We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Matt Erickson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, thanks for joining us today. Going back to the beginning – how did you come up with the idea in the first place?

I’ve been drawn to photography for as long as I can remember, but things really shifted when I studied abroad in Paris. I was studying journalism at the time— until I started working for a magazine and photographing fashion bloggers around the city. That experience changed everything. I was creating for a living, meeting people, and telling visual stories that felt meaningful.

When I came back to Ohio, I knew I wanted more of that. So, still a junior in college, I started my business.

Like most photographers, I said yes to anything at first. But weddings had a hold on me from the start. I love the emotional weight of the day—the energy, the stakes, the connection. Where others felt drained by that intensity, I felt grounded by it. I’ve always felt most fulfilled when couples let me in, when I can serve as both a calming presence and a creative collaborator. Some of my favorite moments to photograph are the portraits, the getting ready, and definitely the party — the all-out, sweaty, champagne-soaked dance floor. Over the years, I’ve refined how Iapproach this work, but that core passion—to support and celebrate people through meaningful photography—has never changed.

Since starting my business in 2015, I’ve had the privilege of photographing weddings across the U.S. & abroad, while connecting with people in ways I never expected. What I care about most is how people feel—both during and after working with me. My goal is for every couple to know that I was all in. That I cared about their marriage as much as their wedding. That I created something honest and personal to them. For me, that’s the point—photographs that hold not just style or beauty, but true meaning.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

At the heart of my work is a deep belief that meaningful photographs don’t come from perfection, but from presence. The moments that stay with us are often unscripted, a little imperfect, and full of feeling.

My love for photographing people grew out of my own life and relationships, from growing up in a big family to later becoming a husband and a father. Being surrounded by connection, noise, movement, and emotion taught me early on how important it is to pay attention. Photography became a way to honor that instinct and to slow moments down so they could be remembered more fully.

I work primarily with couples who value experience as much as aesthetics. While I consider myself both a fine art and editorial wedding photographer, what I really provide is guidance, calm, and intention throughout the planning process and the wedding day itself. My role goes far beyond taking photographs. I help couples feel comfortable, seen, and supported so they can be fully present with the people they love.

One of the biggest challenges couples face is the fear that their day will pass too quickly or that the memories won’t feel as real years from now as they did in the moment. My job is to document their celebration in a way that feels honest and alive, images that don’t just show what the day looked like, but what it felt like to be there.

What sets my work apart is a balance of structure and intuition. I’m highly organized and thoughtful in my approach, which allows me to step back and let moments unfold naturally. I’m drawn to movement, color, and emotion, and I believe the most powerful images often live in the in-between.

I’m most proud of the trust my clients place in me. Being invited into one of the most meaningful days of someone’s life is not something I take lightly. Everything I do, from how I communicate to how I document a wedding, is rooted in care, respect, and long-term meaning.

If there’s one thing I want people to know about my work, it’s that it’s deeply personal. I’m not interested in trends or formulas. I care about people, about story, and about creating photographs that will feel just as relevant and meaningful decades from now as they do today.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I like to think I’ve built my reputation through consistency and care rather than any single moment or strategy.

From the beginning, I’ve tried to approach every wedding, every conversation, and every collaboration with the same level of intention, regardless of scale or visibility. Showing up prepared, calm, and genuinely invested in the people I’m working with has mattered just as much as the photographs themselves.

Relationships have also played a huge role. Many of the opportunities I’m most grateful for came through planners, fellow creatives, and past clients who felt seen and supported throughout the process. I’ve always believed that how you make people feel during an experience stays with them longer than anything you deliver at the end.

I’ve also been intentional about staying true to my voice and my work, even as trends change. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, I’ve focused on doing work that feels honest to me and aligned with the way I see the world.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I’ve never approached social media with the goal of building a large audience as quickly as possible. From the beginning, I’ve tried to treat it more like a long conversation than a marketing channel.

I think it’s all too easy for social media to become a distraction, especially in a creative field. While it can be a powerful tool, an overemphasis on being “present” online can start to pull attention away from the work itself, the client experience, and the relationships that actually sustain a business. For me, it’s always been important that social media supports what I do, not competes with it.

Early on, I focused on sharing work that felt true to how I see weddings and the people in them, rather than chasing trends or optimizing for reach. Over time, that consistency helped the right people find me. Many of the people who follow along today are past clients, planners, creatives, or couples who genuinely resonate with the work, which makes things feel more human and less transactional.

Ultimately, I try to provide a glimpse into how I work, how I see moments, and what it feels like to collaborate with me, without trying to say everything at once.

For anyone just starting out, my advice would be to focus less on growth and more on clarity. Be clear about what you love, how you work, and who you’re trying to serve. Share work you’re proud of, even if it doesn’t match what’s trending, and give yourself permission to grow slowly. Social media works best when used more like a personal invitation than a megaphone.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mattericksonphotography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mattericksonphotography/

Image Credits

Matt Erickson Photography