Stephanie Matthews: Her Life Behind the Lens

An accomplished photographer and creative director with over a decade experience, Stephanie Matthews' philosophy is to create a safe space for her subjects, so they're free to express themselves without fear of judgement. Stephanie strives to see, and draw out the true, inner beauty in people and this notion is reflected in her work with celebrities, fashion brands, models and in publications.

Stephanie’s had the pleasure of covering Bishop TD Jakes, Chef Marcus Samuelsson, Don Lemon (CNN), Tamera Mowry, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Cynthia Bailey, and La La Anthony. Her editorial credits include Monarch Magazine, New African Woman, People.com, Cosmopolitan South Africa, Essence.com, and Munaluchi. Stephanie is a lover of light, laughter, travel, movies, and her beautiful cats Bebe, Sadie, and Kayla.

I’m honored to have a selection of Stephanie’s stunning photography grace the pages of our 7th Anniversary Edition. I’m equally honored to have had the opportunity to sit down with her to learn more about her life behind the lens. Stephanie and I are thrilled to share our lively conversation with you.

William Jackson: Tell me a bit about your personal life.

Stephanie Matthews: Well...I’m single by choice because I’m working on me right now. Although I’m 45, I have mostly grey silver hair that people seem to love. I’m known for always wearing a red lip. I’m a huge movie-goer and I use to have dreams of winning an Oscar for directing (that could still happen). Going to lunch is one of my most favorite things, and last winter I watched all seven seasons of Game of Thrones in three weeks’ time. LOL!

William: Was there anything specific you can remember that made you want to become a photographer?

Stephanie: Actually, there was a very specific reason I picked up the camera. I taught myself photography, so I could document my father in the final months of his life. He lived long enough to see my first exhibition “Simply Beautiful: A Portrait Essay of Women”. I remember he and I were walking around the show looking at the photos and he turns to me and says, “I don’t understand it, but I like it.” It was literally the greatest compliment I’ve ever received. Shortly after his death in January 2005 I left to study photography at the Maine Photographic Institute, the International Center of Photography, followed by an internship with celebrity photographer Matthew Jordan Smith in New York City, New York.

The truth is I feel blessed to have an eye. I shoot for clients, and I shoot because it’s my work. And yes, from time to time I shoot because I’m inspired. Speaking of inspiration, what gets me going? Bold colors, big, amazing hair, flawless makeup, sheer fabrics, stunning light set-ups, wind, and movement."

William: What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started taking photos?

Stephanie: This is a great question, but it suggests I regret not knowing something in advance. Here’s the thing, there might have been some business things I wish I had known which could’ve saved me agony such as contracts, copyrights, and licensing, but as for photography, no there’s nothing I wish I had known. Everything I tried, every error, every wrong step, and every happy accident literally shaped my work by forcing me to dig deep and push my style to the surface.

William: Which photographers influenced you, and how did they influence your thinking, photographing, and career path?

Stephanie: I’ll answer this question two ways. In general, there are about 50 photographers who influenced me. When I started shooting I was looking at all the photographs I could find. I bought book after book, and subsequently grew a fine collection. I’d take-away a something in almost everything I saw. Images still impact me all the time.

As for specific examples of being influenced, that would be fine art photographer, Joyce Tenneson. I had the honor of studying with her and spending personal time in Maine and New York City. Her lighting, attention to detail, and her artistic voice are very specific. When I look at her images I always feel not only is she saying exactly what she wants to say, but she is also leaving room for the viewer to have an opinion.

As a photographer, my desire has always been to see and expose the inner beauty of my subjects. I think; therefore, I connected with Joyce’s work. She reveals the spirit-light in her subjects. Other influences were fine art photographers, Sarah Moon and Julia Margaret Cameron. The interesting thing is my style is different from all three women in every possible way, yet each profoundly influenced my thinking because of their empathy and care for their subjects and their love of light.

William: Who were your mentors?

Stephanie: Ah, that would be architectural photographer, Brad Feinknopf. He was instrumental at the start of my career and has always been gracious with his advice and wise counsel. He’s an amazing human being and photographer.

William: How would you describe yourself as a person and artist?

Stephanie: As a person and artist I’d describe myself as an ever-evolving spirit in the middle of a transformation in preparation for the next level.

William: Why do you take photos? What inspires you?

Stephanie: Ok, this might be surprising but while I love being a photographer, I really love production. For me shooting the picture is the icing on the cake, the fun part. What I enjoy most is the planning, the team building, scheduling, calls with the stylist, hair and makeup inspirations, mood boards, etc. I’ve never been the photographer who walks around with their camera documenting the world, although I do seek out light. I search for it all the time, the way shadows fall between buildings, on people, through the trees.

The truth is I feel blessed to have an eye. I shoot for clients, and I shoot because it’s my work. And yes, from time to time I shoot because I’m inspired. Speaking of inspiration, what gets me going? Bold colors, big, amazing hair, flawless makeup, sheer fabrics, stunning light set-ups, wind, and movement.

William: With what camera do you usually work?

Stephanie: Canon 5D Mark II, Canon 70D, Canon 24- 105L, Canon 24-70 f/2.8.

William: What is the power of photography?

Stephanie: A photograph is a split second of time snatched from eternity. When you think of it, it’s the most amazing thing. A moment, frozen. The beauty is within an image lays the power of our humanity, our frailty, uniqueness. and creativity.

William: On an emotional level, what can a photograph make you feel?

Stephanie: Photographs run the gamut of emotions from exquisite pain and sorrow, to elation and joy. I’d like to share a few names of photographers whose work has been etched in my memory -- Sebastiao Salgado, James Nachtwey, and Kevin Carter. For a juxtaposition, look up Nick Brandt. You won’t be disappointed.

William: Do you agree you are challenged every day to create something that has never been created before?

Stephanie: No, I don’t agree with that. Some days are made for sitting, for reflection, and for meditation. No one can create all the time. I believe an artists’ growth comes during the quiet moments.

William: What do you want to say with your photographs, and how do you get your photographs to do that?

Stephanie: To answer this question, I’ll speak to my dance images. I wanted my dance photos to tell the truth of a thing, so during the sessions I’d encourage the dancer to meditate on a color, or a specific word, or a piece of music and use her body to express it. I was more interested in capturing a feeling than in the perfection of a move. In fact, some of my most favorite images were moments of transition into a big burst. Don’t get me wrong, I love the big burst too.

William: How do you choose what you are going to shoot?

Stephanie: I’ve been fortunate to work with clients who trust my vision and let me shoot what I see and feel instead of directing me. So, how do I choose what I’m going to shoot – I literally let the vibe on-set guide me. That’s not to say I leave things to chance. It’s quite the opposite. I cultivate a set-climate that allows me, and everyone on the team to feel safe – so they can express and create. That means the right temperature, the right lighting, the right music, and of course prayer to start things off.

William: You seem to have the ability to make the subject relax and reveal a candid side to them through your photography. Do you have any tips to achieve this?

Stephanie: Thank you for that lovely compliment. Helping my subjects relax so they can reveal themselves is something I’ve worked hard to achieve. Here’s the secret, I believe my camera is an extension of myself, it sees what my subject decides to show me, but more importantly, the image produced is my feeling about them. Therefore, you can’t let everyone take your picture. Their view of you may be distorted.

In my career, I’ve had two sessions where a client was so overwhelmed by the beauty I saw in them they couldn’t accept the photos. In the one case, the lady wrote to me three years after her session and apologized. She said she was going through a hard time in her life then, and her self-esteem was sunk, and she couldn’t believe it was her in the pictures. She just wasn’t ready to receive it. When I read her message, I think that’s when I really knew the power of photos.

William: Who are the great photographers for you?

Stephanie: I’ll keep this answer to fashion only. Richard Avedon, Irving Penn, Peter Lindbergh, Paolo Roversi, Annie Leibowitz, and Louise Dahl-Wolfe.

William: What is elegance for you?

Stephanie: Anything with clean lines. Architecture, fashion, furniture, accessories, and paintings. It doesn’t matter, clean lines are the thing.

William: And, what about sexy?

Stephanie: Confidence and humbleness.

William: Do you have any tips for an aspiring photographer who’s picking up a camera for the first time?

Stephanie: Shoot as much as you can, practice, practice, practice, and experiment. Try different angles, move around. Get low, get high up, change your distance from the subject. Don’t be afraid to try different light sources, different diffusers. If you can’t afford to buy a diffuser you need, so what – create it. DIY is a photographer’s friend. As you shoot more and more, look at lots of work. You’re not looking for inspiration although that can happen, what you’re looking for is how an artist’s voice takes shape through photos.

What are the top five things you attribute to your success? 1. Work ethic; 2. Confidence in my ability to deliver consistent, high quality images; 3. On-set etiquette and team leading abilities; 4. Integrity, and; 5. I genuinely love people.

William: What are the top five things you attribute to your success?

Stephanie: 1. Work ethic; 2. Confidence in my ability to deliver consistent, high quality images; 3. On-set etiquette and team leading abilities; 4. Integrity, and; 5. I genuinely love people.

William: What can we expect to see from you in the future?

Stephanie: I’m so glad you asked. Well, I started producing a couple years ago. So far, I’ve produced a pilot for TV pitch called “Athletes In Fashion”. The show is a docu-style reality series starring professional athletes talking about their lives as they drive around Los Angeles, California on the hunt for the latest fashions. Think of it as a blend of ESPN 30-for-30 meets something flashy like MTV Cribs.

I’m also producer for Dr. BernadetteMD Life In Harmony to be released as a video series this fall. It’s a gorgeous series about healing, health, and happiness. Dr. Bernadette is going to be huge. We plan to pitch her show also.

There’s one more thing, I’m moving overseas for a few years to take on a project I’ve been led to do. No dates have been finalized, but I’ll be going to the Democratic Republic of Congo and I’m overjoyed at the opportunity. I’ll be working with children on healing, empowerment, innovation, leadership, technology, and of course photography.

William: Stephanie, what is your world-domination goal?

Stephanie: To be a voice of my generation.

kWRITTEN AND CONDUCTED BY WILLIAM JACKSON, FOUNDER & CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER OF INFLUENTIAL MAGAZINE, SPANISH INFLUENTIAL, AND TEEN INFLUENTIAL

Written and conducted by William Jackson, Founder & Chief Business Officer of Influential Magazine, Spanish Influential, and Teen Influential