About
Hello, I’m Matthew.
I’m a photographer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. My work is about capturing what’s real: the quiet moments, the bold energy, and everything in between. I’ve been behind the camera for about five years, but what pushes me forward isn’t the gear or the light. It’s people.
I work out of my home studio and on location. This isn’t just about photos. It’s about trust, connection, and creating something that lasts.
The backdrops
Painted by hand, one wall at a time.
The studio runs on two backdrops, and I painted both of them myself. Studio Smoke is charcoal, mottled and deep. Golden Sandstone is warm ochre. Both are finished in the painterly, old-master style, the kind of surface you usually only see in studios that bought it.
Painting them meant I could build the surfaces around how I light, instead of lighting around someone else’s product. When you book a session, you choose the backdrop. A plain white setup is available on request.
I built this studio at home over five years, one piece at a time, and the backdrops came the same way: painted by my own hand until the surface did what I wanted under the light.
My approach
No over-posing.
My approach is simple. Create a space where people can be themselves, and capture what unfolds. I guide when needed, but I stay grounded in honesty. I’m drawn to subtle gestures, quiet confidence, real expressions, and connection.
Every session is a collaboration, shaped by the people in front of the lens. I come in with intention, but leave space for the unexpected, the small moments that end up meaning the most.
Whether we’re shooting in my home studio or out in the world, I focus on making you feel seen and comfortable. My goal is to give you photos that hold meaning, something you’ll look back on and feel proud of.
In the bag
The gear
The studio runs on a Canon R8 with three lenses: two primes and the RF 70-200mm zoom that does the heavy lifting on portraits.
Light comes from a pair of Godox strobes, a powerful AD600 and a battery speedlight, so the whole setup travels. In the studio it gets shaped through softboxes from 28 inches up to one big enough to wrap a group, and a pair of V-flats I built myself, the tall one standing over six feet. Everything sits on heavy rolling stands, which means the studio can rearrange itself around you, not the other way around.
Ready when you are