The Photos Tell The Story

It's rare that I get to promote the work of a good friend on here. I know, I know... this blog is usually all about me (I'm quite selfish), but today, I want to show you something different. Don't worry though, there's still plenty of me involved. So, listen right now. Read the whole thing. All the way to the bottom. Take 5 minutes and just do it. You won't be disappointed (read: there is a giveaway involved). Plus, it took me like forever to write this much (and I never write this much), so obviously it's worth it.

See, I have this friend. His name is Matt. He is an amazing photographer. I got to meet him when I went south to Oklahoma in May for my best friend's wedding. My bestie Ashton hired him for their engagement and wedding photography.

When the wedding day came around, and I was bustling back and forth—going here and there—helping get everything set up, Matt came by and snapped a couple photos. I immediately introduced myself to him, trying to meet someone new since I knew hardly anyone at this wedding except for the bride and her family. He told me about himself, about his photography business, and about how he and his wife were expecting a brand new baby (who arrived at the end of June!). I could tell already, Matt had a big, generous, amazing heart. He was the nicest guy, and I could tell how passionate he was about his photography.

After the wedding was over, he and I still communicated back and forth. In fact, he's been on my sidebar ever since, sponsoring me as we have built our friendship. I'm convinced that it won't be long before I get to take a trip down to Oklahoma (or he will come up here) and we'll do an official shoot and get to hang out. I really want to meet his wife, because after all he has told me, she seems just wonderful. Oh yes—and the baby too.

Anyway—I keep getting distracted. What I have been meaning to tell you this whole time is this:

ATTENTION, ATTENTION! Calling all 2013 Brides! Matt Martin Photography is giving away a complete wedding photography package to anyone living outside Oklahoma. He loves to travel and will come to YOU! 

How does it work? Enter HERE by October 31. Three finalists will be chosen, and a voting period will be held from November 15 thru December 15th. The couple with the most votes at the end wins!

What comes with this prize package?

• full wedding day coverage by Matt 
• complimentary engagement session
• handcrafted box of 4x6 curated prints from your wedding day
• online proofing and ordering gallery for 3 months

So, what's the catch? None. The one thing you must do if you win is pay his travel expenses. And honestly? Just Expedia.com that little trip... you will save thousands. If I were getting married in 2013, I wouldn't even let him open up this contest. I would automatically declare myself a winner by default.

**Update: Go vote for the 3 finalist couples now!  

Now, remember how I said Matt has an amazing heart? I got the chance to ask a couple questions... if you don't love him already, you will after this.

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Tell us about your background and how you got started.

Back in 2008, I received my first DSLR from my parents as a gift. It was a Canon Rebel XTI.  This was sometime around the beginning of 2008. That was my starting point. Back then, it was just a hobby with no intentions of doing anything professionally.

After taking a couple of classes from a local photographer, I decided to give this whole thing a shot. I bought a couple of quality lenses for my Rebel and started down this crazy path. Since then, my business has grown steadily over the past 3 years. It's a slow process, but one that has been both enjoyable and rewarding.

What does photography mean to you? What are your goals? 
My vision is to tell the story of people. I know it sounds simple, but there is a lot of meaning behind it. For example, if I photograph your wedding,  I want those images not only to document the day, but also to describe who you are as a couple and the true emotions of love and happiness you have towards each other. I want those images to move you, not only the first time you view them, but also when you pull them out in twenty years to show your kids. 

Why weddings?
This one is easy. Wedding days are jam packed with storytelling opportunities so they are a natural fit for me. I love photographing the "moments" of a wedding day - the beaming expression of a dad that quickly turns to teary eyes as he sees his daughter for the first time in her wedding gown, the rough and tough groom that can't hold it together as the church doors swing open and his bride walks down the aisle, the pure joy and euphoria of the newlywed couple as they are announced for the first time, the closeness and intimacy of the first dance.  I could go on and on. All of these moments are overflowing with emotions of love, celebration and happiness. It's my job to capture them, and I absolutely love it.

Your blog says that you shoot film and digital... why film?
I could answer this a couple of ways, but ultimately it comes down to one thing. Emotion.  Maybe it’s the subtly soft colors of color film or the romantic nature of the fine grain of black-and-white film. I can't really explain it, but I feel that film captures certain emotional qualities and nuances that are somehow omitted in the digital medium. As a storyteller, this is critical. So often those nuances contribute so much to the moment I'm trying to capture. 
Don't get me wrong, digital is a wonderful and powerful tool, and I utilize it for certain situations at nearly every wedding. But there is just something about film that makes me a better, more consistent photographer. It probably has something to do with the fact that with film, every click of the shutter is an investment. Because of this, it makes me more connected to every shot. It makes me slow down. It makes me focus.
Ultimately, it's not about film vs. digital it is about how the images make you feel when you look at them. For me, film images make me feel, and I want to share that with my clients. After all, if we are talking about your wedding, we are talking about some of the most important moments of your life. Those moments deserve no less than to be captured in the best way possible.

Besides photography, what else do you like to do? (this is my favorite question)
The only things more important to me than photography are God and my family. I am a family man for sure, and I love them with all of my heart. I love spending time with my wife, Jaime, and 3 month old son, Maddox. Since Maddox has been born, he has had us up a night, running circles during the day, and constantly wondering where the time goes. And I wouldn't trade it for anything. We are so grateful to God for him and this incredible time in our lives. He is at the point right now where he has started smiling at us when we talk to him. I don't really consider myself a softy, but this melts my heart.

Are you available to travel to photograph?
Absolutely! Photography has taken us out to the west coast a few times so far, and we have loved it. Traveling is something we hope to do more of in the future.

Where can people go to find out more about you and how to booking you?
I would love to hear from your readers [[that's you, you saucies!]]. You can reach me through the website here or by email here. You can also find me on Twitter!

Finally, Matt, so... how did I do as a bridesmaid?
Yeah, you made a super bridesmaid.  It really says something to fly all the way across country. Oh, and you've got some killer dance moves too...

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I told you. He is wonderful. And... did you see all the fun photos? It's like a "Where's Aunie" game with them!

To be honest... you'd be silly not to enter Matt's contest. In fact, if you spread the word about this (tweet, Facebook, write a blog post), simply leave a comment stating you did so and I'll pick one of you awesome sharers to win a large ad space (200x200) on my blog for next month.** No joke. So yep... comment (and leave a link) if you spread the word. On October 31, I'll pick a winner. Leave one comment for each way you shared it.

**Ad winner: Kristen**

And now, to wrap up the longest post in Aunie Sauce's history, go say hi to Matt on his Facebook and tell him he's saucy.