Business Details
29 Years
experience
Your Trusted Martha's Vineyard Portrait Photographer
With 28 years of experience capturing the magic of Martha's Vineyard, I specialize in creating timeless portraits that reflect the authentic spirit of families, couples, and individuals. My approach combines formal training from Smith College and professional experience at New York's Museum of Modern Art with a deep understanding of how to make clients feel comfortable in front of the camera. Having retired from large weddings in 2018, I now focus on environmental portraits that preserve meaningful moments in unique settings.My passion for creating images that evoke emotion has led to generations of families returning year after year for sessions that become cherished heirlooms. I prioritize natural lighting, candid expressions, and compositions that tell personal stories, ensuring each photograph reflects both technical excellence and emotional truth. Clients consistently appreciate how sessions feel like joyful collaborations rather than formal photo shoots, resulting in images that capture both how subjects look and how they feel together.
Services
Portrait Photography
Wedding Photography
Family Portraits
Environmental Portraits
Headshots
Details
- Year established: 1997
Highlights and features
- 28 years specializing in Martha's Vineyard environmental portraits
- Personalized sessions that prioritize client comfort and natural expressions
- Formal training from Smith College and Museum of Modern Art experience
- Generational clients returning for multi-year portrait traditions
- Proven ability to capture both technical excellence and emotional authenticity
What people say
Amazing photographer
Captured the essence
Fun experience
Natural lighting
Treasured memories
Services
Portrait Photography
Specialized portrait sessions capturing authentic family dynamics and individual personalities. Using natural lighting and environmental settings, we create images that preserve emotional connections and personal stories. Sessions focus on making subjects feel comfortable to reveal genuine expressions and relationships through technically precise compositions.
Wedding Photography
Documenting wedding days with artistic compositions that capture both formal moments and candid emotions. While no longer photographing large weddings, we specialize in intimate ceremonies and post-wedding family portraits that maintain the same attention to natural lighting and emotional authenticity that defines all our work.
Environmental Portraits
Creating images that integrate subjects with meaningful settings like Martha's Vineyard beaches and homes. These sessions emphasize storytelling through composition, using natural surroundings to enhance personal narratives while maintaining technical excellence in lighting and framing.
Headshots
Crafting polished yet approachable professional images that convey individual personality. Sessions balance technical precision with relaxed atmosphere to produce headshots that feel authentic while meeting professional standards for business and creative industry use.
Multi-Generational Sessions
Documenting family connections across generations with compositions that highlight relationships. Specializing in creating cohesive images for large groups while maintaining individual attention to expressions and interactions, resulting in heirloom-quality photographs that preserve family history.
People
Nicole Friedler
Photographer
28-year Martha's Vineyard portrait specialist with formal training from Smith College and MoMA experience. Known for creating comfortable sessions that capture authentic family moments and environmental portraits that become generational heirlooms.
Questions
What types of photography sessions do you specialize in?
I specialize in environmental portraits that capture authentic family moments, weddings, headshots, and multi-generational sessions on Martha's Vineyard.
How long have you been photographing on Martha's Vineyard?
I've been capturing portraits on Martha's Vineyard for 28 years, with a focus on environmental photography since retiring from large weddings in 2018.
What makes your approach different from other photographers?
My approach combines formal training with a focus on making clients comfortable, resulting in natural expressions and compositions that tell personal stories.
Do you work with large family groups?
Yes, I specialize in creating cohesive images for large family groups while maintaining individual attention to expressions and interactions.
How long does a typical portrait session last?
Sessions typically last 1-2 hours depending on group size, with flexibility to ensure everyone feels comfortable and we capture all desired compositions.
What is your turnaround time for delivering photos?
Digital galleries are delivered within 2-3 weeks after sessions, with print options available for creating physical keepsakes of your portraits.
Reviews (6)
Katherine Read
Sep 17, 2021
Report
We felt quite fortunate to have Nicole Friedler take our photographs. We are a group of friends who were celebrating a 60th birthday and 35 years of friendship. When Nicole arrived she had listened well to our initial phone call describing who we were and what we wanted. She was able to name every person in our group which made everyone relax and feel comfortable. Her humor, warmth and decisiveness combined together to make for a very positive experience. The photographs turned out beautiful, a nice mix of posed and spontaneous shots. We are so happy with the results. I would highly recommend Nicole
Deborah Ballard
Aug 25, 2021
Report
Nicole was a pleasure to work with. She photographed my daughter for her graduation picture and did a beautiful job. She took so many wonderful shots of all of us and my daughter it was hard to choose which ones we liked the most! So professional and friendly, we felt like we knew her for years!! Highly recommend her to photograph your family..
Lisa Halm
Aug 19, 2021
Report
Nicole is just a pleasure to work with and a great photographer! We worked with her for a family photo way back in 2007 and wanted to get an updated pic to commemorate our son's last summer on the Vineyard before college. She remembered us as if no time had passed, made the whole experience fun and simple (even for the teenager) and we got more than a couple great shots. We've done other family photos with other photographers, not on the Vineyard, and Nicole is still one of the best we've worked with. Don't hesitate to contact her!
Becky Wallace
Aug 04, 2021
Report
Nicole communicated with me as we planned our first trip to Martha's Vineyard all the way from Kentucky. She was always quick to answer any questions and offered many helpful suggestions. Despite her having a very busy schedule, made more difficult by uncooperative weather, she made sure we were able to do the lighthouse and beach photos we wanted. Nicole did an excellent job relating to our 3 children (7, 13, and 17) and the result was fantastic family photos to commemorate a vacation we will always remember and treasure. I couldn't be more pleased!
Katie Parker
Jul 01, 2021
Report
LOOK NO FURTHER!! Our family has been vacationing on Martha's Vineyard for years. We've never taken the time to get professional pictures done. Now I'm wishing we could turn back time. Nicole is gifted in her craft and wowed us from the moment the session started. She knew all of our names (somehow even knew our nicknames). It felt like she was part of our family...in fact, we now consider her family! She listened to our wants and needs and made the whole experience fun. We got the pictures back quickly and couldn't find one that we didn't like. Nicole, you exceeded our expectations and we are
Catherine Johnson
Feb 19, 2021
Report
Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Responsiveness
Nicole has taken our family photos 3 times over the years, which is testimonial in itself! She is professional and talented, and captures each persons personality and smile. Her work capturing our family makes me smile each time I look at the photos.
Nicole has taken our family photos 3 times over the years, which is testimonial in itself! She is professional and talented, and captures each persons personality and smile. Her work capturing our family makes me smile each time I look at the photos.
