We had the good fortune of connecting with Nicole Rydlak and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nicole, what principle do you value most?
A core value that matters most to me is authenticity. My hope and desire is to be a friend and advocate for my clients and families that I get to work with. It is a privilege to get to capture people’s most special days and most intimate moments; like weddings, proposals, graduations, etc.

I want to be as genuine and true as I can be with everyone I work with and with myself. I never want my clients to doubt my work or be confused by my words or intentions. Clear and simple communication is the most effective way to put your clients first from the moment they inquire to after their photos have been delivered. I am not someone who understands every technical or mechanical part of my camera or editing software, so I cannot expect my clients to understand complex creative or photography terminology. Authenticity allows for clients to ask questions and be confident that they can trust me to do my best work.

What should our readers know about your business?
Here is a short summary about me, my journey to photography, and my heart behind it all! I started Nicole Rydlak Photography in 2020 and it is all because it was the COVID hobby I picked up and never put back down. I had just decided to put down my dream of going to Medical School and had no clue what was next. The moment I picked up the old camera my family had laying around the house, it felt as though a bigger dream was made. I didn’t know it back in 2020 but now three years later I am confident saying that the Lord has orchestrated every step in my photography journey. As something that started as an outlet for me to be creative has evolved to a ministry that I could have never pictured for myself. I first started as a portrait photographer and then moved into lifestyle which led to doing weddings. Getting to where I am today was not easy but is anything ever easy? I had a friend tell me once that we get to “pick our hard”, for example medical school would have been hard, college was hard, starting a business was hard, growing the business is hard. But in the hard is where growth and passion are formed. I am really excited to keep dreaming and storytelling through the art of photography.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Dallas is such a fun city to explore and I love being able to host friends and family when they come visit. I am a big coffee fan and so I would most likely take them to Lemma Coffee, Merit Coffee, or Native coffee depending on what type of atmosphere we are up for.

For lunch and dinner we would most likely pick between East Hampton Sandwich Co, The Henry, Hutchins BBQ, Oni Ramen, The Biscuit Bar, The Fifth Richardson, etc.

For activities or things to see and experience I think the Fort Worth Stockyards are a great idea for an afternoon or night out. Depending on the season I would try and go to the State Fair, a Dallas Stars Hockey game, or a Mavericks basketball game. A fun down to earth activity that always makes for the best memories is going to a Bingo Night!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I could not have gotten here without support from my family, and my friends who encourage me endlessly and are confident in my work even when I am not. A book that I would encourage everyone to read is “Building a Story Brand” by Donald Miller because it has helped me learn how to efficiently communicate who I am and the message I want Nicole Rydlak Photography to portray.

Website: http://nicolerydlakphoto.showit.site

Instagram: @nicolerydlakphotography

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