It’s not easy for me to introduce Mr. Matt Georges. From the first time I’ve seen his work, I have been fascinated. I wanted to know more about the person behind those awesome photographies. And finally I have the opportunity to share this with you. I told you I really like the style and the mood his work transports. That could be the reason why I did not sort out one single picture of the 113 Matt gave me for this Portfolio. I just couldn’t. So please take your time and make sure to take a look at the big gallery beneath the interview.
MATT GEORGES Interview by CLDFX:
Glad to have you here for the first part of the CLDFX.com photographer’s interview series. First of all please tell us who his Matt Georges?
First thanks a lot for that portfolio, I’m really stoked to be part of that interview series. So my name is Matt Georges and I’m a 25 years old frenchy boy, living and working in Grenoble in France. Right now I’m Senior Photographer for Onboard (European Snowboard Magazine) and Whitelines (UK Snowboard Magazine) since two years and also working as a freelance photographer and graphic designer for several brands. I have been shooting skateboarding since 6 years and snowboarding since 4 winters.
How did you make your way into the photo business? When did it all start?
It all started first with a graphic design internship at Freestyler Magazine (RIP) in France. The Art Director at this time was sick for a few weeks so I had to do the layout of some issues. After that they offered me to create Freestyler Snowboard Mag with Eric Bergeri, one of the top photographer. So he was Editor in chief and I was Art Director. We did that during two years and I have started to shoot photos and got coverage with my skate and snowboard friends at this time. I was spending lots of time in my dark room and trying to learn as much as I could. I was in the mean time doing a National Art school. So my days were pretty intense. I was waking up at 6, going to Freestyler office until 9, going to school till lunch, grab a sandwich, coming back to the office till 2 in the afternoon, school again till 6 and office again till late in the night.
Then Fresstyler Snow died. I have started to do an online photo magazine called Visuallzine and different other projects. A good friend in the industry told me there was a Photo Editor job at Method. Even if I wasn’t shooting that much snowboarding I sent them a C.V and portfolio. I had maybe 20 snowboard action shots, the rest were portraits and skate shots. I got a call from the boss few days later, but I couldn’t really speak any english and wasn’t understanding anything. So I said, “Sorry, the line is not good, I can’t hear you etc etc…” and told them to call me back later in the day. I went straight to check an english/french dictionary, and when they called again I was talking to him with english notes I wrote before on a paper. Then I got the job and had 2 weeks to move to their office. I arrived in Innsbruckk like a gipsy – the first two or three months were pretty sketchy and sad for me – new job, new friends, new life, new city, only English. So I guess my photo career started at this moment. I have spent 3 years doing Photo Editor and Senior Photographer and I’m now working for Onboard and Whitelines but also with almost 50 different publications around the world, mostly in the snow and skate world.
What have been the most outstanding steps in your career?
I would say that intership at Freestyler which teached me how to make magazines, editorial decisions and graphic design, then that PhotoEditor job at Method Magazine which teached me how to select a good picture, speak english and use my eyes in a good way and then Onboard/Whitelines.
What do you like the most in front of your lense?
I kind of like the way you can get an image that only the camera can see. Sometimes you walk around with not much inspiration and when you put your eye in the hole you suddenly see something good looking.
If you compare skateboard- and snowboard- photography, what is the biggest difference for you?
Mountains are way more quiet than the city. I’m really enjoying beeing in the backcountry with a total silence. Of course it can be really really cold but I love aswell being in a snow storm. I would say skateboarding photography is more creative because you can play with the architecture, the citylife and the lights. In the mountain it is more complicated as it is mostly white and blue. Maybe it’s more difficult to shoot snowboarding. You have to wake-up early, drive a lot, carry heavy bag(s), ride sometimes difficult terrains, watch out for avalanches, stay warm in the crazy coldness, not get lost etc etc…
Tell us something about your equipment, I think I’ve heard you’re still in love with analog photography
What is very cool after it’s way more “photography” than shooting hundreds of photos having luck and pick one.What do you think? Can one compete with the speed the clients can see the photos/work with them?
Yes that’s true I’m still shooting analog as much as I can. I feel more confortable with it. Of course digital world is great but something is missing, maybe the soul of the whole thing. The artisanal and process ways are really interesting and we have a huge heritage to respect and save. Unfortunally it costs a lot to process and most of the chemical products are becoming rare to find.
Most of the clients wants to the shots quickly and prefers to work on digital, so they control way better the process. But it happens sometimes that one of them likes something a bit different so I can shoot analog, polaroids stuff etc.
But I have to say digital is great for the way you can learn from your mistakes and experimentations. It teached me so much on how to use lights and it also saved me lots of money by shooting sequences.
I have although the feeling my digital photos will always be less good/interesting than my analog ones…
What kind of projects are you working on right now?
One day I would like to have my website ready online, but I’m always really busy and can’t find time to work on it unfortunately. I’m right now doing a Skateboard Photos book with other photographers on a « DoItYourself concrete spot » that has been done in Grenoble the past 4 years. Except that I have some exhibitions projects and work aswell on specific photos themes. Plus a bunch of different graphic design jobs.
What does a regular day of Matt look like? If there’s something you can call regular.
Basically the year is divided in 2 parts. Winter first from October to May. Shooting almost 80% of the time and travelling around the world. Then when everything is over I spent the rest of the year in my office. Waking up at 7, coffee and then doing photo editing, graphic design, business stuff, submission to magazines. As I have spent more than 6 months shooting I have tons of photos to prepare, develop and share. I try to shoot aswell skateboard when I can and go for some vacation with my lady, and stay away from the snow for few months to keep the love and motivation.
Do you have any tips for upcoming photographers?
I have heard somewhere you need 10 000 hours of hard work before starting to have success. I have no idea if it’s true but I know it takes time. It is not easy, you have to work a lot and be patient.
The tip I got from old men from photo-club is to keep your eyes open in the world you are living and shoot as much as you can. Compare your photos with other photographers and be curious. The technique is important but you are doing a good photo with your eyes and your heart, not with the best camera on the market.
After cldfx.com is supposed to be for everyone, here you can tell the world whatever you like. Anything that’s important to you.
Analog photography is important and we need to save that. It is important to think about what is a photo. Is it a nice image on a glossy paper you hold proudly in your hand, or is it a succession of pixels in your computer?
skateboard vs snowboard?
I cound’t live without both of them.
black vs white?
it is interesting to do black stuff on white snow when you think about it. It’s white but has so much details and different aspects.
analog vs digital?
Both. But If I have to keep only one camera, it would be an analog one.
flash vs sunlight?
Natural light is the best. Less is more!!
pow vs rail?
POWDERRR!!!
Please just note the word that you first think about when you read this letters:
1. C: Cruising with
2. L: Lovely friends is
3. D: Definitly the best
4. F: Feeling in the world!! Even better than
5. X: (censured!!)
Do you like to say hello to somebody or any last words? Here’s your chance:
I just would like to thank some people for their great help.
Thanks a lot to Snowsurf/Freestyler, Method and Onboard/Whitelines for the great opportunities they offered me in those past years. To all the mags who are running my shots. Matt and David at Rossignol, Damien and Raph at RipCurl, Stine and Diane at Roxy, Jon at Forum, Birgit at Burton Stephane at 686, all the Pirates and Absinthe guys and all the riders I have been shooting with.
Thank you Matt for your time and this great insight into your work.
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