We recently connected with Matthew Chambers and have shared our conversation below.

Matthew, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about how you got your first non-friend, non-family client. Paint the picture for us so we can feel the same excitement you felt on that day.

I often tell my clients that I was just a chunky kid meeting girls who stumbled into a business. While it often draws chuckles it is also accurate. I was a college student going to Austin Community College, and working at a grocery store as a night stocker when I purchased my first camera, a Canon AE-1, from a yard sale near campus for $50. I checked out a bunch of books to refresh my memory since I hadn’t shot since high school and then started going to the St. Edwards walking track across from my little apartment to find subjects who didn’t mind me practicing while doing their photos!

Fast forward a few months and some high school friends were visiting. Felicia noticed my photos and asked if I had ever shot boudoir photos which I had not. She offered me the chance to shoot them with her and we did the set the following weekend. She provided the film and paid me $50 and a six pack of beer. The photos turned out great and she shared them with her friends, I started getting calls and the business was born.

Matthew, 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 the business completely by accident. I truly feel like being an accidental business owner really has affected how I approach things. Over the last 20 plus years I have expanded from boudoir photos to every imaginable type of photography. While I certainly treasure my roots as a boudoir photographer, I love shooting a wide variety of session on any given day. I

I take an immense amount of pride in treating my clients like family. I truly feel like that treat them like family approach is the most important. I help my clients with anything they need help with often recommending vendors, helping with wardrobe, and always helping with poses during sessions.

While I am incredibly proud of having hundreds of reviews, thousands of awards and peer recognitions, and international rankings in boudoir and wedding photography I am acutely aware that my success is acutely the result of building on my relationship with each client. My clients are my number one source of referrals. They are the reason I have those reviews, those awards, and the international rankings. Without them I am just a guy with a camera!

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

For me personally funding my business was as simple as getting my camera at a yard sale and then investing small amounts of money into film and developing it. But to continue it was an entirely different story.

One of the hardest lessons I had to learn was to always maintain backup equipment, and cash on hand for emergencies. All photographers inevitably learn the first lesson by having something break down in the middle of a session, and the second lesson during a business slowdown or when you have a shot at a major contract but not the funding to secure the items needed to actually get hired for the job.

I personally believe you should reinvest a minimum of 25% of everything you earn back into the company, whether it is in the form of new gear, branding, education, or cash on hand. Waiting until a pandemic to realize you need cash on hand is a good way to be put out of business fast.  

Never underestimate the value of reinvestment, it always pays dividends.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

While my biggest goal is for the business to provide for my family and hopefully provide a brand that can be passed on to my daughters. I’m also a firm believer in corporate ethics.

When the pandemic hit, I immediately reduced the price of my most popular session by 25%, not because I had to but because it was the right thing to do. I have kept that discount in place through the end of 2025 when I will review it again. I never want people to have to make a choice between capturing their memories and buy things they need. As I said before I treat my clients like family.

I believe in building lifelong relationships with my clients. I don’t just want them to come to me for the wedding. I want them to know they can call me for the baby shower, the newborn session, the family sets, quinceanera, birthday parties, grad sessions etc. I want them to know if I can work with their budget I will because I know next time when they are in a better spot, they will come to me and they will send their friends and family to me too.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.matthewchambersphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewchambersphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/matthewchambersphotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthewchambersphotography
• Twitter: https://www.x.com/matthewpics
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/matthew-chambers-photography-leander