Rising Stars: Meet Nikki Laughlin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Laughlin. 

Hi Nikki, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My story starts when I was six years old and my mom took her own life. As anyone can imagine, this would have lifelong effects. Growing up as an only child with just my dad was not easy. I dealt with a ton of middle school and high school bullying, home life wasn’t easy, body image issues, and so much more. I would turn to self-harm and eventually my own suicide attempts throughout the years. I started college at Columbus State Community College where my major was interior design (and would later change for a plethora of reasons). I began a relationship at age 18 that would become emotionally and physically abusive. After three years, I finally got out of that just to start yet another emotionally abusive and controlling relationship for the next two years. I would also survive another attempt on my life during this point. Around age 21, I decided to switch my major from interior design to psychology, so that I could learn to help others the way I so desperately needed someone to help me. I also started a YouTube channel around this time, in 2010, which would focus on fashion, makeup, piercings, and overall beauty influencing tutorials, until I started incorporating mental health issues into my videos. My channel quickly grew, where I would gain 60,000 subscribers and over 20 million video views. I had countless messages from people all over the world (I had tons of subscribers from Canada and Australia especially), telling me I saved their lives by giving them hope. I was told numerous times that by sharing my hardships and posting videos online telling my story, it was letting others know that you can still come out shining on the other end of the storm. I gave people hope to hold on. After about 9 years of YouTube, as well as getting married and having my two children, I decided it was time to take a break from the online world and focus on my next passion: photography. In 2018, I started my business Nikki Leigh Photography. I am a very affordable option because I know the importance of photos. Sometimes, pictures are all you have left of someone. I have a handful of photos of my mom and that’s all I have left of her, so I’m eternally grateful for those. I take pictures because I want people to have those memories, and I keep my prices very low so that people can afford to get them at any season and for any reason. Although I focus on family photos, including engagement, maternity, newborn, and some wedding, I also dabble in nature photography. Even though many days are still a struggle for me with my depression and anxiety, I still try to stop and appreciate the beauty of the world around me, taking pictures along the way to remind me that life is worth living. I hope that by sharing my photos and my story, I can continue to give others hope to hold on to. 

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Sometimes my photography business doesn’t go so well. Rainy days cause a lot of rescheduling. Living in Ohio means outdoor shoots are out of question between November and March. Sometimes my photos don’t turn out the way I had hoped and I have a constant fear of letting my clients down. I truly work so hard to try to make everything perfect but sometimes things just don’t turn out. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in family photography. The best part about this is when my clients receive their photos back and tell me how happy they are with their photos and how beautiful I made them feel. My approach is not extremely professional by any means. I treat all my clients like friends or family. I really leave everything up to my clients to decide unless of course, they need some direction. I love being a supportive and friendly person for people to rely on. Creating lasting relationships is extremely important to me and having my customers keep coming back for multiple sessions because they were so happy with my work means they world to me. Being one of the most affordable photographers in the area sets me apart because I am truly in this for the customer so they can have lasting memories, never in it for the money. 

Are there any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
I use an app called Nomo which is a sobriety calculator. I am over three years sober from alcohol and keeping a count and looking at it every day keeps me grounded. 1,235 days alcohol-free to be exact! I also enjoy journaling and writing down thoughts, writing poems, and expressing my emotions in a healthy way. 

Pricing:

• $40 for a one-hour photography session

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikkileighphotography614
• Facebook: https://www.Facebook.com/nikkileighphotography614

Image Credits
Nikki Leigh Photography