Nick & Emily Martinez
He does the photos
She does the design
Nick Martinez
✶
I’m Nick Martinez, a lifestyle and portrait photographer based in Merced, CA, specializing in honest, emotional storytelling through light — whether soft and natural or shaped with flash — always in service of mood and meaning. I’m drawn to what’s real — not just how a moment looks, but how it feels. I prompt and pose as needed, but only to create space for the in-between — the unscripted moments that unfold when you’re fully yourself. My style is simple and present, focused on capturing the kind of images that feel like memory: soft, true, and lasting. I believe the most meaningful photos aren’t always the most dramatic. They’re the quiet, honest beats that whisper, “this mattered.” I call it existential photography — storytelling through presence, light, and the in-between moments that stay with us. As Søren Kierkegaard said, “Life must be lived forward, but it can only be understood backward.” That’s what photography gives us — a way to hold onto what we didn’t realize meant so much until we look back. That’s why I do what I do.
Emily Martinez
✶
I have been creating ever since I was a kid. At Merced Community College, I studied all types of art and graduated with an Associate's Degree in Art.
At Chico State, I continued my education in graphic design to learn how to use my art skills to better my community.
Designers help communicate what others are wanting to say in a visual way.
Since being in school, I've learned so much about this field including typography, publication design, and interactive design. Taking the time to learn web design has been great because it has furthered my opportunities to help small businesses.
I am passionate about helping clients, small and large, to find the brand that works for them so that they can thrive.
