About the Photographer
I’m Jay Nicols—photographer, traveler, storyteller, and founder of On the Road Photography.
My journey into photography wasn’t about chasing perfect light. It started as something much more personal—a way to reconnect with myself, to see beauty in the world again, and to stay close to the memory of my mom, who first introduced me to a camera. Her love for water, sunsets, and color lives on in every image I create.
I’ve lived with ADD most of my life—my brain rarely sits still—but behind the lens, I find clarity. It’s where my chaos becomes calm, where vision meets stillness. And it’s through this work that I’ve found purpose. Every photo I take is rooted in emotion—sometimes joy, sometimes ache—but always truth. I don’t believe in taking pictures just to be pretty. I want them to mean something.
From winding coastal roads to quiet alpine mornings, my photography reflects a soul constantly in motion yet always seeking home. That’s what On the Road Photography is about—capturing what’s real, what’s raw, and what makes you feel.
So whether you're here to browse, to connect, or to bring a piece of the road into your own story—thank you.
It means more than you know.
The Matriarch (1949-2009)
The lady who made this all possible, my mother, Lynne Jane Nicols Dawson. Her love of the lens spurred something in me. I share and travel because of her and her late husband, the esteemed Dr. Michael Dawson of Adrian, Michigan. Thank you.
