Nick Price on Fly Fishing Photography, Storytelling, and Chasing Light Worldwide
With: nickpricephotography
We caught up with Nick Price somewhere between salt and sky, as he wrapped up a trip to Cuba and looked ahead to his next adventure in Argentina. Nick’s one of those rare folks who lives at the crossroads of fly fishing and fine art—guiding clients down Western rivers one day, and chasing light through a lens the next. He’s got a deep respect for the places and people that define this lifestyle, and it shows in every frame he shoots. From the high desert of Idaho to the gaucho traditions of San Antonio de Areco, Nick brings a storyteller’s heart and a guide’s grit to everything he does. We sat down to talk about his journey, his gear, and what keeps him coming back to the water with camera in hand.
Nick, your work beautifully captures the intersection of travel, people, and place — how did your journey into fly fishing photography begin, and what drew you to document that particular world?
I was a fly fishing guide first. I still am. I started in Missoula, MT in 1994 and moved to the Sun Valley, ID area in 1997 and have been guiding ever since.
I studied creative writing / fiction at The University of Montana and pretty soon, after graduating, realized I didn’t have the passion for writing fiction I thought I needed. I learned humility along the way and the art of being rejected when sending off written submissions.
In the early 2000’s, I got into photography. Became obsessed really. Bought a dslr and one 35 mm f2 lens. I shot with just one lens for three years before getting another lens. I studied the history of photography. I studied other photographer’s work and soon got a sense of what I loved to see in an image. I’m self taught but with that said I have taken so many online courses and tutorials that I feel as though in many ways I’m more self-educated than self taught.
In short, as a fly fishing guide, once I had a base knowledge of photography, fly fishing photography was the perfect avenue for me to take.
You’ve shot in some truly stunning locations — is there one fly fishing trip that stands out as the most unforgettable to photograph, and what made it so special?
I’d say having the opportunity to travel to Argentina with friend and mentor, Val Atkinson and co-photograph a feature—for The FlyFish Journal—on Argentina’s first outfitter and guide, Jorge Trucco.
More important than any big fish caught on that trip, great friendships were forged. That trip really was the beginning for my love of Argentina.
It was also the start of a personal photography project of mine that has nothing at all to do with fly fishing. I was introduced to the town of San Antonio de Areco and travel there about twice a year now to photograph the people and Tradición every November which is one of the most important annual Gaucho events in Argentina.
Drone photography adds such a unique perspective to your fly fishing content. What are your top three tips for capturing dynamic and meaningful drone shots on the water?
First, always being respectful with your drone. We are so incredibly fortunate to have drones in our photo tool box and it would be a real bummer to loose that privilege.
As far as tips go I almost always use a polarized filter when shooting over water.
I love looking for shadows late and early in the day. For example, If someone is standing casting late in the afternoon or early evening and is casting a big shadow I’ll put the drone directly above the angler and slightly underexpose the image to have the shadow stand out.
I like to use burst mode when photographing fish like marlin or roosterfish low over the water. The buffer speed, at least on my drone, is really slow when shooting single images rapidly and a burst of 5 or 7 shots can be the difference maker.
As someone who blends storytelling with visual artistry, how do you approach photographing anglers and the environments they’re in without disturbing the natural moment?
Hopefully whomever I’m photographing is so used to seeing me with a camera that it’s like I’m almost not even there. I generally let things unfold naturally and see it as my job to be ready when things unfold.
From behind the lens, what has fly fishing photography taught you about patience, timing, and light — and how has that shaped your style as a photographer?
In a lot of ways fly fishing photography is akin to actually holding the rod as rather than trying to hook a fish w a fly I’m try to catch one in a perfect moment with my camera. Patience needs to be a given and timing is everything; from shooting a rising fish to an expression in a guides eyes when taking his or her portrait. Light is obviously always important in photography but not the end all be all for me. I’d much rather capture an incredible moment in poor light than not capture the moment at all. Often the greatest images are in some way shape or form technically flawed. As far as how patience, timing, and light have shaped my style? I’m not a super technical photographer and my style is really more a reflection of who I am as a person and has a lot more to do with trying to capture emotion. Yes, it takes patience and great timing and bonus points for recognizing great light…
What’s next for Nick Price — any upcoming trips, projects, or creative directions you’re excited to explore?
Well I’m on a plane coming back from Cuba as I write this. I feel super grateful to have shaped my life where I get to travel to so many incredible places and get to meet extraordinary along the way. As far as creative projects I’ll be returning to San Antonio de Areco, Argentina in November to continue my personal photography project on photographing the people and gauchos during Tradición. My project is called, Any Ordinary Areco. Photographing Los Locos in Magdalena Bay in Baja, Mexico is another favorite. There is just so much to photograph coupled with the incredible people that make it happen.
