Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Marks.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Photography has always been a part of my life. It all started with my obsession with storms when I was a little kid. My friend and I shared this passion and would always run outside with our point-and-shoot film cameras and try to capture pictures of the lightning. It never worked, of course, but the thrill of trying to get the shot never died. I got my first digital camera when I was a sophomore in high school. I took pictures of everything. It wasn’t until I studied abroad in Thailand, and eventually moved to South Korea, that my photography really started to develop. What started out as sharing my travels for friends and family turned into telling local stories, sharing new ways of life, and showing people the world. It was in late 2016 that I started posting these images to Instagram and going all in into exploring programs like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Now, my goal is to tell the story of the world around me. I still go out to try and grab those shots of lightning, but I also find a thrill in waking up at 2 in the morning the make sure I’m the first and only person (if only briefly) at the top of a mountain to get a few clean shots. When I returned to Chicago, I had to challenge myself to adapt to shooting in a major city. I had to accustom myself to looking up and using structures for framing. It was a lot different from shooting beaches and open spaces. However, that’s what I love about photography. There is always room to grow and there are always new things to learn. To me, that’s the magic of it all.
Please tell us about your art.
I am a history teacher by profession, so I love learning about the cultures and terrains of the places I am exploring. My goal with my photography is to share those stories. Whether it is a shot of the Reid-Murdoch Center along the river or hot-air balloons flying over the temples of Bagan in Myanmar, I try to create images that contrast the new and the old. It is amazing how an image can show the old among the new. It tells a story of the past while showing the subject’s place in the present. I also love earning my shots. I find it so rewarding to wake up at 2 am to hike up Angels Landing and get a couple sunrise shots before the crowds come. Being in that space is so freeing and allows me to have a lot of control over the image I am trying to create. Overall, I want people to be able to see the cultures of places they have never been while showing a progression of time. I often get asked how I chose locations for my shots. I usually rely on Google Earth to help me find locations. I love to look up spots that are promising and try to find a story to tell. A good portion of my shots is taken while I am running. Whether it is through an arduous hike or a long run, I am always looking for a story to tell.
Choosing a creative or artistic path comes with many financial challenges. Any advice for those struggling to focus on their artwork due to financial concerns?
While I would love to have travel photography be my sole source of income, my primary source of income comes from teaching. Teaching allows me to travel and take time during the summer and winter to really sit down and create. The biggest thing is to keep at it. While it may be challenging, I have found that it is important to make sure that my passion for photography remains. By having a source of income other than photography, the stress of being financially successful does not affect what I shoot and, ultimately, the passion that I have for photography. My advice to others would be to keep the passion! Do whatever it takes to keep shooting what you want to shoot!
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I really only post my work on Instagram. I have tried other apps, but Instagram has really allowed me to share the world’s stories. People can support my work by coming along on my journey. I love to interact with people on Instagram and collaborating with other artists around me. I am also always open to suggestions if people have an inspiring location to shoot.
Contact Info:
- Email: mdmarks2@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nomadicimages/
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