On this episode of The PHYS Podcast, Tyson Martin sits down with Toronto-based photographer Nick Spector for a conversation about street photography, creative growth, self-publishing, and the value of returning to the same places with new eyes.

Nick's professional work spans multiple genres, including fashion, portraiture, documentary, corporate, and wedding photography. But away from client assignments and commercial projects, it is street photography that has become the foundation of his personal creative practice.

For more than a decade, Nick has worked as a semi-professional photographer, steadily refining his voice while developing a deeper understanding of what photography means to him personally.

Street photography became the answer.

Not because it was easy.

But because it wasn't.

For Nick, the street is a place of challenge, observation, patience, and self-discovery. It is where creativity is stripped down to its essentials. No expectations. No shot lists. No guarantees.

Just attention.

His work reflects a thoughtful and intentional approach to image-making, focusing less on dramatic moments and more on developing a lasting relationship with seeing.

Over the years, his street photography has been exhibited both in Toronto and internationally, including participation in the inaugural Montreal Street Photography Festival. His images have also appeared in Find Rangers Magazine and Low Quality Film Society's Black & White and Street editions.

In 2025, Nick took another important step in his creative journey by self-publishing his first zine, Only Child, a project that represented not only a collection of photographs but also an act of creative ownership.

Following that release, Nick continued exploring personal publishing projects with Sketchbook: Japan, a self-published zine scheduled for release in February 2026.

Created from photographs made during a two-week trip to Japan in October 2025, the project is particularly meaningful because it documents Nick's fifth visit to the country.

Rather than approaching Japan as a new destination, Sketchbook: Japan explores the creative possibilities that emerge when we revisit familiar places.

The project asks a simple but important question:

What happens when we stop chasing novelty and start paying closer attention?

In this conversation, Tyson and Nick discuss photography as a long-term practice, the rewards of self-publishing, and why personal growth often happens when we focus less on outcomes and more on the process itself.

In This Episode:

• Nick Spector's journey through street photography and personal work
• Balancing commercial photography with creative projects
• Why street photography became a tool for self-exploration
• Learning patience, observation, and intentionality through photography
• The experience of exhibiting work in Toronto and internationally
• Publishing his first zine, Only Child
• The story behind Sketchbook: Japan
• Returning to the same place with a different perspective
• Why process matters more than outcomes
• Building a sustainable and meaningful creative practice

Nick's work reminds us that photography is not always about finding something new.

Sometimes it's about seeing something familiar more clearly.

His photographs reflect a commitment to curiosity, patience, and personal growth—qualities that continue to shape his creative path both on and off the street.

This conversation is a thoughtful exploration of street photography, self-publishing, creative discipline, and the importance of staying committed to the process even when results aren't immediate.

Whether you're a photographer, artist, writer, designer, or someone pursuing a long-term creative practice, this episode offers valuable insight into building work that feels honest, personal, and sustainable.

Because the real reward isn't always the photograph.

Sometimes it's the person you become while making it.

Follow Nick Spector
Instagram: @nickspector
Threads: @nickspector

Publications & Projects

Only Child (2025)
Sketchbook: Japan (2026)
Only Child 2 (2026)
Montreal Street Photography Festival
Find Rangers Magazine
Low Quality Film Society