This Summer marks season 3 of my #Portraitvan project. A quick recap if you aren’t privy - I purchased a cargo van late 2015 and soon after realized one of my favorite portrait lighting set-ups would work inside the van. As in, I could create portraits anywhere I could drive my van. And so I did.
A running theme in the subjects who I ask to sit in the #PortraitVan has been individuals in the creative industry. All of these people I have collaborated or partnered with in some way. I’ve had designers, writers, filmmakers, musicians, painters and more. I’m not sure why I chose the vein I did, but it’s been really fun to bring a bunch of largely behind-the-scenes people out into the light.
Kyle Nickolite - Director and Editor at SICMANTA
The two men pictured here are guys I have known for several years now. They are business partners in making beautiful films in a genre that is not known for its cinematic heights — the hunting industry. Their company is called SICMANTA.
Donnie is a seasoned hunter, usually with bow and arrow, who is respected for truly putting in the hard work to hunt his food. He’s also known for having an uncommonly deep respect for the animals he hunts and the treatment of their death. A one-time biologist, his knowledge of the animal kingdom is enviable. Donnie’s penchant for seeking constant adventure and his ability to tell his stories has set him in a league of his own.
But Donnie would be nothing without Kyle — his longtime director and editor. Kyle may not seek the adventure and live the stories like Donnie, but he pictures them before they happen. Then he filters them from hundreds of camera files into front-of-your-seat tales that thrill and inspire. Kyle also picks up a camera when needed —his fingerprints can be found on everything these guys produce.
Donnie Vincent: Explorer, Biologist, Hunter, Storyteller for SICMANTA
I’ve had the pleasure of working with these men on a few projects recently and it’s exciting stuff! Donnie and I (and some others) lived on a desert island in Mexico this last fall as he pursued a Desert Bighorn sheep. We backpacked and camped in the wilderness for almost two weeks as we crisscrossed the island looking for just the right animal. Along rugged coastlines, over peaks and gullies, we encountered tarantulas, scorpions, snakes, coyote and more. It was wild country and we became wilder the longer we stayed.
So it made sense to me that these guys should sit in the van. Both of them artists in their own right, they combine forces to tell great stories. You can see more of their work at www.Sicmanta.com and www.DonnieVincent.com. If you have 7 min to spare, search the web for: “Who We Are, Donnie Vincent” and you’ll understand why these guys do what they do.