Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Schules.
Hi Nicole, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It actually started before I even declared my college major. I took a forensic photography class that sparked my interest in photography, and shortly after, I declared my major in Fine Arts with a minor in Art History, focusing primarily on photography. I graduated from Stockton University in December 2013 knowing I wanted to be a photographer, I just wasn’t quite sure what kind yet.
While I was figuring out where I wanted photography to take me, I began working for John Barone Photography as a photo editor. Around that same time, I started a family of my own, and pursuing photography myself took a bit of a back seat. I continued working with John for more than a decade, gaining years of experience behind the scenes while raising my family.
It was really through watching my own babies grow into toddlers that I realized where my heart was in photography. I started to understand just how quickly those little stages disappear and how meaningful it is to have photographs that preserve them. That’s when I knew I wanted to be a portrait photographer.
I began building Nicole Schules Photography around that idea, capturing families as they are and preserving the seasons of life that seem to pass far too quickly. Over time, that has grown from photographing families and children to seniors, milestones, sports, and other important chapters in their lives.
Today, I’m continuing to grow my business while staying rooted in the reason I started: creating photographs that become more valuable as time passes. For me, it’s not just about taking a beautiful picture. It’s about giving someone something tangible that brings them back to a moment, a relationship, or a stage of life they can’t get back.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It hasn’t always been the smoothest road. One of my biggest challenges has simply been finding the time to grow my business and get my name out there while also raising three young children. Between homework, sports, dance, and everything else that comes with family life, building a business often had to fit into whatever time I could find.
Over the years, I’ve learned how to better balance the two and have finally been able to carve out dedicated time to focus on growing Nicole Schules Photography. Things are running much more smoothly now, and it’s been exciting to see the business grow as I’m able to put more time and energy into it.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in portrait photography, with much of my work centered around families, children, seniors, and the milestones that happen along the way. My goal has always been to create photographs that feel genuine and timeless, images that families will look back on years from now and immediately remember that season of their lives.
One thing that has shaped the way I work with families is my experience working with children in a school setting, including children with special needs. It has taught me a great deal about patience, flexibility, and meeting a child where they are. Not every child is going to walk into a session, sit perfectly, smile on command, or feel comfortable right away, and I don’t expect them to. I’m happy to slow down, change my approach, take a break, or let a child warm up to me and the camera in their own way.
I think that carries over into all of my sessions. I want families to feel comfortable rather than pressured to be perfect. Some of my favorite photographs come from the in-between moments, the laughs, interactions and little pieces of personality that happen when everyone starts to relax.
I’m especially proud of how Nicole Schules Photography has continued to grow. More recently, I’ve expanded into senior and yearbook photography with my Senior Studio, giving local seniors another option for their traditional yearbook portrait while also creating cap and gown, graduation, and senior portraits that feel more personal to them.
What I hope sets me apart is that I’m not just focused on creating a beautiful photograph. I care about the experience that leads to it and making sure the person on the other side of my camera feels comfortable, seen and like themselves.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
My family makes me happiest. I love the simple things, being at the beach, feeling the sun, watching a beautiful sunset, getting lost in a good book, or listening to music. I also love going to live sporting events, especially Flyers and Phillies games, but some of my favorite moments are watching my son play hockey and my daughter dance.
I think I’ve always been drawn to moments that make you want to slow down and take them in, which probably explains why photography became such an important part of my life.
And professionally, there’s a very specific kind of happiness that comes from going through a session and finding that one photograph, the one that makes me stop and think, “Yup, that’s the one.” It might be the expression, the connection, or simply a moment that feels completely genuine. Those are the photographs that remind me why I love what I do.
Pricing:
- Family Sessions — $425 Full portrait session with a fully edited private online gallery.
- Motherhood Sessions — $425 Relaxed, connection-focused portraits celebrating motherhood and the bond between mother and child.
- Dance & Sports — Starting at $250 Individual portrait sessions designed to showcase athletes and dancers in a creative, personalized way.
- Senior Yearbook Studio — $250 30-minute studio session including a yearbook portrait, cap & gown and additional senior images.
- Mini Sessions — Starting at $175 Seasonal limited-edition sessions offered throughout the year, with pricing and details varying by event.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.nicoleschulesphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nicoleschulesphotography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nicoleschulesphotography
