Today we’d like to introduce you to Nola Schoder.
Nola, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been connected to water. I actually started my photography career underwater. I grew up swimming, and even in the chilly Northern California coast I felt at home. But my early professional life was far from the ocean. I worked in the music industry at an independent record label. I loved the creative energy, but I didn’t feel aligned with my purpose yet.
Everything shifted when I got scuba certified. On one of my early dives, I borrowed the dive shop’s camera. My photos were completely overexposed, but something clicked. I started obsessively watching YouTube tutorials, joining dive clubs, and spending every possible moment underwater.
I became interested in how imagery could help communicate the ocean’s stories and spark a sense of connection and responsibility. That led me to pursue my master’s in marine conservation at UMiami and eventually make Miami my home, where I could further blend water, storytelling, and science.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
No! And learning that “no” is a complete sentence was part of the journey.
A major challenge is simply that the ocean is the boss. Conditions can be unpredictable: low visibility, surge, weather shifts, particulate-filled water. You can prep for days and still have to adapt the moment you drop into the water. It keeps me humble and endlessly curious.
Internally, anxiety has played a role in my journey, too. It can make me overthink or doubt myself. But underwater, the noise quiets. That’s how I knew I was in the right space.
There’s a rhythm in diving I love: kick, then glide. Every diver knows that moment. The effort, then the ease. Some days underwater it feels effortless; other days, no matter how much you kick, the glide refuses to show up. Life is the same: sometimes you need to kick harder, sometimes you trust the glide. There are days, and sometimes entire seasons, where that glide feels impossibly far away. So, I keep kicking.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a visual storyteller and journalist dedicated to the ocean, wildlife, conservation, and travel. I run NOL Media (No Ordinary Life), where I blend photography, video, and editorial storytelling for ocean conservation initiatives, lifestyle brands, and destination projects. I specialize in underwater and ocean-centered content rooted in the intersection of artistry, science, and conservation.
My personal passion, Agua Viva Project, focuses on underwater portraiture for women as a form of empowerment, creativity, and connection to water—the element that sustains us all.
My work is shaped by thousands of hours spent in and around water. A lot of what sets it apart is simply what I get to witness underwater. Color-soaked reefs and schooling fish. Dancing sea lions. Green turtles cruising in slow motion. The magic of a giant manta ray overhead. The raw power and grace of sharks. The quiet stories held within shipwrecks and artificial reefs. But I’ve also seen sad parts like mangroves drowning in trash, a whale washed ashore after a boat strike, a stingray swimming with a boat rag attached to her barb. That mix of wonder and responsibility is what drives my work.
Here in Miami, I have had the privilege to collaborate with ocean-aligned groups including REEFLINE, Blue Scholars, and Diver’s Paradise. I also work with the University of Miami’s Shark Research & Conservation Program, managing the creative team and helping mentor the next generation of ocean-minded storytellers. Beyond the ocean world, I assist LEAP, a nonprofit supporting women rebuilding their lives after incarceration, where I help share their stories through photography and visual media.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
There is a ton of information out there. Shooting techniques, editing tutorials, color grading tips, business advice. I love the procrastination analogies in Eat That Frog and the positivity in The Energy Bus.
Of course, I rely on Lightroom, Photoshop, and the Backscatter XTerminator plugin (a gamechanger with those very rude underwater particles). I draw inspiration from books like Rising by Elizabeth Rush and The Last Whalers by Doug Bock Clark, and from other photographers. There’s no shortage of talent. For mindfulness, I use breathwork (LEAP teaches this too!) and freediver-inspired tools to stay calm and centered.
But the truth is, for a long time, I believed I needed the next self-help book, app, or tool to be “better,” to justify having a voice. I’ve learned the best practice for me is presence. That often means leaving my phone in another room. The ocean teaches me to slow down. Underwater, I’m fully present. I’m not comparing myself or rushing. I’m focused on what’s in front of me. Learning to trust the moment and, more importantly, myself. That has become my biggest resource in both work and life.
Contact Info:
- Website: itsNOL.com
Image Credits
REEFLINE, UM Shark Research & Conservation, Brendon Cammel
