Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matt Ramey. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Matt thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear from you about what you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry and why it matters.
The commoditization of the arts has always been a 2 edged sword. On one hand, we want to be paid for our work. On the other, we often have to do watered down work or work that doesn’t speak to us to get paid.
In modern American capitalist culture, arts have been completely watered down into “content”. It’s no longer photography, music, painting, comedy, opera, entertainment, dance…its “content”. Instead of allowing artists to flesh out ideas, create new and exciting pieces, or pursue something that maybe fails (which usually leads to new success), capitalism demands a “hit” with ever increasing frequency.
That’s why music all sounds the same. Artists can’t explore anymore, they need to make a hit and corporations know what the last hit sounded like, so the new one has to sound just the same for the “sure thing”. Look at photography in media: corporations use the same photographers over and over again so any new photographer who wants to break in end up making their work look like the work of others instead of finding their own voice.
Instead of allowing artists to explore, to experiment, to fail, to find a voice, the American capitalist system demands we fit into a mold or we’ll never get a shot at making a living.
Matt , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I got into photography as a teenager. I was always the artsy kid. I liked to draw, paint, make music, etc. My mother got me a camera at an auction: a 35mm Canon. I had no idea what I was doing. I dabbled with photography on and off for many years. I always stayed in a creative field. I worked with other photographers assisting, retouching, lighting, learning the ropes of editorial and commercial photography at a high level. Eventually I went out on my own.
I provide photography! My love is photographing people. I love showing humanity. I use photography to understand myself and those around me. I love showing people as real, complicated, nuanced. I think truth is stranger than fiction & that’s a great thing to photograph. I’m always rooting for the underdog. I’m drawn to folks and situations that others are uncomfortable with. How does that translate into my work?
My work is sort of 3 pronged: Commercial work, Editorial/Documentary work & Fine Art work. My commercial work is the usual headshots, food & beverage, branding, and event photography. I do love this kind of work because I feel I bring a polished modern look to my photos for companies while still showing the human side of things. My headshots show people who look comfortable, real and at ease instead of stiff and dated. My event photos tend to be very candid, quirky and off the cuff. I think my style is unique among many others doing event photos.
My editorial and documentary work is where my passions lie. I make less money here but am more fulfilled. I often work for news outlets like WUNC, The Washington Post, The Assembly NC, ProPublica, and Carolina Public Press among others. I love learning about people’s stories and giving the write ups depth with imagery. Again my goal is to always tell the truth, to capture people being their authentic selves, and to create compelling imagery.
My fine art work is much more personal. I shoot everything on black & white film, develop it myself, and print it in the dark room. Analog photography is so rewarding and meditative. I prefer the hands-on approach it requires. I’ve been working this year on a photo project about my hometown of Sanford, NC as a way to reconnect with my roots, my family, my past and my home. I’ve also just started to work on a new body of work that deals with Death. Currently a print from my Sanford project can be seen as part of the Carolina Roots exhibit at ArtSpace in Raleigh until the end of December. The print is 16×20 silver gelatin titled “Chris with Bike”.
Can you share your view on NFTs? (Note: this is for education/entertainment purposes only, readers should not construe this as advice)
They’re a con artist’s dream.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Connecting with others. Having people see and enjoy my work is the most rewarding. Every now and then I get random messages or emails from folks who tell me how inspired they are by my portraits. They see the humanity and authenticity in people’s faces and that is such a rewarding feeling to be seen.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.MattRameyPhoto.com
- Instagram: @mattrameyphoto
- Twitter: @illegalpics
Image Credits
All images by Matt Ramey