We were lucky to catch up with Matt Gruber recently and have shared our conversation below.

Matt, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I think this is a natural thing to question yourself as a business owner. Being a business owner- especially in a creative field- can be rewarding, fulfilling, and nothing short of an existential life crisis all in one day. Despite all of this, I could never see myself doing anything else. At it’s best, you feel like you are on top of the world. You are expressing yourself creatively, you are making your clients happy, and you are full speed ahead with no plans on stopping! At its worst, you feel like a failure, you take every minor complaint or issue to heart, and it will always feel like the end of the world. For many creative small-business owners, there is no in between; you are either on top of the world or you are drowning in panic.

There have been quite a few times in my career when I have sat back and wondered what it would be like to just have to show up to work and go home, and not have to worry about the next job, the next client, the next expectation. What would it be like to go on vacation and not have to even give my email inbox a second thought? What would it be like to be able to wake up and call out of work sick? These are the questions I have asked myself, and while I never know the answer, I do know that the positives of being self-employed far outweigh the frustrating days.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been primarily a wedding and portrait photographer for the past 15 years. Being a wedding photographer is unique because you are working a day that is an important milestone, and something that can’t ever be replicated. You have one chance to do it right, and the expectations are always high. Having a good creative eye for photography is important, but in my opinion the biggest strength a wedding photographer can have is the ability to think quickly, work under pressure, and manage expectations in a way that is helpful, while keeping everyone relaxed.

From a portrait side of things, while things tend to be a lot less pressure-filled, you still have the task of making your clients comfortable, which is super important! As humans we naturally put up barriers and tend to be afraid of showing people who we really are. With portrait photography your job is to show the world who your client really is, and the result is so, so, so worth it!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Most photographers will constantly evolve their style, their technique, and what they feel makes the “perfect” photo. My opinions on what is a “perfect” photo has changed more times than I can count. I remember always thinking that if I had the perfect lighting and technical skill that nothing else would matter. I was so wrong. I distinctly remember showing a friend of mine a photo I was proud of. I thought it was the greatest shot, ever. His response? “Why do they look miserable?”. I asked him to elaborate, and as he was talking I had a light bulb moment. While the technical skill of the photo was great; while the lighting that I used was great- none of it mattered. He was right. The subject was stiff, lifeless, emotionless. It was a bad photo.

Since then I have worked tireless to focus more on emotion, on feeling, on storytelling. All of those areas are much more impactful than technical skill.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Social media is great. It’s relatively easy to get eyes on your work- quickly. But the best way I’ve found new clients is from former clients. Word of mouth is definitely the king. When you have clients that will shout your name from the rooftops, you are golden.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.MattGruberPhoto.com
• Instagram: @mattgruberphoto
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/matt-gruber-75a8a8298