About

This is long, and I’m not apologizing for it

What’s in a name?

My first name is Niall, it’s the Gaelic Irish version and is pronounced Neil, Neill Neal, Niel, or any other form that isn’t Nile, Nee-all, or Nuhwhattheheckisthat. It made me self conscious as a child having a name no one could pronounce correctly on the first try – to this day it’s probably only happened a number of times I could count on one hand – but today I embrace it as I am one of the original Niall’s and the only Niall David Cytryn on planet Earth.

I’m originally from the suburbs of New York City. My parents have been married for 37 years and still own the house I grew up in. 30 years later I still get to sleep in the room I had as a kid when I visit. It’s amazing to still be grounded there now that I live 2,917 miles away from them.

I have resided in the American states of NY, VT, MD, DC, SC, CA, and have been known to have lived on the road with no succinct address for multiple months at a time.

My favorite outdoor activity is snowboarding. I paid part of my way through college by teaching at a prestigious resort as a certified snowboard instructor each winter.

I’ve traveled to almost every US state, New Zealand, Israel, Ireland, England, Scotland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Canada, The Netherlands, and Iceland. I have a long way to go until I hit my goal of visiting at least half of the countries in the world before I kick the bucket.

I want to own a cabin in a secluded mountainous valley in Vermont or California someday. When I have kids I want them to spend time “doing nothing but being kids” on a lake somewhere outside the grind of “real everyday life.”

Though I’ll probably never truly “retire,” I dream of semi-retiring in California wine country somewhere in Napa, Sonoma or Mendocino, where I can drink grape juice, reflect on a happy and fulfilling time on Earth while I porch sit on a hill overlooking a valley of vineyards, puffy white clouds and clear blue skies.

My favorite band is Sigur Rós. My favorite solo artist is my lovely girlfriend Whitney Nichole, who is often featured in my work, my test shots and whenever I pick up a new piece of gear, try out a new tool, technique or lighting scenario. She is very good to me and I love her very much

I have both Masters and Bachelors degrees in Environmental Studies with a focus on sustainability, green building and ecology. I went to undergrad in Vermont and grad school in South Carolina.

I have worn many hats in the workforce during my life. Growing up I held positions as a front desk clerk, a busboy, a host, a server, a cook, a dish washer, a food runner, a valet and half of the positions you can hold at about 8 different restaurants and catering halls. My career is built on being a sustainable design specialist, an environmental educator, a tutor, a client services manager, a student of the natural world.

I believe that 3 is the magic number, and I am sporting 33 years of age this year. It is my double lucky year.

San Francisco is the first home I have felt I ever had away from my parent’s house in New York. I have been happy here from day 1.

My photography mentors are Zack Arias, Joe McNally, David Hobby and Ansel Adams. I follow 100′s of photographers on a regular basis. They have all (whether they know it or not) contributed my personal growth as a photographer.

I have been photographing since I could hold a camera. I have never put it down, and I never plan to.

Image Courtesy of Tsafrir Melamed (www.photostm.com)

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Image Courtesy of the wonders of holding a camera above yourself on a melting piece of glacier in the sea at Jökulsárlón, Iceland.

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