Check Out Matthew Deere’s Story

Hi Matthew, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I graduated from the University of Tennessee with a BFA in graphic design/illustration and moved to LA in 2008. I paid my way through school doing creative things like T-shirt designs and paint schemes for race cars. This experience was key in getting my foot in the door at Mattel Toys, where I was initially hired as a packaging designer for my favorite kid brand, Hot Wheels. After Hot Wheels, I worked as an art director for licensed properties like WWE, Disney Toy Story, Turbo the Racing Snail, and Dinotrux. While I was at Mattel, I gained a lot of experience directing photoshoots for toy packaging.  I really enjoyed being in the photo studio while watching the photographers work at their lighting set ups.  It was amazing to see a studio come to life with all the lighting gear, props, stylists and model talent.  After seven years at Mattel, I went back to school to learn the art of studio photography. This is where my life changed forever!  Learning how to shape and control light in the studio has galvanized my passion for photography, and is altogether enthralling.  My focus is to showcase influential people interacting with product while defining and promoting the brand.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
The only obstacle is that there are only 24 hours in one day.  There is so much I want to do.  As a child, I drew and painted all the time.  My father was a photographer when I was a kid.  I started tinkering with my father’s camera at an early age.  I have photos of friends that I snapped from as far back as the 5th grade.  Working with a camera is like second nature to me, it just feels right.  My current position as Marcom designer affords me the opportunity to use a camera to produce digital content, and product photography on a weekly basis.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I absolutely love taking photos of people. I specialize in photography of people with product. It could be a chef at a restaurant, a baker making a cake, a kid on a swing set, or a sharply dressed professional. My goal is to work in fashion photography. I gravitate toward brands like Calvin Klein, Nike, and White House Black Market.  I’m known for being easygoing and coaching people along the way in pose and composition. I’m most proud of being able to work with fashion bloggers on several shoots that made for some amazing photos. The most influential talent I’ve photographed to date has been Nicole Richie and Simone Biles.  What sets me apart from others is my unwavering passion for photography and my unique eye for composition that has been forged in million dollar branding design over the past several years.

We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
I grew up in Tennessee where we had a lot of trees and lakes. I remember sitting on a back porch helping my grandmother break green beans in half, while pulling the strings off the pods. I remember how hot and humid the air was in the summertime.  We had amazing lightning storms and a lot of rain in the springtime.  The vegetation almost looks like you are in a rainforest, with lush deep green foliage everywhere you look.  The buzz of the cicadas during the hot summer days is a sound I’ll never forget.  I took it for granted as a kid, but now that I live in the mountain areas of the LA suburbs, I have a stronger contrast and greater appreciation of the Appalachians.

2 Comments

1. 

   Carrie

   February 11, 2022 at 17:51

   Very impressive Matthew

   Reply
2. 

   Matthew

   February 11, 2022 at 18:23

   Special thanks to Cristina and Elissa fashion blog duo:
   http://www.publicdisplayofapparel.com/our-story/

   Reply