Matt Wittmeyer
Left to right, Walnut salad from Pittsford restaurant Label 7; Brother Wease, host of The Wease Show on WFXF-FM 95.1; and high-end home décor are among the subjects Matt has tackled for Rochester Magazine.
Gourmet salads, public figures, and bathroom sinks have never looked so good.
This freelance photographer has been spreading his wings in Rochester for the past year, churning out vivid images of local people, places and things.
A poster for the 2012 United Way of Greater Rochester campaign, featuring a photo by Matt.Matt, who lives in Brighton, grew up in these parts. After grad school at Syracuse University, he cut his teeth in the photo biz in New York City.
“I moved to New York to work as an assistant to some great photographers,” he says, mentioning Matthew Jordan Smith, Stephen Wilkes, and Squire Fox among them.
Matt came back to Rochester, first working full time at the Democrat and Chronicle, and later turning to full-time freelance photography.
These days, he shares a slick, renovated studio at the Hungerford with fellow photographer Rich Paprocki and interior designer Jason Longo.
Matt's photographic subjects change from week to week. Sometimes editorial. Sometimes commercial.
You'll often see Matt's photo credit on the pages of Rochester Magazine. He also works on the biannual magazine for United Way of Greater Rochester, as well as occasional work for national pubs looking for local shots.
“One day I’m shooting a catalog for a golf company. Next I’m shooting portraits for a magazine. Next, it's the home of an interior designer,” he says.
MattThe diversity keeps him fresh—and busy.
“Being in a smaller market, I find it vital to adapt and be willing to shoot many different things,” Matt says.
Definitely not actual size: A pork chop from Max of Eastman Place, shot for a Rochester Magazine feature.He's photographed a long list of famous folks, from Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy to furniture designer Wendell Castle to choreographer Garth Fagan and supermarket supercouple Danny and Stency Wegman. Speaking of which, Matt says his happiest moments are spent with food.
“That would be my favorite subject,” he says. “I like to cook it, eat it, play with it—and shoot it.”
When he's not behind the camera (or chowing down after a shoot), Matt turns to other photographers' work for fresh inspiration.
“I'm constantly reading and looking at magazines, ads, annual reports—anything I can get my hands on,” he says.
“You can get a lot of great ideas looking at others' work.”
Amen to that.
See more: www.mattwittmeyer.com, and on Facebook
Say hi: studio@mattwittmeyer.com
A portrait of Finger Lakes Distilling co-owners of Brian McKenzie (left) and Thomas Earl McKenzie (no relation), shot for the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.