Meet your photographer.

Nobody likes doing this, do they? It’s not because you hate talking about yourself, but more like…where to begin? How many times in your life do you have introduce yourself, and try to condense yourself down in to a little text field, a blinking cursor at the start of a box. It’s why our tinder profiles sucked for so long, let’s be real.

So hi, I’m Nic Milam — a North Carolina-based film photographer with a love for quiet moments, intentional storytelling, and timeless images that feel like memories. I live with my spouse, Mads, and a very full house of animals (twelve, to be exact — four dogs and eight cats). Life here is full, sometimes chaotic, but always meaningful — and I bring that same sense of presence and care into the work I do with every couple I photograph.

Before Purchasing My Name as a Website

One time my friend said I’ve worked so many different jobs, every time I told a story it begins with “when I was [each different career].” I wanted to be an archaeologist like Indiana Jones when I was young, but the reality of that was a lot more memorizing names and dates and a lot less cool hats and punching Nazis, and I never really recovered and settled on a different path. When I was choosing my college classes, all thoughts of being an elementary school art teacher went out the window, I panicked, and signed up for cinematography and screenwriting classes. Several entire lifetimes later, answering incoming customer service phone calls and delivering pizza, and selling cell phones and tablets, and working in labs and making eye glasses and running art museum gift shops later, and I wasn’t fulfilled.

Photography as a Way of Seeing and Being Seen.

I’ve been drawn to photography for as long as I can remember. My earliest memories with a camera go hand-in-hand with a lifelong interest in visual storytelling. I loved uploading the entire night’s events, in carefully curated chronological order, to Flickr so I could make a post on LiveJournal about the weekend with visual references. I originally studied screenwriting and cinematography in college, which deeply informs how I approach my work today — paying close attention to light, composition, movement, and subtle emotional beats that often go unnoticed.

Actually, I lied. My first camera was actually a camcorder. Early 2000’s, with a brick pack of tiny tapes to record on to, I would terrorize my neighborhood friends in to playing in the creek and bamboo in my backyard so I could experiment with the type of shots that would obviously have made David Lynch sick with jealousy (I was a very weird child raised by a child of the 80’s). I wanted to record every day life, carrying it around in the clunky black branded bag in case the opportunity to document revealed itself. I watched.

When I’m not photographing creative sessions, life events, or wedding related activities, I’m at home with my spouse Mads and our very spirited pack of animals. Four dogs, eight cats, and not a moment’s peace. It’s never quiet — but it’s a space where I feel grounded, creative, and constantly reminded of the beauty in everyday life. That indeed, everyday life is messy and your hair’s not always going to be perfect. That energy, I think, is what helps me show up with calm focus in the midst of chaos.

Loving and being loved so fully in return, has changed the way I see everything — especially through the lens. It’s taught me to recognize the quiet, honest moments that often go unnoticed: the way two people reach for each other without thinking, the pause before a laugh, the softness in a glance. Mads has pushed me to grow, to pay attention, and to photograph not just how things looked, but how they felt. That’s what I try to hold onto for my couples — the emotions that stay, long after the day is over.

Why I Photograph on Film

I choose to shoot film because it encourages intention. Every frame matters. There’s no rushing or retaking — just trust in the moment and in the process. “Let go and let God,” as my grandpa would say. Film captures the softness, the texture, and the quiet beauty of life in a way that digital often can’t replicate. It slows things down — and in doing so, helps preserve what’s real. I think the group consensus as of late is that we all would like to slow down a bit more.

There’s a quote that sticks in my brain about how film is alive - a photograph is created at the exact same time that the memory is itself. I’m a Pisces, there’s a poetry in that you know I lose it over in my sappier moments.

What It’s Like to Work Together

My approach is calm, observant, and deeply story-driven. I don’t believe in forced poses or over-directing. Instead, I focus on creating space for connection — letting you be fully present, while I quietly document the day in a way that feels true to you. Whether you're planning an elopement, a small celebration, or something entirely your own, I’ll be there to notice the things that matter.

From the moment we first spoke I felt an ease with her like I had known her my entire life! Her energy is warm, authentic and comforting. She has a special eye for the raw emotion in the room and captures it like no other.

Alexa W., 5-star Google review

She captured all the love and joy we felt on our wedding day, and her fun-loving personality helped us relax and feel at ease, which resulted in big smiles & happy faces.

Lisa Z., March 2025 bride

Let’s Connect

If you’re drawn to honest imagery, intentional details, and a photography experience that feels personal, I’d love to hear from you. You can get in touch through my contact page, or take a look at recent work to see if our styles align.