for people not to feel that. You won’t find joy or success trying to replicate someone else’s work or creating what you think people want to see. You have to create for yourself in a way that is honest and relatable to others. Honesty is often the best policy, especially in your art. Find your voice. Hone in on it.
Something I’ve learned lately is the importance of not rushing my own success. People around me may think that I am successful but I personally am not at the stage I would like to be in my career. I thought I would be in a different position at age thirty. But then, I remind myself, I’m only thirty….
Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
My father was the most genuine example of kindness and generosity. He was loved and respected by his family, friends, coworkers and community. It was impossible to observe that and not strive to be a likeminded person. He passed away from cancer when I was twelve. As devastating as it was to lose him at a young age, it instilled a drive in me to be even more like him. Being a decent person was one of the only things in my control at the time. When I do good for myself and others, it feels like he is living on through me.
My mother deeply instilled the importance of independence in me. Both parents always supported me in following whatever career path I desired but my mom repeatedly communicated the importance of being financially independent and self sufficient. She never wanted me to find myself in a position where I was relying on others to achieve my goals or bail me out.
Together, they helped form my sisters and I into self sufficient, aware and empathetic women.
Contact Info:
- Website: kristineilson.com
- Instagram: kristineilson
Image Credits
Aly Whitman
