We were lucky to catch up with Matisse Mcmullin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Matisse, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission in photography is to create authentic images that are true to my client and their identity! I aspire to capture genuine moments that show people’s true selves. I want the photos to represent an experience of the subject and be a physical reflection of their passion in life. In my opinion, people are the most beautiful when they are doing what they love or interacting with a person that they love. I love being able to freeze these special moments in time for them to look back on.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’m a portrait, music, and couples photographer based in Salt Lake City. I love meeting new people and traveling to new places. Photography allows me to do both of these things and create art out of it, which is so fun! I’ve always had kind of a knack for composition and love for art, but started taking photography seriously just a couple of years ago. My background in dance is what drove me to begin taking photos of dancers and then, portraits. I eventually branched out to couples because I discovered that I love photographing peoples love, passion, and interaction with one another. My love for bands and live music is what made me want to pursue music photography. As I previously mentioned, what sets my work apart is the authenticity behind it. I always strive to replicate the feelings and passion in a moment as something physical. I love turning even the “mundane” moments or small elements of an experience into art.

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

Something that I’ve gradually had to unlearn overtime as a creative is that there are rules in art or photography. I do not believe this. When creating art, especially in an academic setting, you are often taught about certain rules or theories that involve color, composition, etc. While many of these can be very useful tools in growing technically, they don’t allow you to grow to your fullest potential. I was so worried about whether I was photographing “correctly” or not that I caught my working looking similar to everyone else’s. Letting myself create art based off of what I was drawn towards naturally in settings and in my photos is what truly allowed me to start developing my personal style and find more enjoyment in my craft.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is when people love the photos of themselves. Of course I hope my photos speak to people and are enjoyable to view, but what matters most is that the subject feels like they were authentically captured in the images. I love being able to be a part of creating physical memories of someone’s life. It is such a privilege and I hope to create an experience and photos from it that make them feel true to themselves and proud.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @matissephoto