Meet Nicole
New here? I’m Nicole! It’s so nice to meet you!
Most people get an adrenaline rush by doing something crazy, like jumping out of a plane.
I find my rush comes from more meaningful things.
There are two things I would say I was a junkie for. The first is the power I can feel humming under the surface when I am riding Rygel. Rygel is a KWPN (or as they are most often called a Dutch Warmblood) that was imported from Europe. He is trained to the highest level of Classical Dressage. I love him. Seriously if he were a person, I would call him my soul mate. I know all the horse lovers understand that statement. Sometime when we are visiting, if you don’t already know the story of how he came to live with me, be sure to ask. It is a good one!
The second is when I take a picture of a horse and rider that makes me feel the connection between them. I say it often around here, and I will repeat it, I squeal. Like such an excited kid, they vibrate on the spot, not knowing what to do with the excitement building inside. Yup that is me. It hasn’t changed with age either. I understand the genuine moments, the moments when you feel the connection in your soul so strongly you get butterflies. I want you to be able to save that feeling in a picture and share it with your family and friends.
Meet Nicole | Why my adrenaline rushes are important to you
I understand your desire to have those great moments in pictures, and I want that for you! You are the reason this website exists. Making your horse and rider photography experience the best it can means we need to be friends, so I know just exactly what you want. And to do that, you need to know a bit about me. So you feel comfortable with me, just like you do with your other friends.
Saying Hi! I’m Nicole Templeton seems redundant but here we are…
I am the Vermilion Agricultural Society office manager, one of Western Canada’s oldest and largest traditional Agricultural Fairs. I started working for the VAS in 2012. Some of my closest friends have been people I met because of my job. I call them my Vtown Farmily.
I also have been a professional photographer since 2006. I started under the name of Crimson Chickadee Photography, which I changed to Nicole Marie Photography Co once I knew I would transition out of commissioning weddings. Although I live in Vermilion, my photography services take me all over Alberta. Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton are all places I travel often.
Meet Nicole | From rescuing critters to learning new things
I come from a creative family and also an animal-loving family. I like to think we are so connected to animals because we feel so much compassion for them. Rescuing critters has been a lifelong endeavour for me.
Along with being creative and compassionate, I am also a dreamer. Magical moments are moments I naturally seek out. The way the light filters through the trees, the sight of a lush green pasture, the smell of the woods all stir something in my soul. These things are probably part of my obsession with words. Written or spoken, I often can’t get enough words to ramble through my brain in a minute. I multi-task with words. Often reading while talking. I am driven to learn, and I am always learning something new.
Kids who love horsepower
So many times, young people are given credit for being under 30 and successful. I applaud these young people for being so focused so early in life. I was focused at that age as well, but it wasn’t on a career. When I was young, I wanted to have my kids, so at 22 and 24, the boys graced the world with their presence. It was not long after that when I traded my flesh and blood horsepower for the type with two wheels. The boys both were competitive motocross riders, and for 10 years, I spent most of my time at a motocross track. They raced all over Canada and the USA. I still love the sound of the 30-second board through the drop of the gate and the rush of bikes as they make their way through the first corner.
Kiddo number three came later, and kiddo number two traded his bike for a horse. The three of us are happiest when we spend time at the barn, taking a trip to Spruce or planning how we would build an equine empire if we won the lottery.
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Meet Nicole | Professional Photography
I was in grade 9 when I received my first camera. The Sears Christmas catalogue had that camera in it and was obsessed with it. As Christmas morning seemed so far away and my excitement grew with every day, I did what every kid says they never do. I cut the tape on my gift. Unwrapping it when my parents weren’t home. I screamed, I yelled, and I danced the touchdown dance. There it was. A Pink Kodak Film Camera. That camera started my love for photography.
That was 32 years ago. That is a reality check. Talk about ageing yourself. Those 32 years give me something that most of those young superstars don’t have: wisdom, experience and lifelong knowledge. There is no need to prove myself to be the best. Age does this thing to you where you lose your care for what others are doing, and it replaces it with a real desire to hang on to what is important. Real tangible moments. These are the memories that we cherish as life carries on. Those moments we remember so much better when they are saved as pictures.
This is about you having pictures you love and cherish.
Horses and photography. Two things I am passionate about. Two things that we have in common. I hope that getting to know me this little bit will help you on your path to receiving images you can’t wait to look at over and over again. To share with your family and your friends. I know I can’t wait to meet you and your horse for your session!
If you want to read more, I wrote a blog post about choosing my word of the year for 2021. You can read it here.
