Nick Campbell is a Junior at Gustavus Adolphus College. He was a male gymnast for 12 years, performed feats of physical skill such as backflips for marching band, and knows how to play a myriad of instruments to varied degrees, most recently the trumpet.

He likes to watch a ton of Netflix: Parks and Recreation, White Collar, Scrubs, etc. and doesn’t like horror. He likes Marvel more than DC movies, but generally watches more YouTube than anything else. Prior to Gustavus, he attended Elk River High School.

On campus, he works for the Gustavus Sports Info, where he takes videos for highlight reels of Gustavus sport teams and nearly any other event that might want his help. He also assists students with their photography needs in the Digital Arts Lab in Beck.

Of course, that’s not how most Gustavus students know Nick Campbell.

Look on your Facebook feed any given day and you’ll probably realize how you know him. Characterized by their nearly flawless naturalism, his photographs have exploded in popularity recently. The “Portrait Project,” as Nick refers to it, is a collection of photos that consist of a simple black background and well-lit human faces.

“He has a strong desire to keep getting better at his craft and that’s served him well as a content creator.” — CJ Siewart

“It’s surprising when you’re told lighting is everything, and then realize that lighting is actually pretty much everything,” Nick said.

Nick’s inspiration behind the piece was that he was just bored taking pictures of scenery. For one of his classes, he was required to shoot 50 photos a week, but there’s only so many photos to take.

“Every thing has been photographed, but not everyone has been photographed,” Nick said. “All the photos are the same, but the faces aren’t. That’s what makes them unique.”

When asked about how his photos became so popular so quickly, Nick boiled it down to a chain reaction.

“I started with photos of me and my friends, but then people said, ‘Those are cool, can we have one?’ Then more and more, and then people I didn’t know came up to me and here we are,” he said.

Thus far, Nick has taken a total of 183 photos that are part of his “Portrait Project.” His plan is to gather more and more photos and eventually turn it into a physical piece, maybe even try and get it into a gallery.

Nick also admitted that there’s more to these pieces than just the finished projects. When asked how he would describe himself, his first reaction was the word “um” shortly followed by a chuckle. He said that he’s working on how he interacts with people; his struggle consisting of how to tell people what is best for their photos, without coming off rude.

Additionally, the rise in popularity of his photographs also has led to newly kindled friendships.

“People look to me now for help with their cameras, and we really just hang out and have fun,” Nick said.

Rachel BA, a Gustavus student, is one of those people and she attests to how Nick has helped her.

“I think the biggest way he has impacted my photography style is that he gave me a great sense of confidence behind the lens,” BA said.

Since Gustavus does not have a specific photography or video art major, Nick decided to make his own.

A “Visual and Digital Art” major is what he decided to call it. It includes works such as photography and video with digital cameras, but also has some more physical art such as sculptures or drawings.

It seemed strange that Nick would select a school where he knew his major would not be available, but Nick had his reasons.

“I think the biggest way he has impacted my photography style is that he gave me a great sense of confidence behind the lens.” — Rachel BA

“Any degree from a liberal arts school is more valuable than a technical school because it shows that I’ve learned more than just what I major in. It shows employers that I’m more rounded than my future competitors. The other thing that future employers would consider is dedication to the job,“ Nick said.

He has a strong desire to keep getting better at his craft and that’s served him well as a content creator,”his boss CJ Siewert said.

Nick hopes to serve as a role model for his peers and potential future photographers.

“I want people to look up to me. Like I took something I enjoy doing, I made my entire life about that, and I worked hard to do what I wanted to do,” Nick said.