© 2020 Nomadict. All rights reserved.
Matt Pierce
@wake.up.matt
Visual creator based in the US
Introducing Matt Pierce
Already as a youngster, Matt Pierce demonstrated a true interest for photography. He borrowed his parents’ camcorder to create films with his brother and neighbours; that collaborative process of creativity and spontaniety was the spark that triggered his ambition for visual content creation: “Any chance I have to make someone laugh, smile, be in awe, or cause someone to think, I am going to take it.” And this is exactly his purpose nowadays.
In 2016 he decided to quit his 9 to 5 job to work fulltime on his production company – a project he had in mind for many years and which he runs nowadays from Maui, Hawaii. “It has been nothing but hard work and a lot of failure, but those times of success made up for it all.” Would you take the chance to start your own company as well?
For Matt, there were no doubts – taking that final step “felt so freeing.” Because, believe it or not, starting your own project is like an adventure in itself. With ups and downs but always learning new things about your passion and yourself. Yet, having the right mindset is really important in this regard: “I am always trying to learn and grow as a person. I have a never ending thirst for truth and I think that translates into what I create”. In the end, for Matt everything is about creating with passion.
In the near future, Matt will have a place on Maui for other creators to stay at and be able to explore the island. “It has been amazing living here on Maui. Just like anywhere else, it has its pros and cons, but to be able to hike the mountains, go to the beach, explore the jungle, hit up a movie or go to Costco all within a one hour (at most) ride from each other is pretty unbeatable!” Are you curious about how a local visual creator experiences one of the most beautiful locations in the world? Would you like to learn about Matt’s photography journey and collect some valuable tips and tricks? Then, keep reading!
Interview
Welcome Matt!
You are a Canadian photographer and videographer now based in Maui, Hawaii. Can you take us to the start of your passion for visual creation and travel? Where does your interest in these two come from?
A passion for visual creation started when I first picked up my parents’ family camcorder. I got my brother and neighbours together to create different films. They were all horrible, but the idea that we could create something together was amazing. Then add to that the opportunity to share those videos online, I was hooked! Any chance I have to make someone laugh, smile, be in awe, or cause someone to think, I’m going to take it.
In terms of travel, my family has always gone on trips together since my brother and I were really young. We traveled across Canada and every few years to a different part of the globe. It was always fascinating to see other cultures and learn how they viewed the world. Those early years really instilled in me a passion to learn and grow as a person.
"I want everywhere I travel to affect me in a way that I can be challenged in how I see things."
I think many of us are curious about Hawaii.. How is it to live in Hawaii? And what made Hawaii a place where you wanted to stay/have your base?
It’s been amazing living here on Maui. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Just like anywhere else, it has its pros and cons, but to be able to hike the mountains, go to the beach, explore the jungle, hit up a movie or go to Costco all within an hour (at most) of each other is pretty unbeatable!
The reason I chose to live here on Maui is because of my wife. She grew up here and I was more than happy to come join 🙂
I’m also really excited that in the very near future I’ll have a place for other creators to come stay at and be able to explore the island.
You decided to quit your 9-5 job in 2016 to work fulltime on your production company. How was it for you to take such decision?
It was both thrilling and nerve-racking! It was something I had wanted to do for years and once the right opportunity came to be able to take that final step, it felt so freeing. It’s been nothing but hard work and a lot of failure, but those times of success make up for it all.
What have been major steps in your career/journey towards creating your own production company? In addition, you run a non profit organization called Unfiltered, “that helps other nonprofits around the world tell their stories.” Can you tell us something about that too?
The biggest steps I’ve taken to starting my production company have been to learn from failures (because there are always going to be a lot of them), work hard and then work harder, learn that a no isn’t always a no forever, and continue to learn and grow as a creator. I also worked at a job that wasn’t my dream job but allowed me to save the money that I needed in order to finally launch my company. I also started small, doing a lot of free work, building my portfolio and that in turn, allowed me to get bigger and bigger gigs.
I started the non-profit out of a need that I saw. I love working with non-profits, but they typically don’t have any kind of budget for marketing or content creation. I wanted to create a non-profit that would be able to step in to do all the work for them for free so they could focus on doing what they do best while. We would create what they needed to tell their story.
You have your own course about photography, videography and social media influencing. According to you, what would be the three most essential things you teach in your course? What makes these the most essential to you?
The three most essential things I teach in the course are:
1) How to use a camera properly
2) What goes into getting a great shot
3) How to take great shots and turn that into a business
I feel like these are the most essential because without any of these steps, you can’t become a full time photographer or filmmaker.
How would you describe yourself as a photographer? And how do we see that back in your photos and videos you think?
Honestly, sometimes I just feel like I’m fortunate to be able to point my camera at beautiful places around the world and share that with people. For photography, I think I would describe myself as an adventure landscape photographer. I try to combine amazing locations with a hint of personal interaction.
"I want people to see my photos and videos and imagine themselves there experiencing what’s in frame."
What inspires your art and feeds your creativity? And related to that, how do you incorporate this into your art afterwards?
I’m always trying to learn and grow as a person. I have a never ending thirst for truth and I think that translates into what I create. With that, I want to become better than I was yesterday at telling stories and sharing moments captured. This internal struggle of growth really feeds my creativity and pushes me to continue to put out content.
Another contributing factor is just the beauty all around us. I mean, how can I not want to capture and share that?!
Both your profile and your website clearly states “there’s a story to tell”. What is your philosophy or story behind that statement?
There’s a few things behind that. First, I believe that there’s a bigger story going on, a grand narrative that we all get to be a part of. It’s the reason we find meaning and purpose in life and get to experience the beauty in both the obvious but also seemingly mundane things of life.
I also believe that every single person has a unique and special story to tell. Everyone has something worth sharing and the world needs to hear it.
"That means that behind every photo, there’s a unique story too. I want my photos to convey that and to cause people to imagine themselves there experiencing what was captured."
Would you like content like this sent to your inbox?
Gear might not be the most important in achieving a great result, but it definitely influences. What gear do you use to bring with you when going on a trip? And what is your favorite lens/ photography item?
My gear:
1) Canon 1DXII
2) Canon 16-35 f/2.8 III
3) Canon 70-200 f/2.8 II IS
4) DJI Mavic Pro 2
5) Macbook Pro
6) Rode Video Mic Pro
7) Gorillapod
My favorite lens is my Canon 16-35 f/2.8 III. It’s perfect for landscapes and for vlogging. It has a nice shallow depth of field at f/2.8 and has some flexibility as a zoom lens as well. I hardly use anything else!
For your work, but probably also for your own desires, you visit different places around the world. What has been the most remarkable experience so far? What made it so special?
My favorite trip has been to the Faroe Islands. It was the first big trip I went on with my wife so that was really special. The people were so friendly and it was also just incredible scenery wise. It’s very similar to Iceland in a lot of ways but without all the tourists!
What is the most beautiful thing that travel has taught you?
That every single person has value and has a unique story that the rest of the world needs to hear.
Nowadays we see so many young talented artists pursuing a career as a full time travel/landscape photographer. What four pieces of advice would you give them?
In no particular order
1) Work hard. Like, really, really, hard. Nothing (for the most part) is ever easy or just given to you. You have to work your butt off to grow as a creator and to grow your business.
2) Failure isn’t final. You’re going to make mistakes and fail and that’s ok. Learn from it.
3) Find a mentor. If there’s someone local that you admire and look up to creatively, try asking if they would mentor you. As a few people. There’s nothing more valuable than getting experience from someone who’s gone through what you’re currently going through. It’s even better when they can teach you 1 on 1 and take you out to one of their gigs to see how they create and operate as a photographer/videographer.
4) Always continue to grow in your craft. Never lose the drive to learn. Also, be humble and learn how to take criticism and grow from it.
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
4 INTERVIEWS YOU WILL ENJOY
MUST READ STORIES 2020
