Our sixth Parallel Conversation. Sam Nicklin shoots sport for a living and still life for himself. His Colour Series gathers nine secondhand objects that share a colour, each photographed separately and stitched into one frame, with nothing corrected in post. We spoke about how the objects are found, and what the work does for him.
You had a few lives before photography. What made this one stick?
Everyone who knows me knows I've had a lot of jobs. It's not that I get bored easily, it's more that I love constantly learning new things. Photography has definitely ticked a lot of the boxes that my previous professions never quite did. And deep down, I think this might be my thing, at least for now.
You shoot Nike and the Premier League for work, then arrange eBay finds by colour at home. Do the two feed each other?
I spent years working in the sports industry, and I loved it. But when I started experimenting with still-life photography, something just clicked. I'm quite particular by nature and like to work in a structured way, which has always helped me with whatever I'm doing. One of the biggest benefits of shooting sports, especially football, is the pace and urgency. It taught me to work quickly and efficiently, so when I moved into still-life photography, I found I could achieve results much faster because I was already used to working under pressure.
How do you know an object is worth buying?
Honestly, I like to work on impulse. If I like an object the moment I see it, I'll usually get it (budget depending, of course!). I try not to overthink things. While some people love having lots of options, I find that it just slows the process down. If you like it, you like it. Simple.
Each object is shot separately and stitched together. How long does one colour take?
The longest part is definitely sourcing the objects. I don't change the colours in post to make everything match, so finding nine different items that naturally sit within the same colour palette can be surprisingly time-consuming. It's a bit like putting together a puzzle, you might find the perfect first object, but then spend ages tracking down the rest to complement it. Once I've gathered everything, the process becomes much quicker. Because I usually have a clear idea of the final composition before I start shooting, I can photograph all the objects and stitch them together into the finished image in around an hour or so. The planning and sourcing take the most time, but they're also what make the final image feel cohesive.
One light, coloured paper. Has the setup changed since the first one?
I'd say it's stayed pretty much the same, if it isn't broken don't fix it! That said, a few objects have needed a slight adjustment over time, usually adding a little extra bounce light here and there. But the foundation of the setup has remained exactly the same. I'm not really a believer in overcomplicating things. Keeping things simple not only makes the process easier, but in my opinion, it usually produces the strongest results too. I'd rather spend my time refining the details than constantly reinventing the setup.
How much problem-solving happens on a shoot day?
Usually, very little! Because I spend a lot of time planning in advance, I find that when we get to the shoot we almost always have everything we need plus a few extra technical bits, just in case. I know it probably sounds a little too organised, but that preparation means there's very little stress on the day. I'd much rather put the work in beforehand than spend time problem-solving on set. It keeps the shoot running smoothly, gives everyone confidence, and lets us focus on being creative instead of worrying about what's missing.
What does making the work do for you?
I find shooting still life incredibly therapeutic. In fact, it was my therapist who encouraged me to give it a try after I'd mentioned a few times that it was something I'd been thinking about. There's something so satisfying about gathering all the objects and carefully arranging them until everything feels balanced. It's almost like creating a painting that you can move around and refine as you go. On larger projects, it's a different kind of satisfaction. I love working as part of a team, where everyone brings their own expertise to the table. Seeing all those different skills come together to create something beautiful is one of my favourite parts of the job.
Which colour has been the hardest?
Mint Green, hands down. It's just a colour that isn't hugely common and I didn't want every object to be mint flavour themed. I only started that colour because of a beautiful mint coloured ashtray I have. If I had never picked that up I probably wouldn't have done that colour yet!
What happens to the objects after you've shot them?
Apart from the food items, I keep everything! I have quite a big collection of objects now, as you never know when something might come in handy for a future project. Some pieces are very specific and get stored away, but I've built up a catalogue, which makes finding things much easier.
What are you circling next?
I had to hit pause on the project for a while because I got very busy, but I have a few colours planned: Brown, Navy, Crimson, Tan, Terracotta, Grey, Mustard and a few others.
