We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Matthew McIntosh. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Matthew below.
Alright, Matthew thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.
About seven months ago I was in a tough space where I wanted to quit photography and just get a “real job”. However, before I got the chance to do so, my good brother RaShad (@Speedyflicks) and I had a conversation. His words sparked something in me that I didn’t know I needed. Nevertheless, I am not the one to get swayed out of my decisions, but the words he spoke were true, so I decided to go for one last push. That conversation led me to quit my job without a plan which was a risk I was willing to take. At the time, I actually had a great job working in the mental healthcare industry. I loved my coworkers, the people, and I showed up everyday willing to do the work. Despite those positives, something always felt off. Though I was physically there, I routinely found myself being mentally preoccupied by the idea that I needed to do whatever necessary to get by just to survive, when in all actuality my heart was always 100% with photography.
I’d find myself not sleeping or eating just because I wanted to create a way to document the true essence of basketball culture and the human condition. I have a motto that “I come to serve and not to be served”. I had it in my heart that I was going to find a way to do so whether I was rich, poor, sick, or in great health.
Fast forward to me being unemployed, I was hungry and passionate about making my dreams a reality. I went back to where I knew I could find some of the missing pieces for my journey…DC/Metro Area Basketball and the community. I shot the city’s notable basketball leagues: The Kenner League, P.I.T.S League, and Brunson League.
Meanwhile I was always applying to editorial jobs and would also search for photography jobs. I had countless of days where I reached low levels of funds and I felt I was letting my family down, but I never gave up.
Late summer of 2022, I received an email from a woman who claimed to have been watching me and had my work on her radar. She asked me if I was available for an interview. To be honest, at first I thought it was short of spam because why me? She ended up following up and that’s when I thought maybe I needed to take this a little more serious. Just about two weeks later, finally, I found myself starting a new journey, relocating out of my home state, and now working for the NBA (National Basketball Association). That is by far my by greatest, yet best risk I’ve taken in my life. I am forever grateful.
Matthew, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Before I get into what I do, I want to talk about the why. I got into photography because I felt as if athletes weren’t properly represented in the field that we dominate. Growing up, I saw writer/photographer Ron Bailey (i95ballerz/Hoya Report) dedicating his life to documenting a lot of the basketball talent that the world knows of from not just the DC-Metro area, but the entire East Coast. He’s a living legend to me.
As a former athlete, I know we are so much more than our field of competition(s). We are individuals with real stories from real situations. I wanted to share the light on the players beyond the court, field, etc. so I decided to dedicate my life to the advancement of athletes.
In addition with the NBA, my brand is 20three47. I provide photojournalistic work. I document players so they can get a better opportunity at pursuing basketball and use it as a tool to be the best version of themselves. What sets me apart is I played basketball at the same level I shoot it. It is quite hard for me to articulate this, but I feel the game as if I am the one playing. The shot doesn’t just happen to me.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
Outside of sharing people’s stories, the most rewarding part of being a creative is seeing the positive emotion invoked in others. Photography gives me the opportunity to share everything I want to communicate with words in frames. It’s like an extension of my heart and mind.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
I don’t have a particular goal, I just love people and I believe everyone has a story worth sharing. I want to give people a chance to share who they are with the world.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram/20three47
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-mcintosh-071116194
- Twitter: Twitter.com/20three47
- Other: https://www.flickr.com/photos/190244140@N02/?fbclid=PAAaalxMs_8bB4NuzxJd3jdnTg_lJRlxlD80egG61qEq7ev-SI5ZWw-tFX47k
Image Credits
Kent Edwards IG: CaughtByKent RaShad Robinson IG: __Speedyflicks