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<\/p>\n[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”off|desktop” admin_label=”Hero” _builder_version=”3.22.3″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#0c1319″ background_color_gradient_end=”#2b3a42″ background_color_gradient_direction=”60deg” box_shadow_style=”preset7″ box_shadow_horizontal=”0px” box_shadow_vertical=”-80px” box_shadow_color=”#ffffff” custom_padding=”20px|0px|0px|0px”][et_pb_row custom_padding=”|||” _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Title” _builder_version=”3.23.3″ text_font=”Open Sans|600|||||||” text_line_height=”1.8em” header_2_font=”Poppins||||||||” header_2_font_size=”36px” header_2_line_height=”1.4em” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” max_width=”700px” module_alignment=”center”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/1-85.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″ border_radii=”on|10px|10px|10px|10px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ animation_style=”fade”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ specialty=”on” _builder_version=”3.22.3″][et_pb_column type=”3_4″ specialty_columns=”3″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_row_inner admin_label=”Row” _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_column_inner type=”4_4″ saved_specialty_column_type=”3_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n
Today we will be talking with Matt Reed. Matt Reed is a talented and successful professional commercial photographer from Australia. With his team in his beautiful studio Matt creates all types of studio product images: jewelry, food, wine bottles, clothing and fashion, industrial photography just to name a few.<\/p>\n
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As a former e-commerce business owner he has a rather unique perspective at product photography being able to look at the problem from his clients\u2019 point of view.<\/p>\n
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Now after over than ten years in product photography business Matt continuously keeps experimenting with new gear, testing new technologies and developing new lighting techniques for the purpose of creating the strongest product photographs possible.<\/p>\n
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We are very excited to announce that Matt will be one of our instructors on photigy.com.<\/b><\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Please, welcome Matt Reed!<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/2-52.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n I currently live in Perth, Australia. Our home is in Fremantle which is a bit of a hub for creatives. It\u2019s a pretty chilled out beachy hippy city.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I grew up on a wheat farm 250 kilometres from Perth, which is a long way from most places. Our nearest neighbor was 10 kilometres away. I spent my boyhood days thinking up things, making things and wrecking things.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/3-15.png” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/4-43.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n Well I didn\u2019t go to photography or art school, I wasn\u2019t handed down a camera from a family of photographers, I wasn\u2019t sitting on a cliff one day and in a magical moment knew that my calling was to become a photographer\u2026 my story is far less glamorous than that.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In 2002 I started a retail store selling and teaching people how to play the didgeridoo and other world instruments. From day one, our strategy was to also offer the products for sale online. So out came the point and shoot camera and I started taking photos of the products. As you can imagine, the photos looked pretty bad\u2026 but that was the beginning of a product photography journey. I was in that business for 10 years.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I also did a stint in the UK for a couple of years as product photographer and ecommerce manager for a ski, skate and surf clothing and equipment retailer. It is a heavily competitive industry, which helped sharpen my photography and business skills.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n In hindsight, running retail and ecommerce businesses was a fantastic testing ground to see what worked and didn\u2019t work in the way of using photos to sell products online.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n There came a point in time where I got more excited about taking photos, so made the transition to full time commercial photography. Happy days!<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/5-42.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n To be honest, if I do the same thing over and over, pretty soon I get bored. I thrive on variety.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Fortunately with the nature of the work we attract, we are always bouncing from subject to subject. One day we might be photographing diamond rings in the studio, the next out on location photographing food for a restaurant and the next creating a library of marketing images for a coffee brand.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I guess I\u2019m drawn towards the extremes\u2026 on one side I love photographing products as it\u2019s all about the technical and you get to really fine tune and finesse the lines, the light and the details. On the other side I love taking photos of people as you can really capture the essence of a business \u2013 what you can\u2019t say in words.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019m a big believer that businesses need to tell their story in pictures, every way they can. Sometimes it\u2019s pictures of their products, sometimes their workplaces\u2026 it almost always involves their people.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/6-36.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n For me, the most important skill is being a nice person \u2013 kind, honest, positive and fun to work with. Business is all about people and you spend a lot of time interacting, collaborating and working with others.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I\u2019ve found that our clients value the positive experience of working with us just as high as the finished photos. As the saying goes \u201cpeople don\u2019t remember what you so or do, they remember the way you made them feel\u201d. It\u2019s important not to underestimate this.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Second to this, I would say problem solving. When photographing products, it\u2019s not important to know everything. It is important to start somewhere and know how to build the shot you have planned, overcoming the technical challenges as you go.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/7-25.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n Learning new stuff. I love learning and can never do enough. I\u2019d rather learn something new and put it to use, than spend hours mastering a specific skill. Fortunately I pick up things pretty quickly, maybe that comes from the practical skills learnt growing up on a farm.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I am a gadget man. I like buttons and dials and things with batteries. Photography is the perfect outlet\u2026 the wish list is never ending. I am a better shopper than my wife. There is a running joke amongst the team when the courier knocks on the door at the studio, someone will bet that \u201cIt\u2019s for Matt\u201d.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/8-23.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n Camera bags. Can you ever have too many camera bags? We are forever travelling to locations and are always experimenting with the best way to store and carry our kit.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n At the moment I am in love with my speed light bag. Packed will all the little accessories needed to do amazing things with small lights.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/9-22.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n We\u2019re a small team of four and we work our little cotton socks off to do the best work we can for our clients. Our vibe is informal and high performance. We run a pretty relaxed ship and we\u2019re always up for a laugh.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Shelley is our studio manager, and the first point of contact when clients get in touch. Shelley will happily suggest ideas, make recommendations and guide our clients through their project. She also has a wealth of business expertise to draw from \u2014 having had prior experience running a multi-million dollar product wholesale company.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Janelle is a photographer and experienced make-up artist. She also has a strong background in portrait photography and artistic nudes. A true artist with endless energy, Janelle has heaps of creative ideas and helps us get the most out of any photo shoot.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Henry is one multi skilled fella. With a background in film and multimedia, as well as photography, he is the perfect person to shoot still or motion. No mention of Henry would be complete without acknowledging his patience, which dare we say it, is saint-like.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n While I often have a camera in my hand, more recently I have moved into a Director of Photography role, which means I get to think up weird and wonderful ideas for the team to execute. I\u2019m happy to be thrown into any situation and always up for a challenge.<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.photigy.com\/school\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/10-17.jpg” alt=”Interview with Matt Reed” show_in_lightbox=”on” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”3.23″][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text admin_label=”question” module_class=”in_question” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”answer” module_class=”in_answer” _builder_version=”3.19.7″]<\/p>\n I started with Perth Product Photography (http:\/\/www.perthproductphotography.com.au<\/a><\/span>), which specializes in product photography. Our clients require us to do both white background catalogue photos and creative images for advertising.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nMatt, please tell our readers a little bit about yourself. Where you are from and what is your background.<\/h2>\n
So how did you get into photography?<\/h2>\n
What is your favorite subject to photograph?<\/h2>\n
What do you think is the most important skill a photographer needs to have?<\/h2>\n
What gets you excited?<\/h2>\n
What is your most recent purchase?<\/h2>\n
Can you tell us a bit about your team?<\/h2>\n
Tell us about your two photography brands?<\/h2>\n