Meet Nika De Carlo

NY-based photographer Nika De Carlo challenges the expectation of how many stories can a single image convey. Looking at the intimate portrait work of the artist the viewer is able to imagine volumes of intriguing information pouring from the provocative photographs. In our latest interview, we chat with Nika De Carlo about truth, lies, their biggest support, and favorite gear.

Two Truths and a Lie

(Answers at bottom of the article)

I was homeschooled my entire childhood.

I am also a dancer and an actress.

I can shred on the guitar.

Would You Rather

be able to smell the future or hear into the past? Please explain why.

I would rather be able to hear into the past. I would love to hear the voices again of those who have left this world - the voice of my father and grandmother, as well as hearing my favorite musicians live, Elliott Smith and Rowland S. Howard. 

Some questions with Nika De Carlo

Who has been your biggest support throughout your career?

My mother and partner have been the biggest support throughout my career. They have both supported me with so much positivity when I doubted myself, and have given me a lot of great advice which kept me pushing through to create more art when I felt like I couldn’t.

What narratives do you gravitate towards in your work?

I always try to pull from my own experiences and memories with my narratives - moments that I long to hold onto or situations that I can’t shake out of my mind. On the other hand, there are some narratives that come directly from my imagination - worlds that only exist within my mind with made-up characters. I love it when I can blend both of them together.

What gear do you find yourself frequently returning to? Why?

I always return to shooting on my medium format camera with Portra film. There is something so amazing about medium format photography, the way it captures detail is unlike anything else. I use Portra film because of the way it captures colors so beautifully. With these two combined, it creates the perfect quality that I look for.

Can your creative process be broken down into a mathematical formula?

I would say yes, but it would be a crazy formula! I try to work linearly but there are definitely a lot of moments of back and forth. Each time I shoot there is always something a little different from the last time, which always keeps it new and interesting.

What do you want your viewers to take away from your work?

More than anything, I would love for them to be emotionally impacted in some way from the images. While entering a part of my life, I would like them to not only be spectators, but to find a sense of relation to the images to take away with them.

Is there a dream project that you have been wanting to work on? What does it entail?

I would love to have a big show that is interactive with the viewers. It would include my photographs along with video, writing, and sound all in one.

What other mediums most influence the work you are making as a photographer?

Although I am inspired by all mediums, I would say filmmaking and poetry have influenced me most in the current work I am making now; filmmaking for the narrative story telling, and poetry for the descriptiveness of emotion.

Any final comments? (This is your electronic soapbox for one last answer.)

Do what you love and love one another unconditionally.

Two truths and a lie answer key:

Truth: I am also a dancer and an actress.

Truth: I was homeschooled my entire childhood.

Lie: I can shred on the guitar.