Matthew Gibson is coalescing his passions for photography, teaching, and writing. Originally a native of Delaware, Matt relocated to Nags Head, North Carolina in 2009 to be closer to the coastal landscape that has become dear to his heart. This move also made way for Matt to begin setting up exciting workshop programs with a new venture – the Outer Banks Photography School. Matt’s work first caught my eye earlier this year and I am excited to introduce you to him through this months 13 Questions. If you find yourself in Nags Head this summer be sure to stop by his gallery and say hello, take a class, or simply enjoy his work.

When did you realize you wanted to be a professional photographer?

It was something that developed over a period of a few years after college. My background is in computer science and I worked in my field full time while I was going to school. After college, I found myself very unhappy with the corporate world and unfulfilled. I began to search for things that brought joy into my life and found myself picking up the camera more and more. I was purposefully getting up to photograph sunrise and began feeling more alive in the field than anywhere else. Eventually I desired to “create” for myself instead of using all of my energy solving problems for a large company. In 2003 the seed to “transition” was set and in early 2005, the company I was working for was preparing to be sold and they offered me an opportunity to resign where they would pay me for a year. The time was right and I immediately jumped.

Who has influenced your work the most and how?

Craig Tanner, an Atlanta, GA based photographer. (www.tmelive.com)

I was fortunate to assist Craig who became my mentor and one of my closest friends for the better part of three years. From commercial assignments to assisting on workshops, I was put into a position where he was fully open and I could absorb as much as I wanted. For me, and how I like to learn “hands-on”, it was a tremendous opportunity. I feel that Craig was solely responsible for refining my foundation in photography, specifically building my composition skill set, and helping me start the lifelong journey of developing a style and an aesthetic.

What quality do you admire most in others work?

I have some pretty high standards for well thought out image design and conscious composition. I believe that almost everything in a picture should have a purpose for being there. I admire photographers that are great editors of their work. Something as simple as commitment to an idea is admirable and like work that is in series or collections.

What do you find hardest about your craft?

I scout and pre-visualize quite a bit and locations are often visited over and over again with compositions being re-shot until conditions are just right or I’m able to produce what I intended. That patience, persistence, and perseverance is mentally challenging. I try to be open to new ideas and stay as present as possible in the field, but I find that I’m most effective in creating new work when I’m focused on a concept.

What brought you to North Carolina?

The economy. In 2008, things began to slow down for me and I found myself needing to supplement my income with some consulting work. Thankfully I found a great opportunity were I was able to telecommute. Then, in 2009, my fiancée was laid off from her job. Trying to turn those negatives into positives, we literally opened a map of the United States and decided to pick someplace to start fresh. We both desired to stay somewhat close to our families in Delaware and with my love of the coastal landscape – the Outer Banks became a natural choice for us. It’s by far one of the best decisions I have ever made.

What has been your greatest achievement?

No one particular thing sticks out… I’ve been very fortunate to work with many photography students over the past 6 years – any contribution I’ve been able to make to another is a great achievement.

How did you decide to open your own gallery?

I was mainly looking for a space to teach my workshops. After my first season here, I desired to find a location to teach where I was in complete control of the meeting space. Renting space from hotels or other organizations is not very ideal or cost effective and I didn’t want to be in a position where I would need to cancel a workshop if the response was low. With that in mind, I spent the better part of 6 months looking for a suitable space that would not bankrupt my vision immediately and didn’t find anything. This past January, I had literally given up on finding something for this year and that’s when the space I’m in now fell into my lap. The second I stopped looking, it appeared. I decided to make dual use of the space – a gallery for my work in the summer with workshops in the spring and fall. I’m hoping this allows me to spend the majority of the off-season creating new work.

Tell me about your printing process?

I’m doing all of my own printing using an Epson 9900 and the majority of the large work I’m marketing in my gallery is prints on canvas. I like canvas because it’s economical for my customers and that it makes my work accessible. The gallery wrap also allows for a customer to hang a finished piece on their walls without the expense of framing if they choose so. At my price points, framing a large piece is often just as expensive as the print – a concept that I’ve always struggled with.

In order to keep costs low, I have brought the entire production of canvas gallery wraps into my studio… from cutting the stretcher bars, coating the canvas, final assembly, and even framing in some cases. This also allows me to choose the products I’m working with and stay in complete control of the quality of the work I’m producing.

I personally love the simple classic presentation of a print mounted in a thick 8 ply mat in a traditional metal frame. The photograph stands for itself in this manner. However, I have to admit that I’m having quite a bit of fun experimenting with new materials. I spend a lot of time researching different décor trends, which I think is an important part of being an artist in business. I don’t have the luxury to discard trends at the moment, although I work hard at not letting that fact stifle my creativity or the type of work I produce too much.

What is your favorite thing about teaching a workshop?

The biggest thing that comes to mind is something I like to call “the breakthrough”. Very simple moments when a student grasps a new concept you’ve helped them with. It’s really the moment when their confidence ratchets up to the next level. I especially like multi-day workshops because there are many opportunities for this to happen and in most cases there is a steady and sometimes drastic improvement in their work. That is extremely fulfilling and keeps me focused during the workshop.

A very close second is the friendships that are developed… I learn just as much (or more!) from my students as I’m able to offer them. It’s been amazing to stay in touch with these new friends to see where their journey with photography has taken them over a number of years.

What is your professional motto?

“Time to make the doughnuts”. I’m often burning the candle at both ends and I love to sleep. I should have said getting out of bed is my greatest achievement!

Honestly though, I have to pick a cliché. “There is no such thing as good enough”. Time and experience has taught me that whatever I put out there, I want it to be the absolute best that it can be.

When are you at your happiest?

A very challenging question! I put a lot of pressure on myself to move my work forward and I often think about how unhealthy it might be that I don’t find time for content or happiness. I’m very obsessive. I’d have to say some of my happiest moments are completely away from photography where an activity preoccupies me for a period of time. Date night, a baseball game, fishing with friends… short breaks where I’m able to disconnect and recharge. It’s delicate because I’m essentially saying that my passion is somewhat a stressor.

What is in your camera bag right now?

The Canon 5D Mark II with the 16-35mm F/2.8L II being my workhorse lens. My kit also includes the Canon 7D, and many other lenses from the 17mm TS-E to a 500mm F/4.

Last Call – tell me something else about you that I would never think to ask.

I’d most like to have breakfast with writer/director Cameron Crowe, lunch with writer Aaron Sorkin, and dinner with writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson. That would be an amazing day.

To see more of Matt’s work please visit http://matthewsgibson.com/

For more information on the Outter Banks Photography School please visit http://obxps.com/