Meet Matt Blum | Photographer/Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Matt Blum and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Matt, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

As someone who considers themselves an aggressive empath (almost to my detriment), this quote resonates with me quite a lot. It reminds me that no matter how little or quick an interaction with someone may be, you have the ability to leave a lasting impact. Why not leave on that makes someone feel seen, heard and loved?

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I think what sets me apart from other people in similar spaces is that I have a day job, also within the music industry. I work in finance at a major record label, which not only allows me all day long exposure to the music industry, but in turn, also exposes me to more artists/music than I ever thought possible. Further, this day job allows me to remain fresh within my creative expression — it allows me to be more selective in the gigs I accept. Or in other words, I never feel forced into accepting a job just because I need to pay rent. While that is an unfortunate reality for many young creatives, I don’t think it leads to an honest expression of art.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, if I was being honest, I’d say my best friend and I would just sit at home for days on end watching Jersey Shore re-runs and eating Smartfood White Cheddar Popcorn. All jokes aside, I do think there is genuine benefit to sitting at home consuming trash TV (every so often) to recharge your creative energy.

With that being said, I would love to take my best friend on as many shoots as I could! I think it’s so fun to allow those close to me to see me/my work in action. The general public can always see the end result, but there’s something much more palpable to see the process from start to finish.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I want to take this one back to my Grandma Sandy and my Grandpa Ed. They were my grandparents on different sides of the family and both had a passion for photography/videography; Sandy as a hobby, Ed as a profession. I am acutely aware that without the influence of these two, I would be nowhere near where I am today as a creative. I just wish they could see me living this life as an adult, because we would have SO MUCH to talk about.

Website: www.mattblum.photography

Instagram: _mattblum