1 rich Libsyn https://www.libsyn.com 90 600 With a geologist father, Nikki Smith’s love for rock and the outdoors came naturally. Born in Portland, Oregon, Smith moved with her family to Utah at a young age. She spent her youth wandering the state’s vast outdoor spaces, hunting for minerals and fossils. Smith was 16 when she had her first climbing experience at a crag in Ogden. She recalls: “I don't know how we're still alive, but just as soon as I touched that rock, everything went silent and it was just this amazing experience.” Smith started taking photos—and winning awards for them—at a young age. But it took a climbing injury to set her on the path to being a professional. Her style is distinct; her portraiture brims with intimacy and emotion that Smith says is sourced from a deep sense of connection with her subjects. In addition to her work as a photographer, Smith is a professional climber, guide and writer. Nikki is also an advocate for the LGBTQIA+ community, and speaks to the challenges and opportunities facing brands—and climbing media like Alpinist—as they strive to be more inclusive.&amp;nbsp; This episode is brought to you by Rab Equipment Alpinist Magazine:&amp;nbsp;Website&amp;nbsp;|&amp;nbsp;Instagram&amp;nbsp;|&amp;nbsp;Facebook Host: Abbey Collins Guest: Nikki Smith&amp;nbsp; Producer + Engineer:&amp;nbsp;Mike Horn Alpinist http://alpinist.com/podcast <iframe title="Libsyn Player" style="border: none" src="//html5-player.libsyn.com/embed/episode/id/26155668/height/90/theme/custom/thumbnail/yes/direction/forward/render-playlist/no/custom-color/88AA3C/" height="90" width="600" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen></iframe> https://assets.libsyn.com/secure/content/147704490