Today we’d like to introduce you to Nolan Hall.
Hi Nolan, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’ve had a camera in my hand for as long as I can remember. I started taking photos when I was around four years old, usually with my mom’s camera, and I wanted to bring it everywhere we went. The beach, family trips, anywhere outdoors I could photograph. I’ve always been drawn to cameras and the idea of capturing a memory that lasts forever.
In 2021, during my freshman year of high school, something clicked and I started taking photography much more seriously. I began shooting sports at Century High School, mostly focusing on action. Games, meets, races, and anything happening on the field or court. Those first few years taught me a lot about timing, anticipation, lighting, and how to compose an image that can tell a story through a single frame.
As I continued shooting, I started realizing that the part I loved most wasn’t only documenting what happened during a game. I became really interested in how athletes and teams presented themselves. A lot of traditional school sports photography can feel very generic, and I wanted to create something that athletes were genuinely excited to see, post, and keep.
That eventually pushed me towards media days and team branding. Instead of just taking a standard team photo, I started experimenting with studio work. Multiple strobe lights, smoke, color gels, backdrops, creative lighting, and different poses to give each team and athlete something that felt more personal to them. I wanted high school athletes to have access to the kind of imagery you might expect from a college or professional sports program.
That’s grown into thewalkingflicker Photography, where I now work primarily with sports teams and athletes on media days, games, and team content. I’ve gone from shooting individual games to running full media days with multiple teams and long days, sometimes photographing 7 teams within 8 hours. Even on days like that, I genuinely love the work and usually leave more excited about it than when I started.
More recently, I’ve also expanded into graphic design, social media content, and commercial work. I’ve realized that what interests me most isn’t just photography by itself. It’s helping a team, athlete, or business tell its story visually. That’s the direction I want to continue growing in as I finish high school and eventually pursue a career in sports media and production.
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?
I’d describe it as more of a neighborhood road with speed bumps rather than a rough road. I haven’t experienced one massive setback that changed everything, but there have definitely been challenges in figuring out exactly what I wanted to do and where I wanted to take my work.
A big part of that has been exploring different areas of photography. I’ve tried senior portraits, family photography, pet photography, events, and other types of work. Every time I explored something new, I learned something from it, but I kept finding myself drawn back to sports.
That process helped me realize that sports photography is where I’m most energized and where I feel like my work has the most purpose. I love the pace, the atmosphere, the creativity, and the opportunity to create something athletes and teams are genuinely excited about.
I think one of the biggest challenges has simply been learning that not every opportunity has to become part of my business. Early on, I felt like I needed to offer everything, but over time, I’ve become much more comfortable focusing on what I actually enjoy and what I want to be known for. That’s helped shape thewalkingflicker Photography into something much more focused around sports, media days, and team branding.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My work is centered around sports photography, media days, and visual branding for athletes and teams. I photograph everything from live action to individual portraits, team photos, banners, social media content, and the kinds of images teams can use throughout an entire season.
What I specialize in most is creating media day experiences that feel more intentional and personalized than traditional school sports photography. I use multiple strobes, colored gels, smoke, backdrops, and different lighting setups to create something that feels tailored to an athlete and the team. I want the final images to be something athletes are genuinely excited to post, use on a banner, share with their family, or look back on years later.
I think what sets me apart is that I approach a media day as more than just taking a picture. I think about the entire experience, from the lighting and posing to how efficiently the day runs, how the athletes feel in front of the camera, and how the final content can actually be used by the team. I can photograph multiple teams in one day and still make sure each athlete gets individual attention and something that feels unique to them.
What I’m most proud of is seeing how much this has grown from something I started doing because I loved cameras. I’ve gone from photographing sports at my high school to running full media days, working with multiple teams and organizations, and building something that feels like it has a real identity. More than anything, I’m proud when an athlete sees their photos and is genuinely excited about them. That reaction is still one of my favorite parts of the work.
Do you have any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
One of my favorite childhood memories, especially because of how much it connects to the work I do now, is actually my fourth-grade lacrosse team pictures. I’ve played lacrosse since I was four years old, and I still play today as a senior in high school.
The photos themselves were pretty traditional. I remember posing with my helmet at my side and my stick across my shoulders, your classic sports picture setup. But what stuck with me wasn’t necessarily the pose or the final photo, it was the experience.
I remember having fun, being excited to take the pictures, and feeling like it was part of being on the team. Looking back, I think that was one of the first times I understood how much the experience surrounding a photo can matter to an athlete.
Oddly enough, I think about those pictures pretty often when I’m running my own media days now. A big goal of mine is to make sure athletes aren’t just showing up, standing in front of a camera, and leaving with a photo. I want the whole experience to feel exciting and memorable, because years later, that feeling can be just as important as the image itself.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thewalkingflicker.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewalkingflicker/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nolan-hall1/
