Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Matthew Samuels . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Matthew, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? How do you keep things going – any advice for entrepreneurs who feel like they can’t step away from their business for a short vacation?

Between the pandemic and its economic fallout, it may be hard to fathom taking a vacation this year. But the research is clear: Vacations lead to improved productivity, lower stress and better overall mental health. It also spurs greater creativity. Vacations are also great opportunities to create lasting, positive memories. Several studies show that recalling happy memories can head off stress, anxiety, and depression — something that is much needed in our busy lives and even more so in current times.

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?

My passion for photography began in high school. I was on the yearbook staff and took the class as an elective, but soon found that it meant much more to me than just a class. I started learning how to capture different shots, angles, what editing meant and so on. After high school, I attended the University of Houston, where I found an even deeper love for photography. Networking in college began my dreams of opening my own photography company. I would photograph anyone who would let me! From friends, family, co-workers, strangers, it didn’t matter. Being behind the lens was and still is my happy place. Matt Samuels photography was created in (2016) and has since grown into my entrepreneur dream. My clients are like family to me. Their ideas, combined with mine, make the opportunities endless. I believe this is what sets me apart. I never say no to a photo shoot! I will always find a way to make my clients visions come to life.

Throughout the years, I have become most proud of my growth as a photographer. I am always finding ways to grow my craft. I try to keep up with the latest trends, while putting my own spin on photos. I want my potential clients to know Making lasting relationships with my clients is what strive for all while providing a fun, stress free environment while capturing raw and real moments!

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I edit my photos. I am by no means saying you should not edit your photos. I learned to just be careful not to over process. This is usually a malady that people new to photo editing software suffer from and I definitely overdid it when I was a beginner.

When learning any new skill, it’s universally agreed that you need to put time into it to grow. There’s a popular theory by Malcolm Gladwell that it takes 10,000 hours to master any skill. That theory is pretty controversial these days, but the number of hours isn’t important. What’s important is that you must put time into learning a skill if you want to become better at it.

Photography is no exception. Ask any of the photographers you admire how long they have been developing their photography skills, they will all tell you that it’s taken them years.

Social media has changed the world we live in, which is a great thing for photographers. Of course, there are negatives to this as well. The biggest drawback, in my opinion, is the eternal quest for likes. Not a single one of us is immune to it.

It’s flattering and gives a nice ego-boost when someone “likes” your photo on Instagram or Facebook. But it can become a dangerous obsession when you begin to shoot or edit your photos with the motivation of getting more likes.

Sure, we all change and develop our style over time, and this is partly influenced by current trends. Just try to stay focused on shooting what you love, and don’t let the desire for validation on social media make you shoot for likes.

How did you build your audience on social media?

When it comes to Instagram, visuals are everything. A badly photographed image or a poorly-designed graphic isn’t going to cut it. Having high-quality images and videos that stand out really helped me attract my audience.Instagram is constantly evolving, which mean always having to stay on top of the latest trends and features. Something else that has helped me along the way is even though that Although the Instagrams algorithm changes constantly, one thing that has remained consistent is the priority on engagement. Posting at the right times when my audience is active can translate to a boost in visibility and engagement.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://mattsamuelsphotography.mypixieset.com/
• Instagram: Mattsam_photo
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattsamuelsphotography/

Image Credits
@MattSamuelsPhotography