Nikolas Rainman

Born and raised in a small border town, I was faced with a number of challenges both, in my personal life, as well as pursuing a career as a creative. Having family in different states and different countries, while also growing up with an elderly family member who as he aged, developed Alzheimer’s disease, were the two pivotal factors that contributed to the vision I later on developed as a creative.

It is believed that we choose careers to repair our family clan. We then try to correct the mistakes of those before us in the family tree, try to accomplish unaccomplished dreams, goals, and desires, and repair the things that hurt or wounded them, both, on the emotional as well as the physical level. That was what photography did for me.

In my teenage years, photography became a way to keep a record of my personal life. It then became a way to stay in contact with family and friends who were far away. Shortly after, in my early twenties, it became a form of self-expression that got notoriety, first, locally in my hometown, and later on, internationally.

The city of El Paso has a small city feel known for its sunsets, and when I began my career in photography, it had forgotten and overlooked architectural gems, most of which were restored in the following decade. During that time, I photographed the city’s architecture during sunrise and during sunsets, taking advantage of twilight and the golden hour. In addition to that, I began working with professional photography labs. This allowed me to produce large format, high quality prints, which I then had professionally framed with museum quality standards. Taking advantage of natural light, large format prints, and high-quality work was a major differentiator among the work of other photographers.

The city has changed as well as my motives to photograph it. The subject matter I choose might change, as well as the medium. My work might not always have a clear message if any. But the unspoken intention I put into my work goes further than the work itself. I intend to bring people closer together. To bring back to memory the things that make us happy, and to inspire others to follow a journey that leads to a continuous betterment of oneself, self-responsibility, and a life of non-conformity. To find the balance between feeling thankful, accepting life as it is, but never giving up on the life we wish to have and to do things with your heart, with your best intention, but with no attachments to expectations.