My name is Nikki Zantop. I’m a photographer and educator, and I’ve spent the last two decades exploring how we use light to tell stories about the world around us. I founded ItsJustLight.com in 2009 as a hub for photography inspiration, knowledge, and techniques. Whether you’re just starting out or are already a seasoned pro, you’ll find a wealth of tutorials and guides on all things photography and travel—from mastering sunset shots to buying a used camera, picking the best national parks to travel to, and even leveling up your marketing game on social media.
The Path to Professional Photography
My background is rooted in the darkroom. Learning to develop film in high school gave me a fundamental understanding of how light creates an image long before I picked up my first digital camera. By my late teens, I was working with a 6 megapixel Canon 10D and taking on any freelance gigs I could find.
In 2007, I left my work as a science and environmental educator to pursue photography full-time. My early career focused on the world of fashion, where I loved the technical challenge and creative freedom of editorial work. During those years, my images were published in magazines like Futureclaw, Nikki Style, In Thing, Life Element, and more.
Two years later, I created ItsJustLight.com to give myself a spot to share behind-the-scenes moments and photography musings. In the nearly two decades since then, the focus of the site has shifted alongside my own journey. What began as a personal journal has evolved into a resource dedicated to helping travelers navigate the complexities of gear, composition, and the ethics of documenting the world.
While the tools have changed, the core philosophy remains: photography is about the quiet details, the intentional narrative, and the light that brings it all together.
Shifting Focus: From Studio to the Field
Around 2010, my interests shifted toward a more documentary-style approach. This began with a project documenting the Gulf of Mexico oil spill across the southern US coastline. Moving from the controlled world of fashion sets to the unpredictable nature of reportage changed how I looked at my surroundings.
I realized that the storytelling techniques I learned in fashion, like how to use light to evoke emotions like nostalgia, romance, or excitement, translated perfectly to other photography genres. This led to a new chapter of travel photography work with my images featured in international publications including the world-renowned travel authority Travel + Leisure, Germany’s leading women’s magazine Brigitte, and JoongAng Sunday, the high-profile Sunday edition of one of South Korea’s largest national newspapers.
The “Just Light” Philosophy
I started this site to share what happens behind the lens. Whether I am motorbiking 6,000km from the Mekong Delta to the Chinese border or photographing narwhals on the sea ice high in the Canadian Arctic, the gear is always secondary to the light.
I have owned and used systems from every major manufacturer, including Canon, Sony, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Pentax. That experience has taught me that the best camera is simply the one that meets your needs and fits in your bag. Today, my goal is to help you build the confidence to capture the world as you see it, focusing on the narrative rather than just the equipment.
The It’s Just Light Approach: Less is More
I believe that photography gear should be an investment in your craft, not just another purchase. In a world that often pushes a “more is better” narrative, I advocate for a more mindful, sustainable approach:
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Quality over Quantity: A focus on recommending well-made, reliable equipment that can withstand years of travel.
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Maximizing Your Current Kit: Much of my content is dedicated to helping you master the tools you already own, proving that you don’t need the latest sensor to tell a compelling story.
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Ethical & Sustainable Consumption: By prioritizing gear that lasts and discouraging the “buy-and-replace” cycle, my aim is to reduce the environmental impact of our shared passion while navigating the ethical considerations of travel photography.
Transparency & Support
All the content on ItsJustLight.com is completely free to access. To keep the site running and ad-free, some of the articles contain affiliate links. This means I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you—when you make a purchase through my recommendations. These commissions help me continue creating in-depth guides and inspiration for photographers like you.
If you’d like to support the site directly, you can also buy me a coffee—even a small contribution goes a long way in keeping this community alive.
You can learn more about ItsJustLight.com’s advertising and privacy policies here.