Pronouns: He/Him
Fave Food: Almost everything
Fave Drink: Screwdriver
Fave Color: Baby blue
Fave Band: Frank Ocean/Death Grips
Fave Show:Bojack Horseman
Fave Movie: 2001: A Space Odyssey
Where to find Matthew: 📷
What are you most passionate about doing?
Creating things, whether it be music, photos, or a movie, that make people emotional like other art has made me feel in the past.
What's your favorite thing to do in your free time?
Watching movies, spending time with friends, listening to music, drumming, playing Bloodborne, you know.
What's something you want to see more of in fashion?
More comfortable and more hip clothing for guys to wear in the summer!!
What first made you want to do photography/film?
Like most high schoolers, I went through 5 or 6 potential career paths before settling on something I wanted to study at a university. After I figured out I hated Chemistry and a bunch of other very useful, marketable, but ultimately boring professions, I realized movies have always been there for me. Whenever a hobby or interest fizzled out, I always have that as the one thing that I could rely on to be new and exciting. I really love the way photography (in motion or static) can evoke certain emotions. A good movie to me, can make you feel a whole range of emotions from start to finish. I think you can definitely accomplish something with a still photo, even though here at Trash Queen we usually just try to make you feel good; totally guilty.
How would you describe your art style?
I don't know if I've found a style yet. I really love minimalism, and would almost always rather have one subject in the frame. I like playing with framing techniques with symmetry, or extremely wide shots. I like leaving certain elements out of a frame that complete the story so sometimes the photo has way more subtelty to it. I don't know if I'll ever find a style, but I almost always have a gut reaction as to where to point a camera and what to include or exclude out of the frame.
What are some of your biggest influences as an artist?
Stanley Kubrik, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Richardson, Robert Yeoman, Chuck Pahlaniuk, Shane Gwaltney, Mike League, Martin Scorcese, Bill Watterson.
What is your eventual goal with your work with us?
I want people to see my photos and feel confident in their bodies, I want them to feel comfortable and empowered and inspired.
What is one thing you're always thinking about/focusing on when you're photographing stuff for Trash Queen?
ALWAYS capturing real moments. The people who choose to model for Trash Queen are very fun people, here to have fun and be happy and to make the world a better place. The models and the clothes they were do a lot of the job on their own. All I have to do is have a sense of when photogenic moments happen, and bam! Everyone wins.
You and the owner, Paige, are siblings, how do you think that affects your work on shoots?
It only strengthens it. A lot of people I know don't get along with their siblings, but Paige and I have always had dreams of working together on something creative. The plan used to be for her to be the screen writer, and me the film director. This will do nicely for the time being. ;)
Is there a particular theme or type of photoshoot that you would get really excited about doing?
I am BEYOND excited for the next big photoshoot. I have had ideas for a goth shoot since the brand started. However, I just rewatched The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou last night, and I think a nautical themed shoot would lead to some rather interesting shenanigans...
