Nicole Hawkins
Hi! Tell us about yourself
- Mom of two kiddos in the local public school system
- Cat mama as well: an orange tabby named Clover and a grey striped tabby with green eyes named Lucky
- Grew up on Long Island with four older brothers, one of whom has Downs Syndrome
- Former practicing attorney (mergers and acquisitions lawyer for large Manhattan law firm, then appellate lawyer for small Long Island personal injury firm)
- Started my photography business in NYC and formed the LLC, got insurance, ect. In 2017. I had a small studio on the Upper West SIde of Manhattan.
-- Moved to Maplewood in August 2020, and leased my maplewood studio in March 2021. I worked with Spaces by Hollie Velten to turn my large, never before used space into a warm, yet elevated, new parents to feel relaxed and at ease.
- I LOVE plants, especially flowers. I spent a long time planning my perennial garden beds, and this is my second summer growing three raised beds of dahlias in many different shapes and colors.
Fun fact 1: Other careers I seriously considered prior to becoming a lawyer and photographer were Veterinarian and Psychology Professor.
Fun fact 2: I enjoy public speaking. I loved running for student council in elementary and middle school, I was in a competitive marketing presentation club called DECA in college, I gave sexual health presentations to incoming college freshmen (Project SHAPE), and I gave a lecture on eating disorders to my college nutrition class. More recently I presented to a girl scout troop and helped them get their digital photography badge, and I gave a presentation on determination and grit to my son’s third grade class.
Tell us about your business!
Nicole Hawkins Photography is a full service portrait photography studio located at 1851 Springfield Avenue in Maplewood NJ, specializing in joyous and soulful portraits of babies, children and families. We serve busy parents, obsessed with their kids, who value artistry, professionalism, and quality. Our signature experience includes detailed session planning, studio wardrobe and styling guidance, coordination of hair and makeup services, and heirloom quality print products complete with design and installation of wall art. We are well known for minimalist and modern studio portraits, and also offer in-home newborn and outdoor family photography sessions for those looking to artfully document their growing families with authentic, yet polished photographs. I have lots of experience working with busy toddlers and children on the autism spectrum.
Where did you grow up?
Merrick, NY, which is on the South shore of Long Island in Nassau County (near Jones Beach).
How long have you lived in SOMa?
We moved here in August 2020 during the pandemic. We had no plans to leave NYC, but I’m so grateful for how everything worked out.
How many years have you been in business?
Seven years
How did you find yourself doing this work?
During law school, I purchased an entry level DSLR camera and started photographing social events for fun. After I graduated, I worked as a corporate M&A attorney for a large law firm in Manhattan, but it wasn’t a great fit for me. I joined a smaller firm on long island, but when I decided to become a mom the parental leave was disappointing; I quit to be with my baby and figure out my next steps. I was blessed with a good sleeper and used his nap time to take online photography courses for fun. I found an amazing online community of mom photographers where I learned more about creative photography and running a business. Even though I was a stay at home mom, I was determined to create a successful photography business. I worked tirelessly, and it’s been the most rewarding career journey.
What excites you the most about what you do?
I absolutely adore babies and children; creating gorgeous portraits of them floods my brain with happy chemicals. I love the challenge of creating beautiful and interesting photos in a variety of settings and light, and I love showing parents what I’ve created for them and walking them through what I love about each image I’ve chosen to show them. I love knowing that these babies and kids will grow up seeing photos of themselves throughout their home and feel deeply loved and hopefully see their unique beauty.
What inspired you to start your own business?
My son inspired me to learn photography, and ultimately inspired me to start my business. Motherhood rocked my world; I had stopped working as a lawyer and started spending every minute with my baby, who got cuter by the day. I loved our year together, but I found being a full time parent isolating and exhausting. I didn’t want to be a stay at home mom forever, yet couldn’t imagine returning to the long hours and pressure of a law firm. I wanted a career that felt meaningful and that would give me flexibility to support my kids as they grew up. Baby Jack’s sweetness inspired me to become an artist, and the magic of witnessing him grow into himself inspired me to create a business that celebrates the beauty of babies, children, and families.
What is it about you that makes you so good at what you do?
Clients often reach out because they find my work particularly artistic and soulful, which is a huge compliment. I’m deeply interested in people’s stories, and I am extremely emotional; those are incredible assets when helping clients relax in front of the camera, when selecting the most impactful images to show clients after the photoshoot, and when designing artwork with their favorite images that authentically tell their story.
What is your favorite thing you have worked on so far?
In 2019 the Marlene Meyerson JCC Manhattan selected me to photograph members of their community for a beautiful interior decor project called “Faces of the Community.” The goal was to create portraits that depicted the diversity and breadth of the JCC community. I photographed couples, families, and individuals in my Upper West Side studio over two days of photoshoots, and the results are now permanently displayed throughout the building located at the corner of Amsterdam Avenue and West 76th St.
Do you have any magic tricks that you use in your business that you swear by and could share with others?
Using a paper monthly planner. I use google calendars like many, but having the month view in my hands is invaluable to understanding what’s happening next and planning for success. I have a highlighting system to make photoshoots and phone calls stand out, which helps cut through the many different items.
Setting alarms on my phone for phone calls and Zoom meetings. I usually set three alarms (30 or 15 minutes before, 5 minutes before, and at the time of the phone call), but that might be overkill for most. I look at my calendar at the start of each day and set the alarms, and then I never worry about being unprepared or late for a client appointment.
What are 5 words that describe what you do?
Artfully document your family’s love.
But, really…
Save your memories from oblivion.
What 4 items are essential for you to do the work you do?
Camera, lighting equipment, my client management software, and my bookkeeper.
Describe your business journey in three emojis.
👶📸 🥰
What's your go-to celebration meal when you hit a milestone?
Lorena’s in Maplewood Village.
What legacy do you hope to leave through your business?
The legacy I hope my portraits leave is one of profound comfort and joy for each individual subject, for their loved ones, and for the subjects and their families to experience together through the years.
I hope that every child I photograph feels their family’s love, and appreciates their unique beauty and importance, each time they view their portraits. I hope that through the years my images help them understand themselves and their journey a bit better.
I hope that parents look at the art they commissioned me to create and feel I’ve bottled up their child’s breathtaking sweetness and unique personality. I hope they smile with deep satisfaction, knowing they can clearly recall and enjoy this age and stage whenever they want or need. I hope parents see what a great job they are doing raising these silly, sweet, soulful, and perfectly imperfect people, who are pure magic in front of my lens.
I love to imagine all my clients passing their portraits on the wall and smiling as the years pass by. I particularly love to imagine grown children showing their images to their children, nieces or nephews, and parents, children, and siblings flipping through photos together when they reunite for holidays and milestones.
If my photos are printed, I know this legacy of comfort and joy will be fulfilled.
What's the most unusual request or inquiry you've received from a customer?
Towards the end of an in-home newborn session a college age older sibling asked to be swaddled for a photo. It was a joke, but not a joke, and I am always up for something unique and creative. Are the results portfolio material? Nope! But I know the siblings will laugh hysterically looking at these images together through the years, and that makes them absolutely perfect.
What was the last gift you gave someone?
A big, gorgeous candle from Perch.
What’s your favorite ’90s jam?
Fantasy by Mariah Carey
Best biz book/podcast you’d recommend
The Happiness Lab. It’s not a business podcast, but so many episodes will help anyone running their own business do so more efficiently, and with more joy.