Concert Photographer; Medical Student
Name: Kyle Nadler
Summers as a Camper: 9 summers
Years as a Staff Member/Positions held: 2 summers (Camp photographer)
Current Profession: Concert Photographer; Medical Student, A.T. Still University School of Osteopathic Medicine
Overview of current balance between two very different career paths:
I’m a staff photographer for a publication originally from Atlanta called Exclusive Access. I grew on a farm and there were animals and flowers to take pictures of. I started to love carrying a camera and having it with me all the time. In late high school I really started to put time in, took a class and just ran from there. I shot my first concert, bringing my camera to a Charli XCX concert in 2015 and knew that concert photography was going to be a part of my life. I’ve worked with Exclusive Access since 2018 and it’s brought me to some of the biggest stages in the world including Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and Presidential debates.
In my other life, I recently started medical school in Mesa, AZ which has been the next big step in my lifelong goal to become a physician! Previously I’ve worked as a Clinical Research Coordinator and Oncology Project Manager. I’m planning to put my camera down for just a bit to focus on med school but would love to keep both tracks going.
What do you believe have been some of your greatest personal and professional accomplishments?
- Being recognized by people I don’t know while taking photos
- Hearing that I’ve inspired others to get interested in photography
- Artists showing love to my work
- Getting accepted to medical school
- Getting hired for my first real photo job (by Camp!)
- Working towards becoming a physician
How do the values or skills you learned at Camp show up in your everyday work and/or personal life?
A lot of early sayings and lessons I learned at Sailing as a camper I still use today, mainly “We can't change the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails.” I have had to use this mantra in almost every aspect of my multiple lives whether it’s my journey in medicine or photography. I have come across many obstacles blocking my way towards goals which required adjusting my approach to overcome them.
Is there a person that had a huge influence on you while you were at Camp? How and why did they impact you?
I first met Matt McCotter as a First Session camper in 2008 at Creative Arts. Nearly 10 years later he took me under his wing as he was leaving his position as staff photographer at Camp and was looking for a predecessor. Matt trained me as I was starting my job at Camp and coached me along the way.
Favorite Mess Hall Song: Titanic
Favorite special event at Camp: Late nights in Bayou and watching Heavyweights on Fridays
If you had to choose an intro song to walk into a room, what would it be? Bangarang by Skrillex
What three words best describe you? Ambitious, creative, outgoing
What would you eat if you could only have one food for the rest of your life? Popcorn
