The Photography lessons that changed everything for me - Moments of Mood, 2.3.

“The most powerful images you’ll ever create won’t come from pressing the shutter. They’ll come from learning how to see — clearly, intentionally, and fully.”
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In this episode of Moments of Mood, I share the story of a photography workshop (back in the day) that quietly reshaped everything for me — not just as a photographer, but as an artist and human. What started as a curious endeavour turned into a complete shift in how I see light, connect with people, and approach the creative process.

In this episode, I cover:

• The exact moment I learned how to shape light with feeling, not just exposure
• Why I stopped picking up the camera before earning trust
• The silent power of presence — and how it transforms your photos
• The truth about creative ego and photographing with respect
• 5 practical tips to become more intentional with your craft
• Why slowing down has made my work feel more alive

You can also watch this video on my YouTube channel here.

Happy Shooting,

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Thank you for listening and for being a part of this incredible community. You can also watch this episode on my YouTube channel (link below) where I also share insights, photography tips and behind-the-scenes content on my channel as well as my social media, so make sure to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, Threads and TikTok or check out my website for my complete portfolio of work.

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Chapters

• 0:00 The Trip That Changed Everything
• 2:50 Understanding the Power of Light
• 4:28 'Breaking Bread' Before Photography
• 7:30 From Quantity to Intention
• 10:34 5 Tips for Better Photos
• 14:09 Steps You Can Take Next

Transcript

Matt: 0:11

Sometimes the biggest shift in your photography doesn't come from buying new gear or chasing new locations. It comes from seeing what was always there, but differently, and for me, that shift started in Mongolia. Once upon a time, a while back now, when I was a little bit more fresh-faced and naive, a friend of mine in Hong Kong which is where I was living at the time invited me to a photography workshop in Mongolia, and I said yes, why not? I'd love travel and I was happy to see if I could learn something about photography on the trip. So I went. Eight of us traveled to the Altai Mountains in Mongolia, an extremely remote but beautiful part of the world, and we camped under the stars, spending our days photographing eagle hunters, surrounded by stillness, tradition and space. Little did I know, though, that this trip would change my life, and not in a grandiose or dramatic way, but in the most subtle and nuanced ways possible, especially when it came to photography. Now, on this trip, there were two professionals, and one was prominent in the industry and whose images I really loved. I could tell he was world class, but during the trip it was difficult to actually get him one-on-one where we could shoot together and I could really learn firsthand. But I did manage to grab him quite early on, just for about 30 minutes on one of the first mornings.

Matt: 1:32

We found ourselves inside a Mongolian hut, quite a tight space, one window, two doors. I was just following the pro, quickly realizing this was a brand new situation for me to be in, so I allowed myself to soak up every moment I had with him. And he wanted to make a portrait of an eagle hunter and his daughter. It felt strong initially, but something was missing because he was talking me through this. But he didn't really say much else, he just stepped into the doorway, looked at me and said let's see what more light does to the scene. And as he walked to the door he turned around and said watch the light on my face and tell me what you see. I watched intently as he opened and closed the door, and just small amounts this was. But having a basic understanding of what soft light was, it was quite difficult to notice big differences. But you could see how his face became just more evenly exposed, less harsh and more of the focal point of the frame that I was seeing right now, and the light around on the floor wasn't distracting me from his face and inside the room. We watched with even more interest because the ambient light bounced off the floor, off the walls, off the ceiling. The shadows on the faces softened and the whole room completely changed. It felt warmer, more intimate and more human. Then he closed the door again and that softness disappeared. Not wrong, not right, but different, different lighting for different scenes and different intentions of what one wants the scene to evoke and feel like. That's the power of knowing your light, he said. That was my aha moment.

Matt: 3:07

For sure, that image I took of the father and daughter is still one of my favorites. Technically it's not mine, of course, because I took this next to the pro, who got his own version of what he had created after knowing naturally and immediately how he could shape this scene with light, composition and moment. The communication and empathy he used to make the man and his daughter feel perfectly natural and comfortable also really interested me. But more of that later. What stayed with me more wasn't the photo. It was that feeling of understanding something so fundamental for the first time, that light isn't just about brightness or exposure, it's about emotion.

Matt: 3:48

Now, wherever I go, whether it's in a hut in Mongolia or this studio back home. Light is the first thing I notice and focus on, not the gear, not the subject. The light, I ask. Where is it coming from? What's it touching? How is it kind of changing the mood of the moment? Because if you can really understand how to shape light, if you can really shape it, you can shape the feeling.

Matt: 4:14

And from that day forward I stopped chasing perfect shots and I started chasing perfect light. But the trip had much more to teach me and it came in the quiet spaces, when I wasn't really behind the camera. Because here's the thing these were people who didn't speak my language. We were complete strangers from the other side of the world. We were in their homes, their lives, their living rooms and kitchens. Imagine that Strangers from the other side of the world suddenly invading your most private, safe and protected places. Now, they were nomadic, but still this was their home, their family, it's all they had. So spaces that didn't just feel intimate, they were sacred, and I was just this big white guy with a lens and a backpack.

Matt: 5:03

So one of the professionals gave me a simple rule Don't pick up your camera until you've broken bread, preferably multiple times. At first I didn't get it or really agree with it. We're here for photos, right. But I did observe him. Then I observed the hosts and I observed the type of experiences and images he started to create with his camera. So I started trying it. I'd sit with the families, drink tea, watch, smile, no camera, no real talk, just presence. And over the week I could really start to feel the difference. The energy shifted, the trust built and the walls just started to come down a little bit. Shifted, the trust built and the walls just started to come down a little bit. I learned to be with people. Before I ever tried to photograph them, to speak even when we had no common words, to explain through hands and tone and rhythm, what I was hoping and trying to do. And then, when I did finally pick up the camera, I wasn't necessarily taking a picture, we were making a photo together, cheesy. But actually, if you can master this process, then it's true and it not only makes for a better image, it just feels better too, right?

Matt: 6:14

These days I do things differently. Because of that, I always try and build extra time into every shoot or trip. This is applied to everything I do that involves a camera. Who am I here with? Who am I? What does it mean? How can I break bread? Time to observe, time to be silent, time to let comfort replace awkwardness? So before I touch the camera, I ask myself have I earned this moment? Have I allowed this person to see me too? And when I shoot, I always try and keep it simple Soft directions after I've given time for them to rest in a natural state, gentle eye contact, clear intentions and, most importantly, patience, because presence isn't just about stillness, it's about respect as well. Respect for the person, for the culture, for the moment you're lucky enough to be a part of. That's what creates really truly honest images. Not control, not performance, just trust. Trust that leads to vulnerability, honesty and authenticity and, as such, better images and better experiences Seems like a simple formula, but it's difficult. As the days unfolded, these lessons evolved into more of a philosophy I could move forward with. What I learned after.

Matt: 7:34

These first two takeaways wasn't about technique. It wasn't even something I could immediately put into practice, which I did get frustrated with. It was more of a shift subtle at first, then permanent in how I approached photography and, honestly, how I approached life. On day one, I did what I think most of us do when we travel somewhere new with a camera, we're all excited and everything, especially when learning. I rushed. I wanted to make the most of the time, capture everything, collect moments like trophies, and I remember one of the pros noticing that energy in me and gently pulling me aside. He said in essence, you don't need thousands of shots. If you manage to just get one that's meaningful, then you can call this trip a success. That stuck with me.

Matt: 8:19

It eventually I mean difficult to believe and agree with at first rewired something in me and slowly but surely, I stopped trying to document every corner of every heart and every person who we were with. Instead, I started asking myself new questions, not about the composition or whether I had enough shots to go home with for bragging rights, but about the why behind the image. I began asking myself have I actually spent enough time with this person? What do I want to capture here, beyond what's visually impressive? Is there something beautiful in this moment that might not be obvious but is deeply felt? Does this image have meaning to me or to the person I'm photographing? What's the intention? That word intention became a compass.

Matt: 9:08

It forced me to think more deeply about the context I was stepping into the history of the land, the stories already being told, whether I was adding something to those narratives or just repeating stereotypes because they were visually compelling. Was I working for my ego or working in service of something more a story? It also made me reflect on consent, not just the kind you get with a nod or a smile, but real human connection. Did the person actually feel comfortable? Did they trust me? Did they want to be seen in this way?

Matt: 9:43

I started showing people the photos mid-shoot. I wanted them to see themselves, to understand the vision and to know it was a collaboration, not necessarily a transaction. And from this place I found something unexpected dignity, a sense that I wasn't just taking something, but I was making something unexpected Dignity, a sense that I wasn't just taking something, but I was making something together. And that awareness started to bleed into everything. My photography became a little bit slower, more mindful and strangely more alive. The images meant more, even if I took fewer of them, and I should say this isn't about turning photography into some moral high ground or performance. It's about being honest with yourself, about asking better questions, even if you don't always have the perfect answers. It's about becoming more present with your craft, your subjects and your surroundings. So here is my final tip Be mindful before you click. And I know mindful can sound vague or overused, so let me just explain a little bit what that means and how to apply it.

Matt: 10:43

Number one start with intention, not instinct. So before you lift the camera, ask what do I want this photo to say? Is there an emotion here I actually feel? Am I photographing for myself or for an audience? Number two give yourself time to observe. Whether you're in someone's home or a wild landscape, sit with it. Don't touch the camera yet. Watch the light, feel the energy, let the environment speak to you. Often your best frame is revealed through stillness. Number three consider the personal place, not just the picture. Ask yourself does this person trust me? Do they feel safe? Am I seeing this place with respect or just curiosity? Number four make it a collaboration, not a transaction. Let people in on the process. If you're photographing someone, show them a frame, explain what you're trying to do. That simple act can transform how connected they feel and how connected the final image is. And lastly, number five be okay with taking fewer photos.

Matt: 11:48

The pressure to produce is everywhere. We all feel it, but the truth is, the photos I'm most proud of are the ones where I waited, where I connected, where I understood, where I experienced, are the ones where I waited, where I connected, where I understood, where I experienced. No-transcript. This approach didn't just make me a better photographer, it made me a more honest one, and the images I began to make after Mongolia did feel different. They weren't just technically stronger I mean, some of them were but they were more human, more layered, more me.

Matt: 12:22

It took time. This is a slow and arduous process, one that I'm constantly working on, and so should you, but that's the challenge and that's where the real beauty and fulfillment lies. So, wherever you are in your photography journey, I really invite you to slow down, ask deeper questions, lead with awareness and trust that your vision doesn't come from doing more. It comes from seeing more clearly these three lessons light, presence and intent. They weren't part of some grand curriculum. They weren't given to me in a workshop folder or printed on a handout. They were passed to me quietly, through gesture, through experience, through people who were willing to slow down long enough for me to catch up, and they changed absolutely everything. Since that trip, my photography has become less about capturing moments and more about creating meaning. I guess that process became more important than the product and, strangely, when I stopped obsessing over getting the perfect shot, the images started to feel more alive.

Matt: 13:31

I think so if this video resonated with you, if it stirred something or clarified something, or just gave you a new way of thinking about your work, then maybe you're at a similar turning point. Maybe you're ready to take photography that little bit deeper, to build your own voice, your own rhythm, your own way of seeing. That's exactly what I help people do inside my mentorship program, and the goal of this program is to help you find your photographic voice as an artist, to build a brand and become a recognized photographer, all through portfolio presence and positioning. All through portfolio presence and positioning. This is my business roadmap for photographers, and it's the creative unlock for entrepreneurs. I help creatives turn their photographic art into a brand and entrepreneurs unlock their creative edge, all through personal guidance built around one's goals, skill level and vision, through a proven structure that actually moves the needle.

Matt: 14:34

It's not about following a formula, though. It's about finding what's true to you through your images, your process and your presence as an artist. So if you do want to explore that, if you want to go deeper together. I'd love to guide you. You'll find the details below and if nothing else, I just really hope these lessons stay with you the next time you raise your camera, because the most powerful images you'll ever create, I promise you won't come from pressing the shutter. They'll come from learning how to see clearly, intentionally and fully. Thank you so much for being here. Happy shooting.