Recorded via Phone: April 8, 2020
Padang, Sumatra – Los Angeles, California
Matt Power is a nomadic living, blonde hair having, self-taught photographer, originally from the United Kingdom’s south coast. Ever since picking up his first DSLR just a few years back, he’s committed himself fully towards achieving his dream of traveling the world, capturing all sorts of incredible waves in the process.
Matt’s story is a testament to living life outside the box, a feat that many of us dream, but rarely act upon. We figured we’d catch up with Matt to drain a few questions, as he waits his departure on a surf charter, setting sail towards a surf season through the wave rich regions of The Mentawais.
LOOSE KEYS: Hey Matt, thanks for taking a moment out your day to hop on the phone with me. It’s been a bit tough with the time difference. Glad to hear you’re doing well. As I mentioned earlier, the goal of this whole thing is to gather a few honest stories that focus on the individuals who form this unique community of people, many of which have dedicated their lives to doing the things they love. We seem to be in a hotspot for people that don’t really, “live by the rules” and I find that to be quite inspiring. Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been bouncing around the world to dramatic locations, in pursuit of capturing incredible photos. Before we go there with you, can I ask how it all began? Where did you come from?
MATT POWER: Thanks man, good to be here. I grew up in the South of England. That’s where I was based in the UK til’ my early twenties. I started travelling when I was 18 but moved around a bit more seriously when I was in my early 20’s.
LOOSE KEYS: What was the setting you grew up in? Was it like a city or something more rural?
MATT POWER: I grew up in a south coast city called Portsmouth but it’s right on the ocean. It’s actually a Navy Harbor so there was always easy access to the ocean. And then I moved down to Cornwall. It’s actually stunning... Stunning coastline, I’d put it up there with Australia. England is better than what people actually think haha
LK: Judging from your photos, you’re undeniably attracted to the ocean. How did growing up where you did, have an effect on who you are today? Was the attraction to the ocean immediate, or something you developed later on?
MATT: I’d say it was immediate. My dad was in the Navy, my Granddads were in the Navy. I think it sort of passed down from them to me. My dad would take me fishing, kayaking, and later on, surfing. So it was definitely instilled in me from an early time.
LK: When did you first pick up a camera?
MATT: I think it was mid or early 2016? So not long ago. My dad had an old film camera and I took it to Oslo in Norway on a weekend trip with my mates. We snapped some stuff around the city and it felt quite organic. I mean yeah, that’s pretty much what started it. Pretty random, there was not really any reason behind it. It was just a fun new hobby which I later combined with my passion for the ocean.
LK: Tell me a bit about where you were just a few years back. Were you just a sack of shit or were you working/going to Uni?
MATT: Haha. I would say I was probably a healthy mix between a sack of shit and a hardworking guy. I went to Uni when I was 19, for geography. I quit that when I was 20… After that I was a bit lost, so I just did random jobs. I was a postman for half a year. I worked at a farm in a farm shop. I was a delivery driver…I did any thing I could do to make a dollar to go travel basically.
LK: When did that change for you? In my life at least, I could easily pick out 2-3 defining moments that pulled me in certain directions and ultimately brought me to where I am today. Do you think you could you do the same?
MATT: Yeah…I think with photography it’s not just a camera sort of thing. It’s more about you as a person and I gained my desire to travel when I was 18. I went and did a half-year trip around Asia and Australia and that just made me excited to get out and see new things. In terms of actual photography, I think when I bought my first water housing for my DSLR and started shooting the ocean. My first shoot in the surf was with some talented local longboarders in Cornwall. One of the shots made it to a Wavelength feature. That was the changing point when I thought maybe this could become more than a hobby. Then I went to Sri Lanka and everything clicked. I started getting a bunch of freelance work and my instagram sort of blew up so that was a turning point for me as well. Things started to really click into place after Sri Lanka.
LK: That’s super interesting. I feel like we’re getting to know who you are bit better. I do have a couple burning questions I need to get out my system though…ready.
MATT: Sure.
LK: On average, how many times a week do you hurt yourself trying to dance in the shower?
MATT: I mean, you’ve probably seen me on a few nights out. I don’t really dance, I just sort of stand awkwardly in the corner… so my damage in the shower is rather minimal.
LK: Would you rather fight 1 horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?
MATT POWER: Thanks man, good to be here. I grew up in the South of England. That’s where I was based in the UK til’ my early twenties. I started travelling when I was 18 but moved around a bit more seriously when I was in my early 20’s.
LOOSE KEYS: What was the setting you grew up in? Was it like a city or something more rural?
MATT POWER: I grew up in a south coast city called Portsmouth but it’s right on the ocean. It’s actually a Navy Harbor so there was always easy access to the ocean. And then I moved down to Cornwall. It’s actually stunning... Stunning coastline, I’d put it up there with Australia. England is better than what people actually think haha
LK: Judging from your photos, you’re undeniably attracted to the ocean. How did growing up where you did, have an effect on who you are today? Was the attraction to the ocean immediate, or something you developed later on?
MATT: I’d say it was immediate. My dad was in the Navy, my Granddads were in the Navy. I think it sort of passed down from them to me. My dad would take me fishing, kayaking, and later on, surfing. So it was definitely instilled in me from an early time.
LK: When did you first pick up a camera?
MATT: I think it was mid or early 2016? So not long ago. My dad had an old film camera and I took it to Oslo in Norway on a weekend trip with my mates. We snapped some stuff around the city and it felt quite organic. I mean yeah, that’s pretty much what started it. Pretty random, there was not really any reason behind it. It was just a fun new hobby which I later combined with my passion for the ocean.
LK: Tell me a bit about where you were just a few years back. Were you just a sack of shit or were you working/going to Uni?
MATT: Haha. I would say I was probably a healthy mix between a sack of shit and a hardworking guy. I went to Uni when I was 19, for geography. I quit that when I was 20… After that I was a bit lost, so I just did random jobs. I was a postman for half a year. I worked at a farm in a farm shop. I was a delivery driver…I did any thing I could do to make a dollar to go travel basically.
LK: When did that change for you? In my life at least, I could easily pick out 2-3 defining moments that pulled me in certain directions and ultimately brought me to where I am today. Do you think you could you do the same?
MATT: Yeah…I think with photography it’s not just a camera sort of thing. It’s more about you as a person and I gained my desire to travel when I was 18. I went and did a half-year trip around Asia and Australia and that just made me excited to get out and see new things. In terms of actual photography, I think when I bought my first water housing for my DSLR and started shooting the ocean. My first shoot in the surf was with some talented local longboarders in Cornwall. One of the shots made it to a Wavelength feature. That was the changing point when I thought maybe this could become more than a hobby. Then I went to Sri Lanka and everything clicked. I started getting a bunch of freelance work and my instagram sort of blew up so that was a turning point for me as well. Things started to really click into place after Sri Lanka.
LK: That’s super interesting. I feel like we’re getting to know who you are bit better. I do have a couple burning questions I need to get out my system though…ready.
MATT: Sure.
LK: On average, how many times a week do you hurt yourself trying to dance in the shower?
MATT: I mean, you’ve probably seen me on a few nights out. I don’t really dance, I just sort of stand awkwardly in the corner… so my damage in the shower is rather minimal.
LK: Would you rather fight 1 horse-sized duck, or 100 duck-sized horses?
MATT: Oh…. I feel like the hundred option would be a bit overwhelming. I feel like, try the big one and get it over with soon. I think a hundred is a bit much.
LK: Say you and I are in a room with a box of Choco Muchos in the corner. Say I left them there and told you not to eat any until I got back. How long would it take you to disobey my wishes?
MATT: 3 seconds? I don’t really care much about you. That’s a joke, I love you.
LK: Your Instagram feed is rather dreamy. I feel like a lot of people could be inspired by what you do or how you live your life, which I think is great. Inspiring others is actually a big reason why we want to tell these stories. I know for a fact though, Instagram feeds can be rather deceiving. It’s not always easy living this nomadic lifestyle is it?
MATT: Yeah, Instagram, for me anyway is a place I put my work and highlights of my photography. I don’t really share too much personal stuff. I sort of keep my personal life to myself I guess. But yeah, it’s not always as dreamy as it seems on the gram. Travelling a lot, I sometimes get the craving of wanting a home base and I meet so many cool people along the way and it’s kind of sad because you inevitably have to say goodbye to those people. It can be a lonely lifestyle being a photographer that travels so much but I wouldn’t change it for the world. I have the same struggles as every other person. It’s not all rainbows.
LK: What are some of the greatest challenges you faced when packing up to say goodbye from the comfort and predictability of where you grew up?
MATT: I love home. But I love exploring and seeing new places more. I guess the thing that challenges me when I leave is leaving my family. I’m super close to them and I have a little niece I’m close to as well, so I’ve been finding it hard to not be there and see her grow up…. and a dog obviously. Makes things tough as well.
LK: I feel you with the dog. What are some of the greatest challenges or difficulties you face now?
MATT: Probably Covid 19 I guess. Haha. everyone knows the situations’ put everything on hold for the next however long.
LK: Crazy times we are in. This interview is starting to get rather serious again; I didn’t really mean for it to go in that direction. Could you just tell me real quick how many feet of Pancit noodles you think are consumed in the Phillipines each year?
MATT: Ooh…well I heard Filipinos don’t eat Pancit as much as you think. It’s mainly for special occasions isn’t it? But its gonna be up there in the millions isn’t it? Yeah, definitely in the millions.
LK: Let’s chat about photography for a little bit. Did I remember you saying you’re stranded on a boat in Sumatra right now?
MATT: Uhm, I flew from Bali into Sumatra and I was on the (surf charter) boat and I was helping renovate it before the season starts. Painting it and all that jazz. But then the authorities came to the house and said since I came from Bali I had to do two weeks quarantine. So I’m currently lying on my balcony in the town of Padang.
LK: What project are you working on there?
MATT: So I’m meant to be doing a whole season in the Mentawais, doing photos and videos for a charter company. It was a mix of wanting to push my skills in the water as a photographer and getting better as a surfer. As you know I’m a mega kook so I want to learn how to shred. But I’ll also be working on heaps of personal projects when I’m out there. I’ve actually just excitingly joined an amazing media team that makes really cool surf movies, so I’ll probably be doing stuff for them along the way as well.
LK: I get this weird shiver down my spine every time you mention that charter gig…How much equipment do you take on a trip like that, and if you could only take 1 camera and 1 lens what would it be?
MATT: I take a lot. Especially since I have such a nomadic lifestyle I take absolutely everything. My whole hand luggage is probably 15 kilos in camera gear. I’ve got my water housing in there, 2 camera bodies, 6-7 lenses. It all stacks up. But if I was to take only 1 camera and 1 lens, probably my Sony A7RIII with the 50mm. It’s a pretty versatile focal length I can shoot a lot of stuff with that.
LK: You’re pretty well known for your water photography; some of the photos I’ve seen from you are absolutely insane. It can’t be easy getting those shots. What was the biggest struggle for you when you first started shooting from the water?
MATT: I was lucky that when I started shooting waves, I was already very comfortable in the ocean. But the ocean is a very powerful thing, and I used to struggle shooting in bigger waves. There’s a lot to factor in when you’re swimming out in the big stuff. I still do struggle but my perception of ‘bigger’ changes over time. I feel like my confidence is at a good level now and I’m excited to keep pushing my limits and shooting bigger and bigger surf in the water.
LK: Is there a certain photographer you’ve looked to for inspiration?
MATT: Yeah, when I first started all I wanted to shoot was empty waves. I was kind of stubborn in the sense that that was all I wanted to do. So I always looked up to a guy named Ray Collins. If you haven’t looked him up, you should. He takes phenomenal photos of the ocean and waves. He makes waves look like they’re living creatures. It’s super cool. Recently I’ve been looking up to Steve McCurry, more for travel and lifestyle photos, and I don’t know, V has been pumping out some pretty cool stuff for Loose Keys lately, so that as well!
LK: Ha thanks man. I’m inspired by you. What’s the most important “thing” a photographer can have? I’m gonna take a guess and say it’s not equipment.
MATT: Definitely not. I would say, it has to be passion. It’s the same as surfing. You have to be stoked. If you’re not into it then its not gonna work. You have to have that sort of desire in you to be wanting to capture photos, you know. If you have the passion and stick with it long enough, you’re gonna progress. The passion is the best thing you can have.
LK: Seems like that’s the best way to be successful in anything.
MATT: Yeah man. Whatever line of work you do, or hobbies whatever, you got to have the passion or its not gonna work.
LK: Can you share with me one of the scariest moments you’ve experienced in the ocean?
MATT: Yeah. Oddly enough it was quite a long time ago, back in Cornwall. I was swimming under a wave just taking photos and for some reason my ear just fully fucked up and my eardrum burst and threw my balance off and stuff. I didn’t know which way was up. I was spinning and I started thinking that I was quite a fair way out and I had to swim back in and I was so nauseous and was puking up out in the surf and on the beach for half an hour. So that was pretty horrible.
LK: Glad you’re all right bud. Okay here’s the scenario: You’ve just arrived at your favorite wave of all time, and it’s going off. There’s definitely some fun to be had. You’re with 3 of your best friends and the light is just the most perfect shade of golden hour. You surfing or shooting?
MATT: Hmm. This kind of happened at Desert Point last year I think. I can’t remember which way I did it. I was with my mate Henry, shout out to Henry, but yeah I think I managed to surf a couple of waves and then I always like to shoot the very last light so its really epic colors and contrasts. So I managed to get some shots at very last light after I surfed.
LK: That’s really nice of you to go out and grab a couple photos for your friends, it’s pretty interesting how you’ve never gotten a photo for me but it’s alright.
MATT: Man. You know whenever I want to go out its sunrise and the light is nice and you’re always in bed, only wanting to surf in the day. I’m not interested in that! We’ve had good times, you cant bitch about that!
LK: Whatever bro. Thanks for taking the time to share with us a little snippet of your life. Yes, I wanted to get some insight into your photography, but more so wanted to know how you got to where you are today. Not in terms of the successes you’ve achieved, but the personal choices you made along the way that allowed you to follow your passions. I think a lot of people today are confined to what society has expected of them. Go to school, get a job, settle down, buy a house, blah blah blah. I’ve seen a life though, where happiness and passion play a leading role. If someone were looking to break free from the norm, as I believe you have, would you have any words of advice for them?
MATT: Yeah that’s a cool question. Listening to what you want is super important. I think when I was younger, I always knew I wanted to travel and somehow combine it into my way of life, but I didn’t know how…. and then others would say to me, go to Uni, get a degree and that’s the right way to do things…which, I’m not dissing. I’m not dissing that at all, but for me, that wasn’t the right path and I think listening to yourself is a really good way to find out what you want…until you find a passion for something, and then just go for it 100% and do it for the passion, not the money. When I started photography, I was just doing it because I was stoked to get any picture of a wave at sunset, and I wasn’t even thinking back then about making money. I mean it’s great to make money now, but you shouldn’t get into something just for the money. And don’t listen to negative chat about like…If you go into this you’re gonna struggle and you wont make a living. Just go for it. And contacts…I found that if I was looking for work on the computer and stuff, I wouldn’t get very far behind a screen. You need to be out there, at events. For me, I just went to surfing events. Went out and shot local pros and stuff. Just get out there and meet people to get your name seen. That’s really the only way to get yourself out there in the creative world, in my opinion. 
LK: Thanks a lot for the insight Matt. I really hope this helps anyone that may be on the fence or at a crossroads in their life. Passion is such a power thing when used to it’s full potential. I guess the hard part is knowing when to act on it. There’s really no clear answer there except to just be honest with yourself and continue to do the things that make you happy. Maybe hearing how others have navigated the path towards their dreams can help to inspire whoever may be looking to write their own set of rules.
Follow Matt: @mattpowerphoto / mattpowerphoto.com